United We Stand

It seems that daily we hear of another senseless act of hate. What more is there to say? This world is so lost. I may be definitely am tagging myself as a nerd here, but it reminds me of a scene in the second Lord of the Rings movie when the king ponders the question, "What can man do against such reckless hate?". Of course, he's referring to crazy non-human beast-men that enjoy feasting on man-flesh, but still...

The Aurora theater shooting, Sandy Hook, kidnappings, mall shootings, murders of law enforcement and politicians, bombings at the Boston Marathon, poison-laced letters. And this is just within our borders.

What is this world in which we find ourselves today?  What kind of world is Bailey going to grow up in?

We could debate the roots of it all until we're blue in the face and it won't get us anywhere. I can be doing more to make my community even a little bit better - love, care, help. I need to start with my own family, my neighbors, those in my community and town. I can't control other people, but I can control me. I can smile at the people I walk past. I can hold the door for the lady in front of or behind me. I can pause and ask the Lord to use me to show love to the waiter, the flight attendant, the grocery store clerk, the guy I so badly want to honk at in front of me.

If we continue on this downward spiral as a society, soon we'll all be so terrified to go outside the walls of our homes that any semblance of community will cease to exist and all interaction will be behind a touchscreen or computer. Perish the thought...(so I say from behind a touchscreen, with my headphones on to avoid conversation with those next to me on the plane)...who am I to even write these words. I fall so short.

Pray for Boston, pray for DC, and pray for the next community that will soon deal with the next tragedy.  

I love this cartoon from Huffington Post - I know it's just about sports, but portrays our country's spirit in times of tragedy. United we stand.