Its a Shame

Watching the news last night made me really sad. What is this world coming to? It is a shame. Recently in the news there has been discussion about a 16 year old boy, Derrion Albert, from Chicago who was walking home from school when he was beaten to death. Prosecutors described how the street fight escalated from a dispute between two factions at Albert's high school to a beating that left the honor student dead.

Prosecutors said Derrion Albert was an "innocent bystander" who ended up in the middle of a street fight between two factions of students at his school, Christian Fenger Academy High school, located on Chicago's South Side.

When school let out at 2:50 p.m. on Thursday, Albert was on his way to the bus stop when two groups of students converged on the. Two groups began fighting after a shooting earlier that day that police called gang-related.

Albert was approached by 16-year-old Eric Carson and another unknown person. Carson struck Albert in the head with a long wooden railroad tie, and the second person punched him in the face. Albert was knocked unconscious by the blows for a short period, but gained consciousness and quickly tried to move from the escalating street fight.The second group, made up of five members from the opposing group, then took their shots at Albert. Once Albert was on the ground again, a person was seen stomping on his head repeatedly.

An amateur videotape shot by a witness, which has been broadcast nationally, showed the attack unfolding. A local TV station that received the tape turned it over to police. The video shows that, as the attackers ran away, the person with the camera and several others approached Albert and carried him into a nearby building. "Derrion, get up!" a female voice pleads on the video.

Albert was taken to Roseland Community Hospital and then to Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. On Monday, family and friends, some wearing shirts bearing Albert's photo, held a vigil in his honor. Albert's grandfather, Joseph Walker, told CNN that his grandson was a good kid who didn't deserve to die. "He was in Bible class this Tuesday night. Church on Sunday, I have no trouble out of my grandson whatsoever. This thing that happened to him is so horrific that we just don't know what we're going to do. We lost a really dear friend in my grandson. He was a blessed child." (Taken from cnn.com)

I don't know where all this anger come from these people today. That's just too much anger for someone to have in their heart. All I can do is I'm going to pray for these people, I'm going to to pray for forgiveness. What kind of person, what kind of individual, has such rage and such anger and such madness?. We've got to get to the hearts of our children, because nothing, nothing, excuses or justifies the actions of an individual who would beat another individual. Nothing justifies that in this society.This kind of teen violence was not just an issue for Chicago, but from Oakland to New York.

Parents need to reach out to their children and teach them that it is not OK to touch another person in a violent manner. Raising a child is one of the most gratifying jobs you'll ever have and one of the toughest. Try as you might to be the best parent you can, our complex world challenges you every day with disturbing issues that are difficult for children to understand and for parents to explain. But explain we must, or we miss a critical opportunity. Research shows that children, especially those between the ages of 8 and 12, want their parents to talk with them about today's toughest issues, including violence. Even when they reach adolescence, they want to have a caring adult in their lives to talk about these issues. In fact, those who have early conversations are more likely to continue turning to their parents as they become teens.

Talk to your children. Start praying. Pray for peace and love to enter the hearts of the people of this world. We all need Him in our lives, and we must start somewhere.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust. Psalm 4: 8

Happiness

As I lay in my bed last night getting ready to doze off I started thinking about happiness. Children have no worries in the world, especially as infants. They are always so happy and content. As we grow up the weight of the world slowly lands on our shoulders. Our happiness slowly fades.

I also realized there are two types of people- one type is the people who try to be happy. These people realize the truth about happiness, and display it in their personality. The happy person is someone who feels like they have a spring in their step, when they want everyone else to feel as good as them, and smile alot, outwardly and inwardly.When a person is happy they are pleased with their situation and not hoping for change or improvement.True happiness arises, in the first place, from the enjoyment of one's self, and in the next, from the friendship and conversation of a few select companions. These few select companions are family and great friends!Happiness is something that comes and goes. It is about excitement, fun, moments, actions, and material things.

The other type of person is the one who is content. Contentment is something that lasts. It's about going with the flow, enjoying the satisfaction of work, and appreciating nature and life. Selfish people tend to strive for happiness and are less content. People who strive to be content tend to be more patient, caring, and happier. You can find happiness in money, pleasure, and doing what you want. You can find contentment in religion, family, giving, making other people happy, hard work, education, and exercise. Also, when you are content, your happy times are happier and your sadness is less sad. Self-indulgence makes you happy. Sacrifice makes you content.

A less obvious way of becoming content is your environment. Try to avoid negative people, depressing music, staying indoors too long, not getting enough sleep. All these things can make a person unhealthy and depressed. Watch less tv. All that violence and apathy really tick at a person's mind.

You may not see the difference between contentment and happiness, or you may think the ways of becoming content are stupid. I'm not demanding that you stop watching tv, go outside more, read more, and go to church. But I am suggesting these things, because believe it or not they really do make a difference.

Infants are content. I am content. You should be too!

Four Things...

Four things you can't recover:

The stone........after the throw.
The word........after it's said.
The occasion........after it's missed.
The time.........after it's gone.