Osama Bin Laden. Dead.

Today I woke up to the news with images of people celebrating, chanting, dancing in the streets. My first thought was that the Washington Capitals won their playoff Hockey game against the Tampa Bay lightning.

Then I saw the background, it was the White House. Finally, the announcer spoke “Osama Bin Laden is dead” and I saw the smile on the announcers face.

Everyone here in the DC area is celebrating. I didn’t live here the day the plane flew into the Pentagon. I had a friend whose brother in law was on the plane though. I have co-workers who lost children, neighbors who lost spouses, acquaintances who lost parents that day.

I lost a cousin, Sgt. Andrew Looney killed by a suicide bomber in the war against the terror Osama caused and created. I should be glad that revenge was taken. But I am not.

I am proud of our military. The job they did was incredible. They found this terrorist and acted on the orders of the commander in chief… the same commander in chief who was debating to pay them or not a few short weeks ago…

As a Christian we are called to love one another. We are also called to love our enemies. When I saw those people rejoicing in the death of Osama Bin Laden, my heart grew very heavy. It was eye opening to see how much hate America has. Watching those people rejoice was watching hate at its finest hour.

Tonight I sit, relieved that my generations face of terror will never be around to scare me again. But I think upon the face that my children and grandchildren will someday fear. The one that is watching America rejoice in the death of someone they idolized, someone they cared about. I think upon the face that this night is vowing vengeance upon my children and grandchildren.

I leave you tonight with this quote, from a man who knew hate. This man said these words long before this day ever happened, but his words ring truer tonight than they ever have:

“I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.“–Martin Luther King, Jr.

How to handle bullies

“Tisser”

The word still haunts me today.  Just writing it sends chills up and down my spine. This was the name that I was called most of my childhood by the neighborhood kids.

It began when I was six years old. I was already a strange kid to the other kids. I attended a private Lutheran school instead of the local public elementary school.