Evil exists. There is evil in the world. I can't think of an act more evil than killing innocent children. Some will blame the school. Others will blame the parents of the shooter. Some are already calling for more gun control. Fingers will be pointed at video games and violent media. All of these may be contributing factors but only evil actually goes through with something this...well...evil.
I can't always protect my family from evil. As a husband and father I consider it my duty and pleasure to protect my family. I will always do my best but I can't physically be there 24/7 and you don't always know when evil is going to show up. I am learning that there is a lot I must put in God's hands and simply trust and obey.
Good prevails. The news will continue to cover this tragedy and all of the sadness that goes along with it. Newscasters and even President Obama fought back tears as they covered this story and gave speeches. What you may not see is the millions of children that were held closer and tighter this weekend. Parents realizing that in the midst of their busy schedules they need to carve out more time to spend with their children.
I have no intention of making light of this devastating situation and I do not have an explanation or answers. 26 families are experiencing unfathomable loss and a community is broken and hurting. Yet at the same time millions of families across the nation and possibly the world will become closer because of this tragedy. My hope is that each parent that hears of this tragedy will be reminded of the preciousness of life and cherish each moment with their children. My hope is that children will feel more loved starting this weekend than they have in their entire lives and it will carry on and even grow for years to come. My hope is that friends, families, community organizations, and churches will join together and support one another during this extreme time of need.
If you don't live in or around Newtown, Connecticut, there may not be able to directly help in this situation. I've never met any of the families and don't even know their names. But I bet if we were to ask the families of those that lost loved ones how we can help, my guess is their answers would look something like this.
Be present with your kids. Attend their games, concerts, and recitals. Eat dinner around the table as a family. Schedule one day each week to wake up a little early and take them out to breakfast. Ask them about their day and actually make them tell you.
Watch less TV and go to the local park or play some board games. Tuck your kids in at night and pray for them and with them. Tell them how much you love them and how proud you are of them. Hug them tightly and frequently because you never know when it could be the last time.
I don't think their first comments would surround gun control, school safety or media violence. I think they would say the best way we can help is to be present with our children, love them unconditionally, appreciate their unique gifts, and cherish each and every moment.
Evil exists. It just does and we can't always protect our families from it. But as long as we love unconditionally, lean on one another, support our neighbor, pray for our enemies and their families, and learn from tragedy good will always prevail.
I pray that this tragedy changes millions of people for the better and causes millions of families to re-prioritize what is most important in their lives.
How will your family be different after this tragedy?
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