Wednesday All Day

My decision to be prayerful and to give students and school safety my attention on Wednesdays still looms large for me.  Because of Spring Break, I’ve spent most of the day thinking and reading about that very thing.  I'm going to be honest. I am growing tired of the whole thing and wish everyone would just shut up.  Yep, I said it.  Stop talking.  Stop being a Republican.  Stop being a Democrat.  Stop hating everyone and everything you disagree with.  Stop blaming.  Stop being stupid.  Media, stop giving opinions and report the news.  REPORT JUST THE NEWS!  This country is divided by so many groups. How about we all decide to be Americans? 

In America, we battle over everything and never bother to look at the big picture.  And we take sides.  No one listens, and no one is willing to do anything to make a change.  There are a few, but life is hard for those folks.  We make fun of people for where they live, we make fun of people because of the way we vote, we make fun of people who are down on their luck, and we make fun of people who are rich.  Adults use words like deplorables, libtards, Bible thumping, hacks, extremists, radical, elitist, nutjob, zealot, idiot, snowflakes, misogynist, gun toting, bigot, Nazi. The list is endless.   I never expected to hear the word Christian used with such disdain, but I’ve heard it too much in the past month or so.  We are more interested in who slept with who 30 years ago than in fixing our public schools.  We only seem to care about mass shootings when there are multiple deaths and ignore when children are killed on the streets, or two students die in another school shooting.  We hate police officers, but if we’re in trouble, who is called?  As a nation we disrespect our president and children are taught to disrespect teachers and administrators.  Black children are taught to hate white children.  White children are taught to hate black children.  Children in general are taught to hate children who are different than them.  Parents are too interested in themselves to notice their children.  Veterans are treated like scum instead of the heroes they are.  And all we can say is, we have a gun problem. We have an arrogance problem, we have a crime problem, we have an apathy problem, and we have a hate problem.  We do not have respect for life.  We do not respect authority or laws.  No wonder kids are in trouble.  I pray God will help those with real problem-solving skills step up and make a difference.  I pray we will remain positive and help or get out of the way.  I pray as a nation we will stop looking for all the negatives and mistakes and we will learn to serve others.  I pray for safe schools with all the training necessary.  I pray for volunteers to step in and help instead of waiting on the government.  If we stop long enough to get out of our bubbles, we will see an entire world out there that needs us.  Every individual has something to give.  Help enforce the laws, help parents who are floundering, help children who need guidance, thank a teacher, a policeman, and a fireman.  Volunteer at a hospital and thank the nurses, doctors and hospital staff for the job they do.  We are all in this together.  We should all be part of the solution.  Be kind.

Wednesday

“And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:20. 

I read this early yesterday morning.  What really stood out for me was what David Jeremiah said pertaining to this scripture.  He said, “Safety is not the absence of trouble; safety is the presence of Jesus.” Shortly after I read this, there was “breaking news” about a school shooting.  The significance of what I had just read and prayed about hit me hard. We will probably never know what the shooter’s intent was, but for now, it appears he had a specific target.  If he intended a mass shooting, he was stopped in his tracks by a school resource officer.  After yesterday’s incident, the Maryland governor said he pledged to devote greater resources to school security.  That should be on the agenda for every state.  Laws take a lot of time to pass.  In the meantime, all schools should do more to implement safety measures. Usually, the only thing keeping resource officers out of schools is money.  It’s obvious prayer warriors are on the job and we should continue to pray without ceasing.

I can’t help but notice how our society reacts to tragedy. I’m going to express my opinion and admit I may be totally off the mark.  I don't mean to knit pick, but some things strike me as odd.  When the Parkland shooting occurred, news crews never left the scene.  Live video was streamed almost all day.  There was outrage, and there should have been.  School walkouts and a Washington march was planned.  Two kids in Maryland were shot yesterday and the shooter died.  Silence.  It started and ended rather quickly.  Nothing to see here.  I had to really search to find a news story about it today.  Why so much concern and outrage over one shooting and nothing for the other?  There is a difference in the weapons used. One suspect used an AR-15 and the other one used a Glock. I think that might be something to ponder. However, all students at both schools need our prayers.  Two troubled young men went unnoticed.  I always think of these kids and whether something could have been done to help them. 

Austin, Texas has been terrorized by bombings recently.  Two people have died and many more injured.  Even though it has been covered in the news, I’ve seen very little concern from citizens.  Shouldn’t we be outraged?  I am.  The bomber is now dead.  He was only 24 years old. I’m concerned for his family, the families of the victims, and the community of Austin.  Why is this tragedy less important than any other?  Why are we not outraged as a country?  There haven’t been any campaigns for Austin.  No Facebook tributes have shown up.  Why?

Finally, today marks the 13th anniversary of World Down Syndrome Day.  I did not know the United Nations declared March 21 as a day to bring public awareness to Down Syndrome in December of 2011. Why is such a day needed?  Why has it become more popular now and how did we miss it for so long?  I believe it is because Down Syndrome children are in danger of becoming a group targeted for genocide/eugenicide. Does that sound ridiculous?  It should.  Some have decided those who are different should not live.  Who decided this and why are they the ones making the decision?  It happened to the Jewish people during World War II.  It happened in Rwanda in the 1990’s. The Bosnian genocide happened in 1992.  Some believe the persecution of Christians by Radical Muslims is genocide.  I tend to agree since it pertains to a targeted group for extension. We seemed to have learned nothing from history.  All life is precious.  With all the death portrayed in society and sometimes legalized, it’s no wonder kids are killing each other.  My prayer is we will lovingly show our support for all life.  Bullying those who are different should stop.  Killing babies because they might be an inconvenience should stop. Treating one tragedy differently from another should stop.  Being afraid should stop.  I pray we learn to notice each other.  Be there for those who seem lost.    Stop the culture of death. 

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  John 20: 21

A Wednesday for Urgent Prayer

This Wednesday has been chosen as a day for students to walk out of their schools in protest to school violence. Students are expected to do so for 17 minutes, one minute for each victim from February 14 this year. My prayers today are focused on this event and the students who participate.  Many students will take this event seriously and will thoughtfully consider what is happening.  Unfortunately, some students will not give it much thought and will see it as an opportunity to get out of class and cause problems.  I pray for the safety of all students.  I’m concerned for the students who choose not to participate.  They have the right to remain in class.  I pray they will be allowed to stay in without negative and judgmental repercussions.  All administrators, teachers and support staff across the country deserve our prayers and support to manage this day to the best of their abilities.  A lot of concerns have been placed on their shoulders. 

We should always lift those students up who walk the halls of every school without friends or support.  I rarely have a child I can’t like, but one year he showed up in my class.  He was mean and spewed hatred with every word.  I tried to ignore him, but he wasn’t having it.  He was absent one day.  When I saw him in the hall later, I smiled and said, “Hey, where were you? We missed you in class.”  I have no idea why I did that, well, I have a slight idea.  He stopped, walked over to me and told me all about his doctor appointment and what was going on with him.  He chatted away.  I said I would see him in class.  That was the end of the mean hateful boy for me.  He still behaved badly other places, but I never had a problem with him again.  All it took was a few words, a smile and a slight attitude change toward him to see a major change.  Teach your kids to be more kind.  I’m in favor of the Walk-Up suggestion given this week.  Walk up to the student without a friend and at least smile.  Go sit by the one all alone before school or at lunch. Smile even when you don’t feel like it.  This works for adults as well as students.  Just be friendly. 

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.  Matthew 7: 12

This Wednesday

So many things flooded my mind this past week as I continued to pray about the recent school shooting.  In my opinion, all the bickering and fighting going on is not helpful.  Placing blame on this one or that one won’t keep it from happening again.  There is enough blame for all of us.  I was disheartened by the Oscars and the message they tried to portray.  A first step toward protecting our schools, as I’ve mentioned before, is to make sure all schools have safety measures in place.  When I think of all the money these celebrities have and how far it could go to help make schools safer, I cringe.  Blaming the NRA solely is counterproductive.  These people don’t want to help, they want to complain.  They want to make political statements and push agendas.  I would love for someone with influence to step up and ask, how can I help?

Changing the mind set of society should be a top priority.  I have never read any of the Hunger Games books.  When I saw the first movie, I had no idea what it was about.  I’ll never forget the way I felt when I walked out of the theater that day.  There are many facets to the story and I’m sure the books are great to read, but all I remember is hunting and killing children.  All my students loved the books and the movie.  Not everyone was negatively affected by the Hunger Games, but it only takes one to set off a disaster.  Violent video games give kids a warped sense of reality.  Adults should pay more attention to what their children are “playing” with.  It would be helpful to at least talk with your kids about the differences between the game and reality.  I know from experience how many kids can watch streaming movies without any supervision.  I have walked in on movies my husband is watching and leave the room because it was too graphic and bloody.  I’m not sure young people realize death is forever.  A 5^th grade student who had been shot in the shoulder told me he never knew it would hurt so much.  Wake up call! Talk to kids about these things.  Fight back against all the violence in entertainment.  Young minds are being influenced more than anyone knows. 

It’s understandable that some immediately decided it’s time to arm teachers.  Understandable, but a ridiculous idea.  I’m not against arming select school personnel.  It might be smart to do away with gun free zone signs and make a shooter think twice before going into a school.  However, the trauma of a real intruder is hard on students.  The last thing they need to see is their teacher holding a gun and possibly shooting someone.  The teacher’s job should be to stay calm, keep the students calm, and to make them feel safe.  The best way to insure this happens is to have drills.  We must take a common sense stand to help solve the current problems.  We shouldn’t wait for the government to fix things we can do as a community.  Being honest and talking to kids about reality doesn’t have to be a terrible thing.  My prayer is that all schools receive funding for safety equipment.  I also pray we can stop digging for the negative in everything and start being confident we can do our part to help. I pray for those in authority to make decisions prayerfully and thoughtfully.  Money can not replace young lives.  Keep your eyes on the big picture and find a way to make a difference.

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, Luke 8: 1

It's Wednesday!

Attempting to make safe schools a priority is just one small step to fighting the bad guys, evil, satan, or whatever term one may use to describe the cruelty going on in our world today.  Naming the enemy is half the battle. Some don’t believe in God or deny who Jesus is, but we all better acknowledge that evil exists, and it is ruled by the evil one, satan.  My word program wants to capitalize his name, but I refuse to allow him any distinction. 

Since last week, so much has happened that shows evil has run amok. Believers and non-believers should be able to agree and should be able to come together for the safety of our children.  Local law enforcement and the FBI dropped the ball when it came to the shooting tragedy in Parkland, Florida. They could have prevented or at least curtailed the events of February 14.  They did not.  What do we do now?  We can’t change anything in the past. There is no need to condemn all law enforcement.  Not all FBI agents drop the ball.  In cases like this, too many times we turn to hate and refuse to move on.  Perhaps it’s time we start learning from mistakes and using what we know to help prevent future tragedies, instead of placing blame and fighting each other. 

I’ve recently learned there are lots of schools who simply do not talk about the possibility of intruders.  They do not have intruder drills and they have no safety measures in place.  Those living in the communities where these schools are could do a lot to change the situation.  The world we live in has changed.  We can no longer deny there is a problem.  First steps for immediate change is to be bold, speak up, volunteer, and stand firm.  We must stop hating and blaming.  Training for teachers and students is a must.  Knowing what to do during an intruder lock down is just as important as fire and tornado situations.  I found a book for younger students, “I’m Not Scared, I’m Prepared.”  That should be our motto. Fear is the enemy.

We should go about our tasks with kindness, while being firm and truthful about our mission.  My prayer is to seek knowledge and to gain the wisdom to do what I can.  I pray all schools become a safe place.  Most of all, I pray that I won’t be a distraction from real solutions. There are no quick answers.  I pray all will come together for answers and push our personal agendas aside.

“Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel. Should you not embrace justice, you who hate good and love evil;”  Micah 3: 1-2

“Ask not what your country can do for you… ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy

I Picked Wednesday!

After watching the reaction of recent events (school shooting), it became clear to me that nothing is going to change until people change.  I didn’t cause the shooting and I can’t change anything about it. God, on the other hand, can make all the difference in the world.  I picked Wednesday to be the day I concentrate on stopping future shootings. Health issues won’t allow me to do a true fast, but I can set aside extra time with God on this matter.  I’m having a cup of tea this morning while I spend my quiet time in prayer for our Nation and our schools. 

I’m fortunate to teach in a school where safety is very important. Visitors must stop and talk with a security guard before they can come on campus. All doors are locked during the day. No one may enter the building without being buzzed in.  A camera is in place, so office personnel can see who is trying to enter. School employees have fobs to enter certain doors. There is a resource officer assigned to our building. We have intruder drills as often as any other drill. The only thing missing are metal detectors.  Some schools would be wise to add those.  These precautions aren’t fool proof, but I feel safe inside my school.  That has not been the case everywhere I have taught.

Every school in the nation should have similar precautions. They need them TODAY! The biggest obstacle to carrying this out, is money.  It will cost a considerable amount of money to bring school safety for all to fruition. School budgets are tight and may not have extra to spend on this concern.  If enough people work for the common good, money can be found and/or raised to implement these changes.  Contact local businesses and corporations to contribute to a safety fund.  Organizations exist to help with this specific issue.  Find grants for school improvement specifically geared toward school safety.  Once the building changes have been put into place, all that will be needed is salaries for a few additional personnel.  There may be volunteers for some of these jobs. 

My prayer is for people to stop debating and act toward protecting our schools.  We shouldn’t expect the government to take care of everything. Take responsibility for your community and help make it a safer place.

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:19-20