That day.

Disclosure:

1. I am NOT a theologian
2. I am a follower of Christ
3. I am a mom
4. I love a lot of non-believing, not-like-minded people (Good morning, "Kylie"!)
5. My blog isn't  pretending to be a java loving, hipster adoption blog

     Friday was horrific.  There isn't an American (or a human) that will disagree.  We shed and still cry for the  children, the families and our own children and the future of humanity.  Here's the thing that my agnostic or atheist friends don't get: God was there.

     It's a huge can of worms.  The ageless argument for why God allows suffering.  I can't answer that.  I'm not all knowing and omnipotent.  But I can share what we told our entourage of hurting kiddos.

     Those kids, they weren't scared.  God was already there with them, protecting their eyes and their hearts from what was about to happen.  God is good and loving and just.  

     God did not create a spirit of fear ( 2Tim 1:7).  But who wouldn't be afraid, terrified, at a man with those weapons?  The kids and I opened up our bible yesterday and began reading of the countless times that God sent angels to minister to people.  He sent them ahead of Himself in the Old Testament (Joshua 5), He sent them to serve Jesus (Matt 4).   There are references to angels at least 135 times.  Don't get me wrong: I"m not referring to the '90s sitcoms, the crystals and rainbows kind of angels.  I'm talking biblical here.

     Angels are not God.  They are servants, messengers and worriers for Him.  They are also an image that my kiddos-and all children- can wrap their little brains around.  We made it clear that they are not God but they protect (think Daniel in the lion's den, that's what we did) and they serve.  So we talked about angels being what those children saw in their school that day.  We talked about maybe they saw Jesus too.  But they did not see or feel fear.  Because we know God to be merciful and loving.

     No of us wants to lie to our kids.  We have to give them the truth, but only what they need to know and no details, please.  Media is off.  Music is on.  Kids are in laps and arms and hugs and prayers.  We are crying together and we are talking about it now only when they initiate it.  Interestingly, E has seemed to allow it all in one ear and out the other.  We are fine with that.  Blake man has had many moments of tears and he has been praying for the shooter.  Zeke has speculated "what if..." but that has been replaced with images of angel soldiers slaying lions.  Miss Molly has been prayerful and consoling to others.  They are all doing exactly what I would guess them to do.  

     We always have joy.  This morning everyone raced to be the first ready to move the magnet on the Advent Calendar.  There were cheers for "Pom-Poms" on the oatmeal and a forecast for more snow.  And our life goes on because we have our hopes not in anything of this world but in the grace of the cross.