The Newtown School Shooting may be one of things that people will remember where they were when they heard about it. Different from similar tragedies, the involvement of kids in this particular event feels like it hit more of a national nerve.
When I heard about it, I was painting a puppet stage with my two young daughters. We had gotten an old refrigerator box and that Friday morning, we were painting a castle scene on it. I received a “breaking news text” from some list that I’ve subscribed to. I began to read details of the shooting. Like the rest of the nation, the lady writing this one piece had no idea how to respond in this situation. She finally concluded with, “Don’t glue yourself to this information. Unplug and spend time loving your kids or any children around you.”
The details regarding this horrific act are important and we want to pray for the families who lost loved ones. But, at least for me, even the small amount I read, literally made me physically sick. So I took this random person’s advice and I unplugged. That day happened to be my day off anyway. We spent the morning painting and I spent the rest of the day loving, playing, and being with my family at home.
Sadly, news of this nature has become commonplace in of our culture. It’s the broken and fallen world we live in. I felt like I wanted to stay home not just for the day, but for the year or the decade!
However, I’m grateful that I recently had a conversation with an older faithful saint who, in a very humble, quiet and assuring way said, “I’m so glad I have my hope in Christ. I don’t have to be afraid of bombs, financial cliffs, of tragedy, or death.” Those are words of wisdom.
What a comfort it is to have that kind of hope in Christ.
As I write my thoughts here in this little blog- also with no way of knowing how to really respond – my heart is broken for those kids and families in Connecticut. They were all around the ages of my girls. I. can’t. imagine.
The little homemade castle puppet stage we made that Friday morning is dedicated to them.