Still Shaken

Most people have probably read this article from a father of a Columbine victim who spoke to congress recently.  The gist of the article was that the NRA was not to be blamed for the deaths of children at the high school but for the mere fact that it was an act of evil.  Here's the article:

http://www.christianforumsite.com/threads/a-columbine-victims-father-speaks.12357/

I'm not an advocate for guns...at all...but I think this subject is more about a person's motivations and happiness versus their access to guns.  I think this kid would have found the guns regardless if his Mom had them or not.  In this article, the father suggests that all people are made up of 3 critical parts...body, mind and spirit.  If any part of that equation is lacking, let's just say the spirit, the chances of it being replaced with evil is far greater.  Our schools, our country is being stripped of God wherever you go.  This secular movement, to me, is extremely scary.  Even for some of my friends who don't consider themselves religious know that you can still find a space for God in your lives and God still makes life better for everyone regardless of what you believe.  Removing it from people's lives means you're creating a void.  A void only to be filled with bad stuff.  I'm trying not to go too deep but I believe that we've become a much more entitled society for this very reason.  No one has a sense of remorse or guilt for the evil acts that they do.  Parents are afraid of their children as in this recent case in Sandy Hook.  The mother knew of her son's issues.  I believe she knew what he was capable of doing.  Kids like that are suffering and probably made threats to her in the privacy of their home.  She probably ignored all of the signs and warnings thinking he could never do such a horrific act.  As a parent, all of these sufferings should never be ignored or overlooked.  Get your child the help that they need, for their own sake.  Though I'm trying really hard not to read about all of these wonderful children who lost their life that day and how bad their families are suffering, as it brings me to tears everytime, I still can't shake how someone could be so ill yet so ignored.  I know this single mother was doing the very best she could to raise her sons the right way but all of the warning signs were there.  Being a single parent is difficult.  Usually the child is suffering from the split and then you compile all of their other issues, in this case, mental illness.  You try so hard not to rock their world and tip toe around them, doing your best to keep their issues under control.  From what I read, to her friends, the Mom was pretty normal and happy.  She had enough money to never have to work again.  Her older son was already successful, following in her ex-husband's footsteps.  To everyone that knew her, she was a loving, giving person.  Yet she had this struggle with her youngest son.  Why couldn't she seek help that he so desperately needed?  As the days go on and reveal the details of this horrific event, we'll probably see that she was afraid.  She was probably scared of losing her son or embarassed to admit to his issues.  I honestly don't know what the answer is.  I do know that I was thinking of my kids non-stop today as I let the bus take them away from me for 8 hours.  I so wish I could homeschool them and keep them close to the nest.  I wish that I never had to have these hard talks with them as to how to protect yourself in case you fell victim to such a horrific act.  I feel awful about sending them off to school again tomorrow knowing there's no gaurantee they will come home again.  The fact is, no one knows truly how to protect these kids.  It doesn't matter that their in public or private school, metal detectors or not, fences or no fences...they're all at risk.  We're all at risk everyday.  We need to do our part and start praying again, however you like to do that.  Start realizing that other people in this world matter, not just YOU.  If we reached out beyond ourselves I think we as a country would be more fulfilled and there would be less and less of these nightmares.  Let God in, give him a chance and see what happens!!