Merry Christmas

My fellow bloggers and friends, today we celebrate Christmas in remembrance of the fact that God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten son.  Jesus came not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

This Christmas let us take a special time out to comfort those who mourn, lend a helping hand to those in need and share what we have with those who are less fortunate.  May the joy of Christmas find its way into every home and may everyone be of good cheer.  A Happy and Peaceful Christmas to everyone!!

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Say NO to Physical Abuse

Warning Signs That Your Man Could be an Abuser

Violent Temper and Sudden Mood Changes

If your man display violent behavior and has problems controlling his temper when dealing with others, pay attention.  If he was abusive in a previous relationship, this is a warning sign that you should not ignore.  You must also note that when he hits you he may try to make light of the situation.  A friend of mine once  came to me complaining that his girlfriend had left him.  I of course asked him why.  He said they had gotten into and argument and he accidentally hit her.

As the saying goes there are two sides to every story.  His girlfriend who was also a friend of mine told me what really happened.  She had gone to a work related function and was late in returning home.  He had come in search of her and met her on her way back home.  Without any provocation, perhaps just being angry by the fact that she was late, he punched her.  The blow left her unconscious and regained consciousness in the hospital.  She left him.  He could have killed her.  She said she wasn’t going back because the next time she might not that lucky. She never took him back, and who could blame her?  Yet this is the mistake many women make, going back to their partners after being physically abused by them.

If he is loving and charming when people are around then becomes hostile and abusive when you are alone, do not ignore the changes in his behavior.  Abusive men pick the time and place to  carry out their abuse.  They are often very charming when others are around to observe them, but become a different person behind closed doors.  Some abusers seem to have split personality.  In public they have this desire to be seen as Mr. Nice guy and it is this nice guy attitude which might charm a woman into falling for him.  However when you are alone with him behind closed doors and you see his true character emerging, do not hesitate or second guess your self; end the relationship.  The longer you remain the more difficult it will be for you to extricate yourself.

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A Prayer

Prayer for Protection

The Light of God surrounds me;
The Love of God enfolds me;
The Power of God protects me;
The Presence of God watches over me;
Wherever I am, God is,
And all is well.

Say NO to Physical Abuse

Recognizing Warning Signs That Your Man Could be an Abuser

Women are often trapped in abusive relationships because they did not recognize or chose to ignore the warning signs.  Since it is often difficult to get out of these relationships it is very important for you to be aware of the negative behavior of your partner and end the relationship before he gets too much control over your life.

One of the first thing an abuser will try to is to control you.  He will try to make you abandon your family and friends for him.  He needs to get the feeling that he is number one in your life; that he means more to you than anyone else.  I recall a conversation I had with a friend of mine  (who we shall call Sharon) very abusive boyfriend.  Her family was upset about the way he was physically abusing her and was adamant that she should leave him.  I remember him saying to me ”Sharon isn’t going to leave me, she loves me.  She don’t care about her family.  She will do anything I tell her to do so they are just wasting their time.”  I recall him being very smug about it, so very sure of himself.

This is one of the first signs that you should learn to recognize.  If your partner is trying to separate you from your family and friends, pay close attention and ask yourself, why is he doing this?  It could be a situation of divide and conquer.  He could be setting the stage for abuse and by controlling you and alienating you from those who care about you, when the abuse begins you will have no one to turn to for help.  The first step therefore to not set yourself up for an abusive relationship is to make sure the relationship you have with your family and friends remain intact.

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A Season of Joy or a Season of Mourning?

This should be a season of goodwill.  Joy to the world, peace to men on earth, but the season is anything but joyful or peaceful.  While the people of Newton Connecticut are still trying to come to terms with the shooting deaths of twenty children and seven adults, in other parts of the world the senseless killings continues.

In Pakistan six health workers on a polio eradication campaign were shot dead.  Polio is an infectious disease which can cause permanent paralysis in a matter of hours.  There is the need for safe and effective vaccines to protect children from the disease which according to the WHO, is currently endemic in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Four female health workers were reportedly shot dead in Karachi on Tuesday.  Two were killed after administering vaccination to children.  Two other women were shot while going from house to house giving vaccination in Peshawar.  Police official Javed Khan said the gunmen opened fire on the women as they left a house where they had vaccinated children.

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Elementary School Massacre

121712_Connecticut_shooting_002.JPG

Does Lack of Prayer in Schools Have Anything to do With This Tragedy? 

A national tragedy has occurred, one so gruesome that most of us are still finding it hard to process the series of events that have taken place.  It is difficult to understand why something of this nature happened.  I have noticed some Facebook comments which seem to imply that part of the reason for this tragedy is a lack of prayer in schools.  This kind of thinking to me is absurd.  I don’t for one moment believe those little angels died because there is a lack of prayer in our educational system.

Many of us adults go from day-to-day without stopping to utter a word of prayer or give God thanks for all that He has done for us and yet He still protects us what then say He for those little children?  Jesus said “Suffer the little children to come unto Me and forbid them not for such is the kingdom of heaven”  If He takes care of us undeserving as we are wouldn’t He do so even more for the innocent children?

Instead of trying to look outward for answers we need to start looking inwards.  What is happening in our homes?  Are we raising decent upstanding citizens, or are we creating monsters who will at some point in time create mayhem in society?  The home is where it all begins.  It is the place where babies begin the process which will determine the kind of individuals they will become.  If there is an issue with praying, we should all ask ourselves, is there enough praying in our homes.  We need to stop expecting others to do the job that we should be doing.

Adam Lanza appears to have had a lot of anger and hatred inside him;  most mass murderers seem to do.  It is a kind of hatred so strong that they will lash out and kill innocent people without any provocation on their path  We need to look within our homes and communities and try to identify these people. As parents we need to start paying closer attention to our children.  We need to be able to recognize signs of depression.  If you have a son who display unusual or abnormal anti-social behavior pay close attention.  Does he have friends?  Does he get along well with others?  How does he feel about life?  Does he display signs that he might be unhappy with his life or that he hates his family?  Does he feel that life is hopeless and that nothing will make it right?

If someone knows that someone in their household may be a danger to himself and society they should seek help for that person and notify law-enforcers to get help and advice.  We cannot sit by and wait for another tragedy of this nature to occur. We are all in this together and the problem has to be tackled at the source and that is the individuals in our homes whose behavior serve as a sign that they could be a danger to and  society.

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Hear the Children’s Cry

Hear the children’s voices,
crying out in unison,
Save us don’t kill us,
We are defenseless,
Don’t prey on us.
You are supposed to love us,
not hurt us,
Talk to us don’t curse us,
Provide a home for us,
don’t abandon us.
Feed us don’t starve us.
The angels in heaven are crying,
For all the children you are killing,
When did the world become,
Such a dangerous place,
Where not even the little babies are safe?

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Sandy Hook Elementary School Massacre

Handout photo of state police personnel leading children from the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown

A nation is left in mourning and there is still no clear answer as to what might have led to the massacre of twenty children and seven adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown Connecticut.

The shooter who reportedly took his own life was identified as twenty years old Adam Lanza.  His mother Nancy Lanza who was first thought to be a teacher at the school may have been a part-time substitute teacher.  She was not at the school when the shootings took place.  Her body was found inside her home on Friday which might indicate that Adam killed her before going to the school to continue his killing spree.

He entered the school administration office around 9:4o a.m., just half-an-hour after the school day began.  According to reports he was wearing dark clothing, a mask and bullet proof vest, and was carrying three guns – a Glock and a Sig Sauer, and a .223- caliber rifle.  Investigators said he fired at least 100 rounds.

Trying to understand why this catastrophe took place seems more difficult than trying to put together the pieces of a jig saw puzzle.  Why did he go to the school?  Why were those innocent children and other members of the school community slaughtered?  Why did this tragedy take place?

Elementary School Shooting

 

Today is a very tragic day for the people of Newtown Connecticut as shortly after nine o’clock this morning a gunman went on a shooting spree at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.  At least twenty-six people are reported dead; there are eighteen children among them.  It is still not clear why the children were targeted.  The gun man reportedly had an argument with the principal but it is not clear if this had anything to do with the shooting.

I can only imagine the sorrow of all the parents who sent their children off to school this morning who heard of the shooting and went to the school only to find that their children are among the dead.  What can you say to console them?  What can you say to ease their pain.  We can only offer words of comfort but in times like that even that is not enough.  There will forever remain the unanswered question of why.   Why did he target helpless, innocent children?

In this season of goodwill so many families will be in mourning.  Christmas is just not the same without the children and nothing will filled the void that is left; nothing will fill that space.  I wish God’s blessing for all those who have lost a child in this shooting and I pray they will find the strength to do deal with this tragedy.

 

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Lost Chance

I caught a glimpse of your face,
Saw the sad reflection of your smile,
And the longing in your eyes,
It spoke the question you were afraid to ask.
It is all so painful, the memories of the past.
When love was right before your eyes you chose not to see
Thinking only of your youth and the need to be free.
The years have gone by and you are all alone
You yearn for something that is no longer there.
Isn’t it funny how we never realize what we have
until we lose it?