Not Just a Sunday Thing - Week 5

In today's post, I am going to go a slightly different direction with my thoughts.

This weekend, I have had a mixture of joy and fun.....and sadness and feeling sick to my stomach when I found out about the attacks in Paris.  I am just  sick to my stomach because the people that are doing these horrible things are doing it for their "god" or because of their religious beliefs.

The joy/fun part is that I am having a girls weekend with my mom and my sisters.  (Oh, I love them.)

We laugh and laugh.  We share some of those deep, secret feelings that we don't have anyone else to really talk with about some of these things.  It has been a great weekend.  We went to the taping of this local daytime talk show on Friday afternoon.  One of my sisters taped the show so we could see if we made it on t.v. afterwards and saw that the show was interrupted with the news of the Paris attacks.  They didn't tell us anything in the studio.  We were clueless.  Mom and I found out when we got home that night and opened up Facebook and saw all the Pray for Paris things floating around.

Why?

Why do people do these things in the name of their god or religion.  I really and truly don't understand how they can value life so little.   How they can think it is perfectly okay....and honorable....to kill random people out doing fun things?  How can they think they will be rewarded when they get to heaven?

I don't get it.

If I let myself, I can just think all Muslims are horrible people, but I know that isn't true.  Just like I know all Christians aren't judgmental jerks.  Just like I know all homeschoolers aren't anti-social weirdos.

But, what do we do now?

This can't keep happening.  How can the people responsible be punished?  How can this kind of thing be stopped?

And most of all, how can we go on living our lives....with this kind of crap popping up all over?

My answer is....I don't know.

Here is what I will try:

I will try to pray for the people that are doing these kinds of things.  I will try to remember that they are someone's little boy or little girl.  They have loved their grandparents.  They have gotten excited when their mom brought home a new baby.  They were excited when they learned how to tie their shoes or ride a bike.  You know?  They can't have always been this way and had this crazy hatred for people, can they?

I will try not to live my life in constant fear.  I don't want to put a stop to the joy and fun...just in case.  That one is hard, especially when you are a parent.  But, I will try.

I will try not to bad mouth the people/religion that is behind these attacks.  This will be hard too, because I am angry.  I am disgusted.

But, I am determined not to let evil win.  Not to let these sneaky, underhanded things of the devil gain ground in my world.  I will keep my faith.  I will keep God close.  I will try to have compassion for people.  I will love.

I am trying really hard to remind myself of Luke 6:27,28: "But, I tell you who hear me:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

That is what I am trying to do.  Not sure if I will be successful or not.  I am human.  I am flawed.  I am swayed by anger and a sense of.... don't mess with me or my family.  But, I am trying.  And, now, more than ever.....my faith needs to be Not Just A Sunday Thing.