My thoughts on the Colorado theater shooting ...

This last week, early one morning, around 12:30 a.m. - a young man in the
Aurora, CO area walked into a midnight showing of the "Dark Knight". 

After weeks of planning, he threw 2 canisters of tear gas (?) into the crowd and begin to shoot. 12 people were killed, and 50 (?) were injured. 
Why? 

From reports so far, he was from a good home, had a promising future. 
So, why do this to innocent people? 
Why do this to his dad and mom? 
Why do this to himself? 
What purpose does this serve? 

There is no indication of this being a "terrorist" plot ... the police investigators are saying (at this point) that there are no known ties to any terror group. But this was certainly terrorism! 

It was terrorism on those present in that movie theater ... 
terrorism to their families and friends as they began the search thru the hospitals and clinics and morgues.
Terrorism to the families and friends of those that have died, as they face the days, weeks, months and years of the rest of their lives without their loved ones. 
Terrorism to those that survived - survival guilt will haunt many, and this will certainly change everyone's life. 
Terrorism for those emergency responders as they came and found such terror among the people present. 
Terrorism for those that are answering phone calls still. 
Terrorism for the doctors and nurses at the hospitals as the victims were brought in - from minor to critical injuries. 
Terrorism even to those of us that are not family or friends to any of those involved. Just to know that someone like this one was living and working among us - and with little to no indication of what was being played out in his mind and emotions. 

One of the frustrating things to me is the way that some will automatically jump on the band wagon of "gun control" ... 
I was not brought up with a healthy fear of guns ... nor with the knowledge of how to use them. I was actually scared to death of guns when Rick and I got married. 
And I don't believe that guns should be available to just anyone at anytime or anyplace. I believe there should be laws regulated the sale of guns. And I believe there should be teaching and training in place - to both adults and children - of what guns are for, and what guns have the potential to do. 

But I also know that guns DO NOT KILL PEOPLE. 
PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE. All kinds of instruments are used to inflict injury, torture and death upon people. 
This one had placed a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun in that theater. 
BUT until HE picked them up and fired them, those guns were just there.
Doing no one damage or harm. 

Let's keep the anger focused on where it should be ... this young man. Not the guns he used. 
He could have used a bomb, a car, a whatever ... his weapon of choice was a gun. 

My spirit grieves and my heart hurts - for all those involved. 
Including his family. He has a daddy and a momma that will have to live with this the rest of their lives. As well as the rest of his extended family. Friends. Team mates. Co-students. Co-workers. All those that have spoken to him, or interacted with him at any point in his life. They will have the awful questions of "Why?" "Is there something I should have seen?" "Is there something I could have done to prevent this?" 
 
What can we do now? 
Pray for all those involved. 

For ... His family. Friends. Team mates. Co-students. Co-workers. 
For ... The doctors and nurses as they take care of the injured. As they answer questions to the families and friends of the injured, and the killed. 
For ... The people that will be working over the funerals - that they will have compassion and understanding in the face of this terror and fear, this death with no rhyme or reason. 
For ... Family and friends of those injured - as they try to be the support to those injured. And support the injured will need. They will need someone to listen to them over and over and over again as they try to make sense and peace with what has happened. 
For ... Family and friends of those killed. To say that final good-bye when there is illness or disease that has taken so much health and life - it is bittersweet. Bitter for us that are left. But sweet for those leaving - for they will no longer suffer and hurt. To say that final good-bye due to an accident is hard, because of the questions of "if only" and "what if". But to say that final good-bye because of an act of violence upon an innocent one ... that has got to be the hardest. The anger ... the frustration ... the confusion ... all of the raging emotions. 
For ... all the investigators and police that are involved in this. That they will have wisdom and knowledge and understanding in how to work this case - this young man does not need to get off because of some "technicality". 
For ... those that will be prosecuting him as well as those defending him. I'm sorry - but with my limited vision and understanding, I see no defense. Guess I am just a bit too "human" to see any hope of defense! 
For ... this young man. May God have mercy on his soul! I couldn't. I'm sorry. I pray that God will set upon this young man's mind and heart and soul, in a way that he has no peace without full confession. Jesus had compassion on the thief on the cross next to Him, but even in His compassion, His forgiveness, and His promise - the thief still had to die for his sins. 

We must trust in the Lord with all our heart, lean not on our own understanding. In all our ways, acknowledge Him. He has promised to come and to direct our paths, making them straight before us. 

Only God knows all the answers ... why? Why? Why? 
He may choose to disclose those answers here on this earth, and then again, He may not. 
But one day - be sure - Grace will be ushered in completely and all the scars won't matter any more. We will be with Him in glory ... face to face with Him. We will be reunited with all our loved ones. God Himself will wipe away the tears. 
What a day of rejoicing that will be. 
But for now ... breathe in ... breathe out. 
Trust in Jesus. 
And know that no matter what - God is still God ... And God is still good. 
Even without answers.
Even without total healing and life. 
God is still God. 
God is still good. 

I pray that God our Father will wrap each one of us in His swaddling clothes and hold us close to His heart. Keep us there. Minister to our hurts, our fears. Strengthen our scars. And take us on forward into each new day, each new challenge      ... for Him.