Safe and Sound

Dear God,

Right now, the world that my children know is safe. The main adults in their life love them. Their basic physical needs of food, water, clothing, and shelter are met in abundance. And the extent of violence they experience is a sibling shoving match over Duplo.

I wish life was this simple and serene.

Lately, I have been saddened by the recent act of senseless, insane violence against the most vulnerable in our society. At moments, I freeze with fear and tremble, "That could have been my daughter or my son." I hesitate at my overall excitement of letting my first born, my daughter, climb the steps of a castle-type school to experience new horizons of learning. I wonder, "Will she be safe? Will she survive? Who will protect her?"

A few nights ago, I read Hansel and Gretel to my daughter. Evil was present in the story through a mean step-mother and wicked children-eating witch (hmmmm, not the best story to read before bedtime). In the climax of the story, the little girl assured her big brother that "God will save us!" And God, you did just that. The story ended happily. Witch was cooked in her own oven. Step-mother died of natural causes. Father is reunited with his kids. Win-Win.

Not so true with the victims of the recent shooting in Connecticut.

Dear God, I know you don't promise that we will always be protected. You also don't guarantee that we will not suffer because of the sins of another. Nonetheless, this stuff is hard! And how do you explain the mystery of your ways to little ones?

I treat my home as a sanctuary, of sorts. I cherish controlling what comes into my space to potentially disturb the peace around me. I am terrible at keeping up with what is going on in the world, partially because I rather not know how bad it is out there. I am content in my ignorance during this short stage of parenting preschoolers.

But one day, my daughter will climb the steps of the big yellow school bus and drive away. I think I'll cry. And I'll be delighted for her. But, she'll change. Her eyes will be opened to some of the real sh*t in this world. She will wonder, "Why this? Why that?"

And, "Why God?"

I know that I will not possess all the answers. How can I? I am mortal. You God, however, are eternal. You are the Wonderful Counselor. The Mighty God.  The Everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace. I'm going to need your help! And I trust that you will provide me with just that.

In the meanwhile, I pray that time will go a little bit slower. I am enjoying the leisurely pace of our "safe" days. I want to keep hugging my little ones while they are still little! Thank you for granting me these two beautiful blessings. And while they may not experience temporal safety and protection at all times, I trust that you, God Almighty, will keep them eternally safe and sound, happily ever after.

In Your Eternal Grip,
Rain

(Dear Readers, here is an encouraging response to the Connecticut Tragedy entitled God Can't Be Kept Out by Rachel Held Evans. Thanks, G., for the link.)

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