What really matters

[rbarthle17]

This is a rant, you've been warned.

All this FBS and head coaching talk, it's irrelevant today. 27 people are dead, 18 of them kids between 5-10 years old! My oldest is 5. School shootings have happened before, and I felt terrible then but today this one has new meaning for me. It could have been my oldest daughter. Add to that I just learned that a close friend has a student (college age) whose mother was killed in that attack. I cannot imagine what she is going through, but it's another thread of grief that hits close to home.

People on both sides are using this as their pedestal for gun control. Today is not the day for that talk. Today is a day for mourning the dead, and hoping the total doesn't rise.

I'm sad, but I am also angry as a parent. The shooter got off too easy by dying today. I wish he could be brought back to life and really made to pay for this here, before he pays for this for eternity.

People suck.

[AppinVA]

By the way I read and interpret the Good Book, he's suffering a fate worse than any of us can imagine.

I have no doubt in my mind, the children are now being comforted by our Savior, and it's my prayer that all of the families and those children that have seen in person, things many grown-ups turn the channel when it's on television, will receive the blessings of grace and wisdom to eventually get their heads around what happened today.

[DaphneUrquhart]

When folks my age were kids, our parents would ask us when we'd done something incredibly stupid, "What possessed you to do that?" When I read of this tragedy in Newtown, I thought of that question.

The only thing that could have "possessed" the shooter was evil. I have no doubt that he will receive double for what he dealt out today. Folks will call that evil all sorts of things and place blame on this or that and call for all sorts of external changes to try and prevent this evil from happening again.

There is truly darkness in this world that cannot be overcome with gun control laws or barbed wire or anything of human doing. We can only overcome darkness with light. In our family that light is the light of Christ that dispels all darkness.

We will be on our knees for those families whose children will not be home for Santa Claus to visit. We will be on our knees for the children whose moms and dads won't be waking them up on Christmas morning. We will be on our knees for the whole town of Newtown. And we'll be on our knees for all God's children everywhere ... regardless of age ... that they may sleep in peace this night and always.

[MountainMan]

I certainly can't claim that it's not evil -- in some form, fashion or shape, it clearly is. But, it seems to me that many, if not most times, a person doing something like this is truly sick -- mentally sick in an extreme manner that is simply beyond what most of us can begin to comprehend. That does not excuse or explain it, if anything it complicates it -- but I find it difficult to grasp a human of such inherent pure evil without something else going on.

Regardless, prayers of comfort and support to all those families involved.

[mom_n_buggie]

As I read this breaking news hours ago, an engulfing wave of sorrow and pain swept over me. The soul numbing loss these families must be feeling. I just wept for them all.
These are the times that bring us to our knees and yes, we do realize "what really matters."
My daughter, my "buggie", sat in her classroom, in our small town school just like those sweet, innocent children in Newtown. Everyone interviewed on the news kept saying they couldn't believe something like this happened in their small, safe town.
It didn't take long for me to call her dad and have my baby brought to my office.
By the grace of God I can hold my child tonight, as I pray for those who can not.

[ASUTodd]

I've cried all day and thanked the Lord that my 3 and 4 year old were safe today. God is good even in tragedies. I was also moved by President Obama's speech today. It was a needed showing of sympathy, love and caring.

[mountaineerman]

This has physically made me sick all day. I have a five year old and a nine year old i connot imagine what went on there today we must pray for them and the parents, who will not have a child for christmas.