I'm posting this here so I don't start a new topic over the prayer requests currently going on.

A very good friend of my son's and his wife was murdered last night. She would have been 21 yrs old in 2 weeks. She was at the kids wedding a month ago, hugging everyone, full of life and with a single bullet to the head -- she's gone. She was walking home with her friend - a block from her friends house - around midnight last night when two men walked up -- robbed them --shot her in the head (her friend was unhurt) and walked away. They are keeping her body alive until her parents can get there from my town - (this happened south of New Orleans in a supposedly "nice neighborhood".

In our local news a father shot his wife, 2 children (girls) and then himself -- also last night and then my husband just came home and said one of the ladies that works with him just lost her 19 yr old son.

What is going on ?????? How has this world gotten so topsy turvy that we're burying our CHILDREN ?????

Please pray for the family members of these victims -- pray for us all !!!!

Lionspaaw, I'm so sorry to hear about all this. It's so important when we're so immersed in the ugliness of hatred and violence not to let ourselves get sucked into it or to lose hope. As grim and horrible - and pervasive - as the daily news is, we have to hold fast to our vision of light and love winning out over hatred and darkness.

All the "experts" differ on their opinion as to what the worst epidemic might be today, but as terrible as any of their top culprits are, I still believe that the most dangerous crisis the world faces is hopelessness. It's at the root of the frustration, burnout and the many other reasons that render us incapable of tackling/resolving the rest of the problems. We (and I speak this to myself as much as to anyone) can't give in to that sense of futility, but have to fight back with all the light and love, hope and kindness we can muster.

Prayer and here are two good places to start. My heart aches with you. Let our hope and vision be strengthened by the light and compassion that we find here.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Eagle Heart:
[QB] I still believe that the most dangerous crisis the world faces is hopelessness.

I have to agree with you on this Eagle Heart - it just breaks my heart to see my kids hurting at such an early age. I was 23 yrs old before I experienced death first hand. My son, on the other hand, has lost grandparents, friends, co-workers and his brother -- all before he was 21 --and it doesnt seem to stop.

It's the senseless killing that young people are committing that really gets to me. I can't help but believe we have brought this on ourselves with the invention of the video games and arcades ! From a very young age they are de-sensitized from killing and death with these games. There's no sense of responsibility for anothers life -- and you're rewarded for each kill you get ------

I just don't know

I am asking for prayers for the detectives and all those involved with this investigation in New Orleans where this murder took place. One person has been arrested. There is hope that another person may be arrested soon. I want so badly for this young gal's family to have a little bit of closure before they return home to Florida. Thank you.

I will also be praying. My mom's brother was murdered and it totally changes the family dynamics. So sad.

My prayers are for all those that you speak of and people everywhere who loose a loved one to such violence.
Mary

I've seen this kind of violence from both sides. In 1980 at age 41 my brother shot and killed four of his neighbors. Two of the people my family had gone to church with when we were young. The people who died were wonderful people. My parents were loving and kind to my brother, sister and I as we were growing up. They taught us a good morale code. At my brother's murder trial the psychiatrist for the defense said that my brother was paranoid schizophrenic. I believe that is true. My parents were devastated. Dad died of a broken heart. Mom still cries about it after 25 years.

So many factors work together to cause violent behavior. Part of my brother's problem was prescription drugs. When we cleaned out his house we found Stelazine, Thorazine, Valium and Librium and a couple of others that I can't remember. He was taking these all at once. The medical profession failed him. Some of his problem was possibly genetic. Some of it was possibly misdiagnosis. He is hypoglycemic - people with this problem are often misdiagnosed. It can cause all kinds of mental illness like symptoms which can be controlled with proper diet.

I wrote a book about this experience and the way it destroyed everything I believed in as well as my marriage. My husband at the time was ashamed of me because of what my brother did. The book is now out of print. I just received my rights back, and I've been wondering if I should look for a publisher and re-release it in paperback. The problem is that I'm not sure I want to relive it. I would want to rewrite it before I released it again.

It was so painful writing it the first time - ten plus years of pouring acid into the wound. Right now I'm praying about it - and I'm waiting. Answers come as it is time, as we are ready.

Blessings to all of you have experienced loss at the hand of murder. It is a horrid place to be. The only good that I've found that can come of it is the lessons we can learn, the ways we can grow, the ways we can use our pain to motivate us to help others. I think that is why we experience pain, so we can learn to empathize, to love fully, completely, and to put that love into action.

Vi

I have nothing to add to this except for my sympathy and prayers for all involved.

Vi,
I just spent a hour or so at your site. Its lovely and so are you and Phil. I bookmarked it, and will be returning.

I'm sorry that your family experienced this tragedy and even writing this seems like the words are shallow and not enough. I wish I knew better how to express the sadness that comes from reading about it all. However, you have stood the test, gone forward, and look what you have done! You are to be commended, as well as Phil.

I thank you for sharing the story of Fleggy with us all. What caring people you are. How lucky you were to have her, and vice versa.

I'm so glad you posted, otherwise I would never have experienced your homepage. What a treat it was too. My best to you both, JJ


Carolyn, you, your friends and especially the young lady who was so violently taken from this world, are in my prayers for sure. It breaks my heart to here such as this. My God surround this family with his love. JJ