Reflections: Sandy Hook Massacre

1 Year Update (2013): Brian Tome - Crossroads Pastor  {/quote}
Evil did not win - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUR7BFTphmI
School safety still lacking - http://thebertshow.com/watch-sandy-hook-shooting-video-security-schools-still-aw...
Today's mission - Search "Sandy Hook" and do some relevant reviews.

Pain and suffering is not a modern phenomena. It has existed in all time periods and in all cultures. Yet, other cultures haven’t questioned the existence of God in the midst of pain as much as ours does. This is because our culture mostly follows the god of the American Dream. This false god has arguably created the softest people group in the history of humanity. We have more conveniences, comforts, insurance policies, possessions and avocations that anyone I’ve known or read about. When we don’t get something we think we deserve or when we lose something we believe we have earned, we think God has let us down. Yes, the god of the American Dream who tells you all will be fine if you are responsible and diligent has let you down. That god will always let you down because he is a false god set up by the Evil One who wants to steal, kill and destroy your hope in the One True God. Brian Tome - Crossroads Pastor  

At times like this I find myself avoiding thinking about the tragedy as much as possible, not because I don't want to care, but because I feel so helpless....I mean really, what can any of us do for those who have lost loved ones and babies? Sure I can pray for them but honestly just how much will that help right now, right this second?

Then it hit me today, maybe I can't physically do anything but what I can do is remember them. Pictures make it more real, more life like, more connected. I can see a child I know or have come across in every one of their faces. It's harder to go away, impossible to ignore when faced with details such as these. Here I make the only contribution I currently know how to make, watching the victims slideshow and keeping their images close to my heart.

Dear Lord,
Please bless the souls of those lost and those of us still here. Help us to see your light when the lights of so many innocents have been snuffed out. I pray for your blessings, your reassurance, and your aid where I can give none.
In Jesus' holy name,
Amen

RIP Sandy Hook Victims - 12/14/12
Emilie Parker 5/12/06
Charlotte Bacon 2/22/06
Olivia Engel 7/18/06
Anna Greene 4/4/06
Daniel Barden 9/25/05
Josephine Gay 12/11/05
Dylan Hockley 3/08/06
Madeleine Hsu 7/10/06
Catherine Hubbard 6/08/06
Chase Kowalski 10/31/05
Jesse Lewis 6/30/06
James Mattioli 3/22/06
Grace McDonnnell 11/04/05
Jack Pinto 5/06/06
Noah Pozner 11/20/06
Caroline Previdi 9/07/06
Jessica Rekos 5/10/06
Avielle Richman 10/17/06
Benjamin Wheeler 9/12/06
Allison Wyatt 7/3/06
Rachel Davino 7/17/83
Dawn Hochsprung 6/28/65
Anne Murphy 7/25/60
Lauren Russeau 1982
Mary Sherlach 2/11/56
Victoria Soto 11/04/85
Nancy Lanza 1956
Adam Lanza 1992

Please comment with any fact updates or corrections, I want this list to be as accurate as possible.

Note: Eventhough it was a no brainer for me to want to put the shooter's name down...it was harder than I realized to actually type it. But reasoning is two fold: forgiveness is key to healing, it will take many of us (myself included) a long time, if ever, to truely forgive, but I earnestly believe it's necessary; second, some say to give up a name is yielding power (i.e. demon possesion) others say it increases the suspects infamy, and still others say fear of a name is fear of the thing itself (remember: Anger is caused by fear  ). I say, remembering the name makes it harder to ignore the tragedy. One could argue that all the attention makes it more enticing for would be wingnuts considering their own tragic place in history but my critical response to that is: this one post is but a blip on the national news scale; at the end of the day no one is responsible for the actions of another. Let us just continue to hope and pray tragedies like this don't happen in the future....

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Response to Reviews:

Review of "Reflections: Sandy Hook Massacre"
thanks for the response and input
"all these brains they discovered some unusual growth of tumor"
I have heard this before, I also think the world needs to view mental illness with less skepticism and shame; my co-worker said he doesn't like the idea of saying the guy was "crazy" because that gives him an 'excuse'; It's thinking like this that makes people hesitate to get the help they so desperately need...for all our sakes.