Kim Wilbanks

“Katelyn, I was so scared for you” 

“Mom, I was scared too”

I was texting with my daughter, as she huddled in her basement. A tornado was heading toward her neighborhood.  It was a little less than 3 years since the devastating tornado hit Tuscaloosa and Birmingham so I was naturally anxious.  She was not usually flustered by the weather, so to know  she was afraid nearly did me in.  My baby was frightened and there was nothing I could do to protect her. 

A different kind of storm hit Orlando last weekend – a storm of evil. 

Three things struck me about the massacre at the nightclub in Orlando.

• Until this point, all of the violent tragedies have been somewhere else.  Our country is geographically vast so events that  occurred in California or New York seemed very distant.  Theater shootings, school shootings, college shootings were things that happened somewhere else.  I am a native Floridian living in central Florida less than an hour’s drive from Orlando.  Things like that don’t happen here.  At least they didn’t until last weekend.
• I can’t stop thinking about the victims.  Most of them were about the same age as my own two children.  They must have been terrified.  The news reported that at least one of the victims was texting with his mom.  They were all someone’s son or daughter and I wonder how many of them wanted nothing more than to get to their mom.
• My heart aches for the mothers of the victims.  I can’t imagine.  Here’s the thing, even if they are grown and out on their own, your baby is still your baby.  There’s something about a mother’s heart.  My prayers are with them.

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.  

The Lord be with you all.  2 Thessalonians 3:16