Keepin' It Real Friday: There IS Hope

You know, I was getting on FB early this afternoon to post about what a wonderful day it had been. Lots of laughter, Bryan had just finished his finals, and now we had a month of freedom, and today was just feelin'.... 

GOOD!

I had all sorts of sassy ideas for my blog entry today, debating which one was going to be the 

LUCKY WINNER!!!

And then I saw the news. The horrific news of the shooting in Connecticut. A mindless and careless act of violence taken out on innocent victims... and on top of it, children??? That was just enough to send me right over the edge.  

President Obama is right. Our country has been through these types of incidents too many times, and the pain these tragic events are causing is real and worldwide. 

So I am here to "Keep it Real."

#4 "There IS Hope"

Today... I am DOWN IN THE DUMPS!

There are a million things running through my head right now, but I don't want to discuss most of them. 

I simply want to say that today...

I am sad. 

I am more than sad. I am DEVASTATED! And that's okay. It's healthy to feel these emotions. I need nothing more than: a) to admit the fact that my heart is hurting, b) to write in my blog (a little different this time) as a stress reliever, and c) to "keep it real." 

I know I talk a lot about how my kids drive me crazy. (And they do!) However, I still love them more than life itself. 

I would give any and all of my happiness if I knew it could make them happy.  

And the very thought of someone harming them makes me cringe. It makes me angry, it makes me sick to my stomach, and it fills my very heart with hatred towards anyone who would do such a thing.

But the fact is, I can't live my life with hatred in my heart. 

I won't!

So how do I find hope and turn this ship around? 

Please keep in mind: I have no connection whatsoever to the victims in CT, yet I CANNOT stop thinking about them. I cannot help but feel terribly negative feelings towards the shooter and anyone else who's ever done the same type of thing. And although those negative emotions are normal (and even healthy) to feel for awhile, 

I'm going to have to bounce back.

And this is just me!!! A complete outsider! Imagine how family members and friends of the victims feel?!!!

I can't.

So here's where I am REALLY going to "keep it real" for you. Most of you should know by now that I won't say or write something that I don't truly believe. 

What I am about to write, I know to be real. I recognize that others will not feel anywhere near the same way, but that's okay. Once again, it's my blog, and I HAVE to be real to myself and to any who may read it. 

As I have contemplated the lives of these children and their families, two things keep running through my mind. 

1) This life is not the end, and 

2) Families are meant to be together forever.

Sure, this may be easy for me to say, but it wasn't always.

You want real?

I AM A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

I have never been one to make a huge announcement stating my religion. I usually just let people find out on their own. However, after today's events have transpired, I feel as though it is necessary for me to keep this aspect of my life as real as possible...

Because the two aforementioned thoughts give me hope.

Here's real:

The children who were killed today will see their families again. It won't take the pain and hurt away now, but it can provide a feeling of HOPE that these most precious relationships we've formed on this earth cannot come to such an abrupt end.

And next... I believe that Our Father in Heaven designed the family unit in order to provide happiness. Almost every one of my favorite memories is tied to a family member of some kind. So why (if this life is not the end) should our happiness with family members end here on earth as well? It doesn't have to. I have hope in a Supreme Being who is more concerned about our welfare than we could ever fathom.

I am "Keeping It Real"...

Angels are among us... and

THERE IS HOPE!!!!

Signing off... <3