I was debating upon how long to wait until I put my reaction to the latest in what seems to be an endless stream of tragedies of late. The events which befell the community of Newtown, Connecticut have left yet another indelible mark on not only that town, not even this country, but I am positive the entire world. The lives of 20 SMALL, INNOCENT children taken so senselessly by a literally ill human being before he ended his own life just sends chills through my entire body. It is not for us as humans to ask why this continues to happen because there is not a person alive who can definitively state the reason. A person can hear just so many takes on the gun rights issue. To me, the most important thing we can do is to pray for those children and others who lost their lives, those injured, the survivors, the families, and the entire community which we are all a part of. For a time yesterday, school prayer had returned to Sandy Hook Elementary School in the closets, bathroom stalls, and other secluded places where teachers led their students. One teacher told the children that if they believed in the power of prayer to do so and if not to think happy thoughts.
Last night, the family attended the concert of my junior high school aged nephew, Alex. Before the music began, the elementary principal gave a word about the tragedy and without saying the word “prayer” asked for a moment of silence.
Another issue driven from this… how soon and what to say to our own children. I don’t know that there is a definitive answer t that problem, either. I would think that being open and honest with them as the situation presents itself. I do know that there is no way that they can be totally shielded from the tragedy but lending an open ear and loving words will help them and maybe ourselves take strength from that sharing. I do think the media takes these things a bit too far. I don’t think it can go any farther than having a young child being asked questions hours after their school had gone through such an event.
One good thing did come out of this event. Hours after Alex’s concert, a couple in the audience welcomed a healthy, new born son into the world.
May God welcome the little children home in his warm, gentle embrace where they will celebrate the coming birthday with He who saved us all. And may we all continue to pray for those who lost their lives and those families who have lost so much.
Sad is too simple a word for this horrible tragedy. Gun laws won’t protect people – accepting Jesus as our Savior will save people.
Indeed. “Sad” doesn’t begin to describe the tragedy. I just cannot express enough how much I feel that the country is too focused on “solving the epidemic” than focusing on the families of the small victims and everyone concerned. Perhaps one day millions more throughout the world will come to know and accept HIM who saves!
And now someone lured firefighters by setting a house on fire, then shot four of them, killing two.
Well, this is the sort of evil Jesus came to rescue people from. Today we celebrate his birth on Earth, whenever the actual day of the year really was.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!