This evening, this post comes through my newsfeed:

“…gunshots fired right beside our car in Kmart parking lot. JJ gets out calls cops and cop coming to scene t-bones an suv!!!!! CRAZYYYY!!!"

My brother, his wife and all his kids were there, gunshots firing right beside their car, and the cop coming to help was sidelined with his own catastrophe. While I was relieved, and thankful that they were ok, and the assailant was taken into custody, I still couldn’t help think about how quickly a life (lives) could have been taken. I praised the Lord for protecting them, and then something came to my spirit – we all carry such immense potential to “fire” misguided bullets of anger, resentment, pride, jealously, bitterness, hurtful words and actions. Just like the woman with the real gun did, we get caught up in our own world, we see only our own hurt and discontentedness, and the ones in close proximity to us end up being the ones affected most. Sometimes, like a ticket of entitlement, we use our situations, hurts and confusion as an excuse to carry on in a way that is not kind, or very considerate of those who love us. I know it’s human to have bad moments, bad days, heck, even bad weeks; nevertheless, we are to be careful that our “speech always be with grace.” (Col. 4:6) I know that’s incredibly difficult sometimes when you are hurting, I’m the worst at it so very often, yet, we still are called to do it. And, it stings when I read, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me," (Phil. 4:13) because, I know that means I have to get my mind off myself and on to Him. That’s not as easy as it sounds cause I battle the “it’s all about me” syndrome at times. I'm sure my nephews will not ever forget how scared they were tonight, and neither do the people we hurt. Just a thought, life is precious – so, where’s your aim?

♡t