Pay attention!

I'll say it again.  What a week.  Now we can add the awful tornadoes in Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee to the list of scary things this week.  Our thoughts and prayers head straight for those 12 people that died in the tornado (and their families, too).  Tornadoes are one of the things that scare me the most, because of the inability to prepare for them.  Becca has always been deathly afraid of them, too.  We are not a good combination!

I feel like, in our area at least, the school shooting in Chardon on Monday was overshadowed by the fire at the Fireside Pub here in town.  The fire was scary and very real to all of us -- and closer, so it took over our lives.

However, that doesn't change the fact that three young people lost their lives that day.  Randomly.  Because of a student who, for whatever reason, thought it would be easier to shoot them up than talk to someone, or deal with whatever was going on in his life.  Of course, I don't know him, or his family, but in the face of all of this, I hurt for him, too.  I wonder what he was going though.  I wonder if someone could have helped him if they had shown him they cared.

I read this very interesting note from the superintendent of the Chardon Schools:  "Talk to your kids. Don't text them. Don't Facebook them. Talk to them."  It makes me wonder what they think this young man's motive was.

It got me to thinking, though.  How many times don't I text my kids because it's easier?  Of course, there are always the "necessary" (are they ever really necessary???  LOL) texts, "Can you pick your sister up?"  "Can you start dinner?"  (My favorite) "Where are you?" 

I try really hard to connect with each and every one of our kids every day.  Some days are much much harder than others, with all of the schedules colliding, but even if it's 10 pm, I ask how their day was, or what went on at school, or whatever.  Hoping that if something is wrong, it will come up during the course of the conversation.


Yesterday was an "anniversary" of sorts for my friend, Kathy.  She posted the following on Facebook:

‎24 years ago the structure of our family changed forever. If you don't believe the devil is real and chases us think again. The last year's of his life Brian was chased relentlessly. His decision was almost unbearable but he is with God and at peace.

If you know someone suffering with thoughts of suicide and don't know what to do, find help for them and you!! The world doesn't need any more tragedies like ours or like those in recent days.

May God bring peace to all hearts this day!!!

We need to pay attention.  We need to listen.  Bullying and suicide are real.  And are really happening.  We need to listen before it's too late.

God bless all those affected.