It feels wrong to put this here - the impersonality of the internet means it can never hope for even the slightest chance of properly conveying things like this. But I want to put it down here anyways. Just because I feel like I need to.

For those of you who may not know, a man from my home church, Mr. Norman Knibbe, died suddenly and unexpectedly at work yesterday. He was the father of Hester, Marcella, Eric, Suzanne, Elena, and Rhiannon Knibbe, all of whom attended or are still attending HMDCS and TDCH, so I knew many of them quite well. He was also my Uncle Marvin's brother and my cousin Alex, Brent, and Dylan's uncle. When I found out what happened Tuesday night, I was left completely astounded. I had no idea what to say or think. I still don't.

Even though this tragedy is still a few degrees away from me, this is the first time I've really been hit by the mortality of human life. Mr. Knibbe was only 57, just a few years older then my Dad, and he didn't smoke like my Dad does to the best of my knowledge. By all accounts he was a healthy man with nothing to worry about. The fact that God decided to call him home so suddenly and without apparent cause is something that I'm really struggling to understand right now. If it can happen to him, it can happen to anyone - I'm just coming to realize that.

I knew Mr. Knibbe for many years, and although I never really talked to him that much I always thought he was one of the friendliest and nicest people I had ever met. My prayers are with Mrs. Knibbe and their kids right now, as what they are dealing with is something I can't even begin to imagine, as well as with my Uncle Marvin and my cousins and the rest of the Knibbe family. And I know that this is all a part of God's master plan, even though most of us probably can't see where it fits in right now.