If you are breathing, I’m assuming you have heard of the
terrible act of violence that took place just yesterday. There is no getting around it.
Throughout the day, I spent the hours (as so many others
did) glued to the television. My
heart hurt, as it felt attached to those people on the screen.
My eyes filled with tears as I watched children being led
away from a crime scene, in their very own school building, after stepping over classmates' bodies.
Innocent minds that are
now engraved with images of evil.
Sounds of gunfire ringing in their ears. Parents flooding a parking lot, running from all directions,
searching for their children.
I
can imagine it was complete chaos.
I can't help but put myself in the shoes of those parents.
I have a 4 year old. Next year, I’ll be dropping him off
each morning, to spend 8 hours away from me, in the hands of his teachers. I have to trust that they will love my
child as much as the teachers in Sandy Hook loved their students.
Can you imagine?
A parent… getting a text or call that there has been a shooting at your child’s
school. Arriving to mass
chaos. Entering a Fire House. Searching for your child in the midst
of 700 other students and their parents.
You watch as some come and go with their children. Heading home to safety. But you are still waiting. Waiting to hold your baby.
But your baby never comes.
That's it. the end.
Why didn’t you listen to your gut? Why didn’t you let him stay home today? How are you supposed to leave without
him? Where do you go? How do you continue living?
These are the questions I would ask myself if I were in
their shoes. All I can do is pray
that I am never in their shoes.
Tears stream down my face as I type this. I cannot physically imagine the
gut-wrenching pain that each one of those loving parents felt… and are still
feeling.
It makes me ask myself, as I’m sure you have, too: What is wrong with the world in which
we are living? Have we lost all
respect for others? Have we
completely disregarded what is RIGHT and what is WRONG? Do we think that we can gain something
by inflicting pain on others?
How
do we stop this nonsense?
Adam Lanza is resting in eternity tonight. It is an eternity of fire and
darkness.
So be it.
But because of his decision to commit a cowardly and
senseless crime, families are forced to live through Hell on Earth…. Their minds
tormented with the loss of their loved ones.
26 people’s lives were taken from them in an instant and for no apparent reason.
And now their families must learn to cope.
I can imagine “coping” would be near impossible.
I wish there was something magical we could say to the
families of these children and teachers.
I wish we could take their pain away. I wish we could fill their hearts with joy again.
However, all we can do is pray. Pray quietness for their minds. Pray strength for their bodies. Pray healing for their hearts. And pray peace… a peace that passes all understanding… for
each and every one of their souls tonight.
Who is to say that this can't, and won't, happen somewhere else. This little town I live in. Are we shielded from evil? Is someone here capable of committing a crime of this magnitude?
Though it's so easy to do, we simply cannot live in fear.
Tonight, my church gathered together for our annual choir Christmas worship service.
We prayed for the families of the victim's of Sandy Hook, as well as several victim's from our area who were killed or injured in senseless crimes that took place today.
The words to a song have spoken to my spirit, as they do so often. I have sung them many times, and I sang them again tonight.
I will make this my prayer each day.
For my husband, for my friends and family, for my precious babies that I can hug tight tonight.
Overshadow me
In the shelter of your wings.
Holy Spirit cover me.
Overshadow me.
Overshadow me.
The only hope of Glory is Christ in me.
