What are the important things on your list?

As I was driving home today after taking care of some things at my congregation I put a Toby Keith CD in to the car stereo system and started listening to it. A song called “My List” came on. Toby released this song as a single not long after the tragedy of the events on September 11th, 2001. As I started listening to the song I was again reminded of the events that took place at Virginia Tech a few weeks ago as well as the events that took place at Columbine High School back in 1999. In all, 15 people died at Columbine and 33 at Virginia Tech.

I remember being so scared after the Columbine Massacre. I had nightmares for months. I was afraid to go to school. Furthermore, I happened to be in my school’s library when we first started hearing about it. It was in the library at Columbine that many kids lost their life. It took me quite a while to get over it. Even to this day I think guns only belong in the hands of police officers and even then I wish there was less violent means to handle crime. I have a hard time even staying at someone’s home if I know they have a gun their for protection.

I wasn’t nearly as affected by the Virginia Tech Massacre. Probably because I am not currently in school. Though, it still pains me to see atrocities like this take place. I don’t want to stand up for the shooters but we need to look at how we treat each other. These atrocities could have been prevented if we would only learn to have compassion for all people. If we only learned that to be “different” is not a bad thing. For in God’s Kingdom there are no outcasts. Differences do not matter.

Ok, I am kind of getting side tracked off of what I was originally going to write about. That happens with me at times! The point of this post was to share the emotions that came to me as I heard the song on my way home today. It is a song about having a list of things that need to be done and the realization that things that we think need to be done can be set aside for what truly matters most on our lists in life. Like love our spouse, raise our kids, take the dog for a walk, and enjoy life!

While reflecting on what happened at both Columbine and Virginia Tech I was again reminded today that we need to embrace what we have. We need live life to it’s fullest because we never know when our life on Earth will end.

“Carpe Diem! Seize the Day.”

Toby Keith – “My List”

For Our World – A Poem

I was reading through one of Mattie J.T. Stepanek’s poem books when I came across this a little bit ago. Mattie was was just shy of his 14th birthday when he died from a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy. The Children’s Peace Pavilion at the Community of Christ Auditorium offers a membership program called Peace Champions inspired by his work. What a legacy and example he left for all of us.

“For our World”
by. Matthew J.T. Stepanek
written on 9/12/01

We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment…
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment…
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment…
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice…
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment… Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.