Response to news.

I'm upset. I have just finished a long week of school that saw many positive things happen this week. I am looking forward to a few days rest mixed with some reading, and maybe a bit more reading, but mostly rest, but I'm irked. I sat down to express all the positive things that are happening in my life, but now some confusion sets in.

Everybody experiences those news events that shape your life, and redefine your culture. Most people in my grandparent’s generation can tell you exactly where they were when they heard about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. For my parents generation, they can tell you exactly what they were doing when they heard that President Kennedy, and later Reagan were shot. My similar memories include three. The most obvious is I will never forget where I was when I turned on the television to see a jet fly into the twin towers. My second memory is when I was much younger and was told by my fourth grade teacher that the shuttle Challenger had exploded on takeoff. I also have one more such memory. I will never forget sitting in my car trying to turn right onto Laurel Ave as I turned on my radio and heard that there were gunmen reported in Columbine High School.

I never knew anybody in the school at Columbine, but it was a school I was very familiar with having lived in Colorado most of my life. I have also known a lot of people who did know people who were in the school at the time, and even more importantly, somebody who visited the school that very morning to have lunch with a former teacher of his. He had lunch with Dave Sanders, the teacher who was killed.

I'm upset because as I sat down to do some journaling I read that there has been yet another school shooting in the state that I love, in a city that again I know. Like last time I don't know anybody at the school, but I do know friends who grew up there and are associated with the city. Again there may be friends of mine affected.

A few weeks ago there was a shooting of a young boy in a city near Dubuque. A few students in the seminary program here are pastors, or student pastors in that area, and they were called in to help with counseling the community. Looking back on school shootings, there is always a pattern where police are questioned and blamed for not doing the right thing. Blame is placed on people, who regardless of if they could have some something differently, did something to the best of their ability out of a love for humankind in trying to make a difference. As a pastor I think people step into that same kind of spotlight for criticism. They do what they do out of a love of God and other people (see Mat 22:37-40) but what if they do or say something wrong. I don't know if I could ever have answers for what happens in this school. I question why things like this happen myself, and wonder at how free will versus Gods providence relate. Someday I hope to be able to answer those questions myself, let along guide others in that same search. I am at awe of those who can step into these situations and make a difference, and maybe someday I will to, but for now all I can do is ask for prayers for not only the victims of this tragedy, but also for those who are there trying to make a difference in the lives of the victims.