The double edged sword of 12/14

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”~~Revelation 21:4

December 15, 2012

It's a rainy dank morning in Central Texas.  The news of yesterday's massacre of 20 small children and 6 adults in a Connecticut elementary school broke the hearts of America.  Details of the man wielding two guns are emerging but we will probably never know what really was going through the mind of a young man filled with anger and hate.

One thing I am sure of ... this morning the parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends of those murdered are reeling wondering "Why?".  I cannot in my wildest dreams imagine the horror they are experiencing this Christmas Season.

Last night, Michael and I headed north to Plano to attend The Gift of Christmas ~~ a musical production put on by Prestonwood Church.  Before the show began, Pastor Jack Graham addressed the tragedy of the day praying for the families of those in mourning.  As pastors, when something like this happens, they immediately get messages of ... "My faith is tested." ... "Why would God allow this to happen to innocent children?"

The media is reporting other times of mass murders noted in the history books.  Before guns, movies, video games, and the Internet, the question as to the source of evil has been on the table.  It is out of our heart that murders originates.  The world is fallen, broken, and depraved.  The world is evil period.

We cannot erase the tragedy and pretend it didn't happen.  It's times like this that our nation and it's people need hope ... need a Savior ... need comfort.  One day, we will be free from these anxieties.  One day we will be free from getting calls from people who say, "Are you watching the news?" as fear makes our hearts drop.   No longer will we be crying out to God, "Why?"  And no longer will we be expected to bear the anxieties and sadness of people whom we have never met.  I look forward to that day.

The double edge sword?  Last night was also a time of coming together as a family to enjoy the promise of the Savior.  The Gift of Christmas offered a time of appreciating those we love and cherish while celebrating all that Christmas is about.  I have a friend who was in the choir and she said that before the performance they all were burdened with heavy hearts.  That burden fueled a performance that was filled with emotion of the deepest kind.  Those voices (1,200 strong), actors, dancers, and people behind the scene gave their all.  After sitting for a 2+ hour performance, my grandson looked at me and said, "If we clap long enough will they do an encore?"  As angels soared through the air, there was that sense of knowing that God was in the midst of the tragedy.

As for me and my family, we serve an awesome God.  Last night, we laughed, we hugged, we broke bread, we teared up, and we celebrated our togetherness.  I looked upon my husband, son, daughter in law, and my grandsons with love.  For that moment in time, I was filled with a love born of tragedy.

Merry Christmas, Readers!  At times when we, as humans, cannot understand the "Why?" let us remember that is exactly why God sent his only son.

Always remember you are loved and prayed for ... YA YOU!

Miss Dottie

PS  To those who lost their lives on 12/14:  "How very softly you tiptoed into our world, almost silently, only a moment you stayed.  But what an imprint your footsteps have left upon our hearts."  Dorothy Ferguson