10 Years Ago

10 years ago today I can remember coming home from a normal day in high school and hearing the news of the shooting at Columbine.  The whole idea of these teenagers coming into a school, which should be a safe place, and just obliterating other humans' lives was so mind boggling to me.  The next day at school I had a very different perspective on every student I saw; I started thinking about what I would do if a similar situation were to happen to me.

Only a year after Columbine, I was given the opportunity to pray around the Columbine High School flagpole.  A group from my church, Wedgwood Baptist, stopped in Columbine on the way to our ski trip since we shared a bond with the Columbine students: a shooting happened at our church only months after the Columbine shooting shook our world.  What an amazing experience it was to pray for the healing of the students and teachers of Columbine High School around their very flagpole.  

Today, I pray again for that healing.  I know that anniversaries open nearly healed scars, and I know that sometimes that can hurt worse with time.  I'm thinking of you, Columbine, CO.  

Writing Again...

I've been thinking for a long time now about the fact that I need to get back to writing.  It used to be the way that I expressed my feelings; I would write every single night during middle and high school, but I stopped writing after the shooting at my church.  In fact, the last time that I really sat down and poured my heart onto the paper was when I wrote my recollection of the shooting... since then... I haven't been able to muster up the courage to put pen to paper.  It was like I just put up a wall and decided to stop expressing what was deep inside.   I suppose that I've been afraid of finding out what's really in there since that time in my life.  I've thought about it though, and it's almost been 10 years... my life is great.  I'm blessed with a beautiful family, my dream job, and so, so, much more.  It's time for me to face the deep down 'stuff' and just write.  So, here I am, writing again.

And you know what?  I'm calling this stage of my life my happily ever after.  Why?  Because there's really not a lot more that I could ask for.  Even through the rough patches, I know that I am loved by my Lord, above all else.  I don't think that I really knew that the last time that I wrote, almost 10 years ago.  There is a joy and a peace that comes with that knowledge.

Welcome to my happily ever after.