It wasn't just a train ride. It was to be a 'Who-Done-It Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre' type of event taking place while riding the steam engine train at the Texas State Railroad. Although we didn't attend the actual train ride, we were invited to the 'dress rehearsal' where we experienced the play in a non-moving train. It was great fun as the actors went from one car to another performing different scenes.

The costumes and the open-air cars gave you a feeling of stepping back in time and getting a feel of how things might have been. The open-air cars also brought other feelings.

As we sat there between scenes, suddenly a strange lady across the aisle reached out from her seat and smacked my husband in the head with a newspaper. She struck from behind and he never saw it coming. I have to tell you we were both pretty shocked! We didn't know her and weren't quite sure what he had done that had riled her up so. All the other passengers also seemed to sit there in surprise as they anxiously waited to see what was going to happen next.

Was it part of the show? No, it couldn't be because she wasn't in costume even though it did leave my husband wondering, 'Who done it?' No way it was part of the show because her husband was seated beside her and he looked every bit as shocked as we were. We just couldn't quite get a grasp on what was happening.

As we sat there with our mouths open, she began to realize just what she had done. In her embarrassment she sputtered out an apology and explained there was a mosquito on his head and she just smacked it before thinking. Now I know what some of you wives may be thinking and my advice to you would be to stop thinking about it right now! Your husband would NEVER believe there was a mosquito on his head! Now, truthfully I never saw the mosquito but she had just swatted a complete stranger in the head so there must have been one.

Life is like that isn't it? It seems it is always sneaking up behind you and swatting you in the head when you least expect it. Just when everything is peaceful and you are off guard, there it comes. Bop! Right in the head and many times knocking you off your feet. The big difference is 'life' doesn't usually apologize and the effects of the smack last longer than a couple of seconds. Often times they can be devastating.

But the real dilemma is the same. When it happens, what do you do? 2 Timothy 3:12 says, 'everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.'

But Romans 8:35-37 reassures us with these words, 'Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep." No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.'

And 2 Timothy 3:17 tells us more about persecution. It reads, 'It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.' So don't be surprised when troubles come your way. Trust in the Lord and allow Him to direct you.

Just because you don't see the mosquito doesn't mean you're not gonna get smacked once in a while!