Shaken, but Standing Firm

This past week was another heartbreaking one where I found myself shocked by the news of yet another shooting. This time at a parochial school. This time around I am a bit more connected to the tragedy because the school is down the road from the mall where my daughter works in Nashville's Green Hills area. The added connection is the setting—a school! I spent so many years as a teacher never having to think of "not being safe" until we started having active shooter lock downs and such as school shootings became common occurrences. The very first time I had to participate in a lock down drill, I remember feeling sick to my stomach. I was probably just as scared (if not more scared) than my students. It seems so hard to think about places where children should feel most safe [schools and churches] are where many are no longer guaranteed to be so. It is heartbreaking. I sit at my desk trying to make sense of this latest tragedy. I watch the oak trees outside my window shaken by the wind. being tossed back and forth, yet they stand their ground and don't give in to the temptation of breaking. They bend and give, but ultimately they remain firm. I see this as a lesson for life. In the hard times like this week, my heart was shaken, but my faith remains firm that God will see us through this time of sorrow and help us to see that the paths we are following are not the paths He wants us to follow. It is a collective problem, and it will take a collective solution/change to bring senseless tragedies to an end.

As millions of believers in Christ (me included) begin the observance of Holy Week, I reflect on how Jesus' passion is somewhat similar to the violence that occurs day after day in our world and more closely to home—in our country. The failure to understand each other and the discipline to follow God's laws are the very roots of what causes the breakdown of peace in our hearts and in our day to day lives. Certain leaders at the time did not seek to understand Jesus when he claimed to be the Son of God and condemned him to a violent death. Was it their humanness that kept them from wanting to see the truth or relinquish the authority they felt empowered with that caused them not to see the truth? It happens to all of us. We do not want to relinquish the control we feel we have and give our lives and complete trust over to God. This is where we falter and lash out at others when that control is tested. The best that I feel I can do is put my best efforts forward and trust God in all I do. I have to be like the mighty oak shaken by the wind standing firmly on the ground absorbing the blows and resolving to remain strong while helping others see God's love for us.

I wish you a peaceful and safe week, and a beautiful Easter.