Normally Left Alone

I try to avoid anything remotely political on social media or here at TPC. Those discussions are better had in person in relationship where motives are known and understood, tones are heard and not implied and emotions are face to face, not inferred. That being said, I can't leave this alone.

When Colby, my youngest, was in kindergarten (4th grade now) he became extremely anxious not long after the school year began. At night when we would pray he would ask questions about how secure our door is at night, sleeping with a light on (drove his brothers CRAZY!) and other sorts of things. Come to find out, one day at school, multiple "drills" were held for the kids to learn procedures. This was too much for my kid. The biggest and most anxiety inducing aspect was the intruder drill, and rightly so! I spoke with his teacher and principal who were AMAZING and even offered to tell me ahead of time for the future so I could keep him home if I wanted but, reality of our world tells me that is not the answer, but giving me a head's up enabled us to discuss what he could expect and how his teacher loved him and all of this was to do everything they could to keep him safe. He has gotten so much better.

He is a sensitive, tender-hearted kid who feels everything very deeply.

This morning, I forgot to turn the tv off like normal and as we were getting ready to walk him out of the door the news shared about a Ukrainian 737 carrying civilians was apparently shot down but what is believed an Iranian surface to air missile. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared in a press conference that it is also believed that the plane was thought to be a US aircraft, meaning that our own civilians were the intended target. At this I turned off the tv and we got in the car and started down the road. Just a few blocks from the house I noticed how quiet my normally goofy 9 year old was being and I turned to glance and check on him. His face was drawn and eyes were somber. I asked him what was wrong and he shook his head. But I know my kid better than that. So I asked again and told him to tell me what is going through his head. To be honest, I was having a hard time not crying over the horrific loss of life and the prospect at what was supposed to happen. He began crying and told me he is scared. And truth be known, I was mad. Not mad at him but mad that my sweet kid has to even hear anything like this and that our world is crazy and that I can't be 100% sure that this won't happen again or that war isn't a possible reality. So instead, I pulled in the back of the parking lot and put the car in park. I brought him to the front seat and hugged him as tight as I could in the car. Then I told him about the Gulf War during my childhood, I wasn't much older than him then. We talked about the history of that area of the world and that while I can't promise we won't see war or, God help us, war on our own soil, that it has been over 100 years since a war was fought IN the US. He sat wiping tears from his eyes and trying to calm himself. I grabbed his little hand and we prayed. We prayed for the families of the lives that were lost in the tragic attack on the plane and we prayed for the world. We prayed for God's peace to rule and reign but mostly for that peace to be so real in our own hearts and minds.

I am just broken in my spirit over this, angry for our kids, frustrated for friends I have that live in Ukraine and in the middle east, and I can't lie, a little anxious myself. But God is the author of peace and hope! The anxiousness will not last and joy and hope, faith and peace will prevail in my little boy's heart and mind and in my own.

I am not and will not point fingers at any country or leader. At this very moment none of that is helpful. I will pray for every government leader and for God to reveal Himself at every turn, bringing His supernatural wisdom to those who need it and for us to be able to trust in His divine hand holding all of us together.