When Evil Visits.

I told my six-year old, Mercy, about the Newtown, CT shooting, the day it happened.

I held her in my lap as I tearfully explained that a bad man had done a very bad thing by killing about 20 kids and six adults, and also himself.  I explained that he was dead and couldn't hurt anyone anymore.  She cried with me.  We watched the President's first public response together and cried some more. I held her tight into my chest, and lamented that those parents who lost their babies could no longer feel that wholeness.

The experience in telling her these things was a bit unreal, and perhaps some parents would disagree with me that I did it in the first place--why expose a young, innocent mind to the evils of this world so early?

My reasoning was two-fold: first, I wanted her to hear it from me before she had the chance to potentially hear it from busmates, classmates, or her teacher.  She is in fact only in first grade, but I cannot control the exposure she has outside of my care.  So I wanted to teach her a proper reaction, which leads to my second reason: I wanted her to see that it is okay to be sad about these sorts of things. The Bible says to "mourn with those who mourn," and even though we don't personally know these people, we are still connected in many ways.  

Little did I know that she would stand up in class on Monday and make an announcement about the shooting.  I guess with her teacher's permission, Mercy gave about a five minute speech about Sandy Hook Elementary.  I had her recount to me what she told them, a little afraid that I would be receiving angry phone calls from parents.  After what she told me, though, I must say she did a pretty good job.  She gave them a limited account of the event.  She talked about how the parents would be missing their children, and families would be missing their family.  She reassured her peers, stating that the reason they have practice drills at school are to ensure that nothing like that would ever happen to them.  She also reassured them that the children who died are now in Heaven where God can protect them.  That last part there kinda made me gasp...oooh, talking about Heaven in school?  Well, even though we believe in Heaven in our house, I hope it doesn't ruffle any feathers at a state institution.  But so far, I haven't gotten any feedback so I think that means we are in the clear.

After I told a friend about what Mercy said, they asked me what I believe Heaven to be.  So many people think of the fluffy white clouds, playing harps and the like.  I know there are plenty of Biblical references to Heaven, which can sometimes seem a bit cryptic (although I did find Randy Alcorn's book 'Heaven' to be helpful in understanding some of these verses).  I think it is because Heaven is a place we haven't truly experienced here on earth.  The only way I can accurately describe what I believe it to be is where everything is made right.  We all get the sense that something is off in this world, that there are hopes that need fulfillment, injustices that need retribution, and decay that needs restoration.  

In an abridged exposure to this world's painful reality, my hope is for Mercy and my other children that they can be trained how to appropriately respond and love others during these strange tragedies.  My prayer is that they don't turn into cynics, but instead they turn into blossoming love machines who have eternity in mind.  

And with that, I leave you with this, a few lyrics and a quote that have affected me as I long for Heaven and Jesus to make everything new.

"There’s a time for peace and there is a time for war
a time to forgive and a time to settle the score
a time for babies to lose their lives
a time for hunger and genocide
this too shall be made right."

-Derek Webb

 

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." 

― C.S. Lewis

Touchy Topic Tuesday: The Gift of Life.

This week I was looking at pictures of the 45 Most Power Images of 2011.  If you haven't seen them, you should.  It records a pretty tumultuous year, from natural disasters to social upheaval.  

When I got to number 30, my oldest daughter was looking over my shoulder and sort of half-laughed because she didn't know what it was.  I told her, "That's a baby who is dying.  It doesn't have enough food or water to be healthy right now."  She then asked me something I don't think I will ever forget:

"Is that for real?"

Yes.  Yes, it is, unfortunately for real.  How astounding it really is to think about that babies, and people of all ages for that matter, die because of lack of access to basic nutrition and clean drinking water.

My daughter asking me this also reminded me of a fellow blogger who recorded a similar situation with his family.  It moved him so much that his family, with the help of generous donations from his readers, are building two kindergartens in Vietnam.

From the mouths of babes, right?

My husband and I have decided to participate in Advent Conspiracy for the past four or five Christmases with our church.  The idea is to spend less, give more, worship fully, love all.  Now even though it's special during the Christmas season, we really should be doing this all the time, right? 

I'll be honest.  I'm stingy.  My husband can attest to this.  He has like, this gift of giving.  I remember when I bought him two nice watches when we first got together, and he eventually gave them both away when people were admiring them.  I was so flipping mad, but I hid my anger because he was cute.  Thank God he hasn't given our kids away when people admire their cuteness!

But pictures of dying children, man, they hit me right here (pointing to my heart).  All my walls crumble.  My greed dissipates at the thought of their tears, their shallow breaths, their limp limbs, their lack of hope.

But their story doesn't have to end there.  We who are fortunate can step into it in so many ways, in the same way that Jesus stepped into our story, in the incarnation of love.  We have so much to offer, so much compassion and resources to bring.  

This is what I want to teach my children.  

Yes.  This is real.  But we can change that.

(to learn about one of the charities our church family supports to provide clean drinking water to underprivileged communities, visit Living Water International)