"all who are thirsty, and all who are weak, come to the fountain. dip your heart in the streams of life."

i've already mentioned somewhat my feelings about the shootings at Virginia Tech. but i have been stirred to make a few more comments...

when i checked my email today, i found that our school had sent out some mass emails to the students of SHSU regarding the Virginia shootings. so, naturally, i open and read the email. i would just like to give you two brief quotes from it:

" At this point it is too early to completely determine how or why such an incident that cost the lives of so many young people could happen in the seemingly
safe environment of a college campus."

um, excuse me? first of all, if you don't know how or why one human being could do something to hurt another, you must be living with your head buried in sand. and no matter how "seemingly safe" a campus is, it's just that: SEEMINGLY safe. none of the world is as safe as people make it out to be. bad things happen everywhere. people get hurt everywhere. no one is immune to pain.

" Such events may cause us to feel a temporary sense of discomfort. "

that comment makes me sick to my stomach. discomfort? are you kidding me? what an incredible understatement. admit it or not, people are in PAIN because of events such as these. when your friend or family member dies, are you just uncomfortable? what about the people who knew the shooter? i'd say they're experiencing a little more than discomfort right now. frankly, my heart hurts too. i may not have known anyone who was hurt, but that doesn't mean i don't feel pain when i hear that people were murdered. no...discomfort is not NEARLY strong enough a word to describe what people are feeling right now.

my heart goes out to the families and friends of everyone involved...pain may be a common factor in our lives, but that doesn't lessen its sting. we'll all be praying for the people affected by the shootings for a while...God bless.

"Who will separate us from the love of Christ? will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." --Romans 8:35, 37-39

"my love hasn't grown cold for you..."

campus is buzzing about the shootings in virginia.

i hate this. i hate that my friends spent most of the day terrified that they may have lost friends or family members. i hate that so many people actually did lose friends and family members. i hate that this just keeps happening. i hate this.

"i just wasted ten seconds of your life...."

i am rejoicing for many reasons today. first and foremost, i am rejoicing in my risen Lord! He has taught me so very much today and this entire weekend. i am also rejoicing in wonderful time spent with my family, especially my brother whom i never get to see! but one major thing i am rejoicing about today is that i have recently had some major fears relieved concerning my health. don't ask me for any details, there are none to give right now...but know that i am very glad and relieved today. if you see me in rather high spirits...well, it's largely due to this situation. it's also largely due to how great my relationship with the Lord has been lately.

wow okay i'm not making sense anymore...i'm gonna go! just wanted to write something, and share the joy!!!