Reflections in the face of tragedy...

Tragedy has hit.  We pray for the victims, and the families involved in the Sandy Hook shootings that they will find healing in their unfathomable loss. I don't pretend to know what it feels like to lose a child, and honestly I pray I don't have to because I'm not sure if I could handle it.  I don't deal well with death in general, so maybe this is why I choose to focus not on the grief but on what can be changed so that this doesn't happen again.  For myself, I think I learned to not be so harsh to my children even if babyland is hard and toddlers so inane things.  One of my primary goals in life is to get my family to heaven, this doesn't negate Jesus death at all, but simply means that I along with my husband are the primary teachers to our children.  We want our children to love God and remain on the path of seeking him.  So this tragedy, while made me question why? and still does.  It also made me want to hug my babies more and try harder to teach them to be faithful, good little people who want to seek Jesus.  People who would rather value and save life than take it. People who stand up for the weak and downtrodden.  People who help where needed etc.

“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.”

-Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I guess my other question that stems from this tragedy is not about gun control, but simply how have we as a society failed young men that they think they have to come to such monstrosities to make their point?  I am left to wonder this, because I am raising two boys currently. While they are a long way off from being young men, I still wonder how we or at least I can prevent this for my boys.  Part of it may be in what I wrote in the latter part of the last paragraph, but I think there is more.  What that is I don't know, what are your thoughts here?  How can we make history not repeat itself?

This image below puts a whole other spin on a Christmas tree, and it feels appropriate at a time of tragedy.  It gives me hope, comfort and most of all love.