I sat in church today listening to my son's inspiring and challenging sermon pondering what I was called to do as I approach this next decade. It seems each decade brings some specific 'call'.  Also, seems like a cop out to think that shouldn't be true also of my SEVENTH decade.  It is a conversation I have daily with God;  I kinda' wish there was a burning bush with a booming voice to just GIVE ME AN ANSWER!

And then I heard the news of another church in Texas;  the BOOMING voice heard once again through the BOOMING of yet another mass shooting.

It makes me feel ill. It makes me want to weep. It makes me ashamed of how able we are to see this yet AGAIN and do NOTHING!

There were 8 people tragically killed by a radicalized ISIS dude and our leaders immediately spoke of immigration vetting. There are INFINITELY MORE people killed by white men and their assault rifles and our leaders call for "thoughts and prayers."

I believe with every part of my being that Jesus is saying, "Quit TALKING to me about this violence and DO something!"

I HATE THAT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO! 

The NRA's goal is to normalize guns. Kinda' like what cigarettes were when I was growing up(which also wasn't good but we changed that, didnt we?). I never flinched when I went somewhere and saw a cigarette. THAT'S what the NRA wants to happen for my grandkids. Go wherever and see a gun and not flinch; guns are the new normal.

I HATE THAT....I just HATE it.

So, I wrote this with the total awareness that some of you will hop into the dialogue demanding that men 200 plus years ago gave you the right to have a gun so you're gonna' have your gun, dammit! So what if what we have available now is beyond ANYTHING  that that handful of men EVER envisioned. So what that we have amended countless other decisions of those same men. 

Like NRA champion Charlton Heston said, "you can have my gun when you pry it from my cold dead fingers". In other words, my gun TRUMPS (pun intended) my life...or, apparently, ANY LIFE!

So there's my BOOMING voice, there's my answer. What am I called to do in my seventh decade? 

Admit that thoughts and prayers are of no consequence if I also do not TALK and ACT in ways that NON-violently say and live the message that THIS IS NOT NORMAL!

http://brokelyn.com/new-york-gun-control-groups-donations
(copy and paste for something to talk about and ACT on)