A New Normal

 A person has the expectation of safety when they are at their place of worship whether that be a synagogue, a mosque, a church or a pagan altar, a person has the expectation of safety when they go out to eat whether that be a fancy French restaurant, a neighborhood diner or a fast food place, a child has the expectation of safety in everything they do, to a child, death is for the old, not the young, they go to school, a playground or to church with their family and they expect everyone to return home safe and sound, but the reality of this day and age is that we are not safe even in our own homes, oh, we expect to be safe, we lock our doors to keep the bad out but the truth if someone wants to hurt us they will find a way. In the aftermath of the church shooting in Charleston, S.C. this week I have said our country needs better mental health care but the reality of that is that even when people do get mental health care some often won’t take their medication or abuse it, they miss appointments and finally stop going altogether, people still think of mental illness as something we can control on our own, it isn’t y’all, we need help in this area, it can’t be talked away, walked away or prayed away, mental health disorders effect people of all walks of life, all economic levels, all ages, all races, all over the world. We need understanding and encouragement to face the demons that live within us whether it is a fear of spiders or full out psychosis, I myself have been guilty of ridiculing people with irrational fears even though I have a panic disorder myself, it is an easy thing to do, to think someone “crazy” if they don’t fit our perception of what is “normal.”My heart goes out to the community in Charleston that lost so many people who were exercising their right to worship in the house of God. Some of these wonderful people have already expressed forgiveness to the young man who destroyed a part of their lives; they will forever be changed by what this man did.  This act did not spark hatred in the community as this man wished; instead it has inspired love and forgiveness. Imagine that, expressing forgiveness for the person who destroyed your life. That comes from the joy and peace you get when you follow Jesus, may He keep His loving arms around this community in the days, weeks and months to come as these people find a new normal. May He also give comfort to the family of the shooter; they too now have a new normal...