I Will Trust

Overwhelming. Sorrow. Sadness. Horror. Grief...one day after yet another school massacre.

Our nation is suffering greatly as despair and mourning overshadow what should be a normal mid-winter day in America. Our eyes tear and our hearts ache as we watch in horror the news coming from Broward County, Florida. Student after student interviewed, some seemingly without emotion detailing the chaos that occurred in their school on what was supposed to be our day of...Love. I use the word, “seemingly” as these events are beginning to seep into the innocence of our children as something that is...normal, expected, just another possibility in the life of...school.

I remember my earliest days of school. Learning to read, write and make crafts (notice I didn’t include arithmetic!) were what we-did and then there was of course recess! Jumping rope and especially Double Dutch jumping was really the thing to do for we girls! I still remember some of the sing-song rhymes as we turned the ropes and jumped in and out to the count.

Then there were the autumn days where we would gleefully run to the chestnut tree to see how many nuts we could gather then later play hopscotch using the nuts as our markers. Never, ever, no never would we consider what is happening in our schools as...normal.

Columbine. Our kids were both in high school just a county away as the horrific shooting took place that tragic day. The panic, fear and horror overwhelmed as we parents received the news and raced to gather our children from...school. For many days after my husband and I sat at the dinner table and listened to our son, age 17 at that time and daughter, age 14 rehearse where they “would meet”. “Pass the salad, and don’t forget, we’ll meet in the Senior Hallway where the stairs go up into the roof, I’ll wait for you”. There were rumors that it was going to happen again-this time at their school.

We along with most of America changed that dreadful day in April of 1999 but not without hope and revival. We turned our hearts to God and lifted our hands to Heaven asking Him for help. That is what we must continue to do today. Continue to pray, to have hope and trust that God knows.

Today I leave you with the following written by St. Patrick, The Patron Saint of Ireland.

I Will Trust The power of God to guide me, The might of God to uphold me, The wisdom of God to teach me, The eye of God to watch over me, The ear of God to hear me, The Word of God to speak to me, The hand of God to protect me, The way of God to lie before me, The shield of God to shelter me, The hosts of God to defend me, Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ at my right, Christ at my left Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height, Christ in the heart...Amen