Everyone has them...

 You know the saying, about opinions and assholes. Right? 

My blog is where I dump my opinion: good, bad, ugly, short-sighted or whatnot. Sometimes my blog stinks. But my mind is cleared of gibberish and rubble. 

Prayer vs. Policy-change. Is this really the only option? One or the other? Enough thoughts and prayers I have read over and over and over. But this policy change isn't even about schools! It's about gun control. Let's be honest. And that is a whole other rant. I mean, I am not opposed to some changes in the gun laws. What kind of protection OR hunting, or caring for your family involves a fully or even semi automatic weapon? Let's be honest. If an intruder comes to my house and I meet them with a double barrel shotgun, they will not come back. Well, unless they have a weapon of the automatic or semi-automatic persuasion. And then they will be far quicker to unload that thing than any chance I will have at taking them out. Neither scenario makes me think I need a bigger gun. I'm just a girl who lives in the country trying to raise a few animals and live off the land. I don't need a bigger gun. 

I don't need the government or anyone taking away said gun either. But if we are talking "policy change," let's talk about eliminating or seriously crippling the automatic weapon industry. Aside from military warfare, there is just no reason for it. 

What am I saying?! I guess I'm saying I'm on both sides of the whole "policy change" rhetoric. But shouting policy change in the midst of this tragedy only cheapens the lives of the children who died this week. The same as shouting about my "right to bear arms" does. So what does that leave? Thoughts and prayers. I can believe in policy change and still pray. I can still want healing and a salve of some sort for the pain of those who are suffering. I think that as we take a moment and breathe and calm our weary souls, we need to be aware and not be lulled into nothingness. That is what all the hubbub is about, right? We use our thoughts and prayers and pretty soon nobody cares about what happens all-too-often in this country of ours. And that is what we need to avoid. Agreed. But we also need to pause and look at the hurting and take a moment to pray for their hurt and devastation.

Prayer is the greatest tool we have. It can move mountains. It can move the policy makers that make up those mountains. Prayer is powerful for what it can do to the energy we send out of our heart and soul. Prayer is powerful for the change that it initiates inside of us. 

The day will never come for me that I say "enough thoughts and prayers". What I see is something that needs more. Prayer AND policy change. Not prayer OR policy change. 

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

P.S. Some conspiracy theorists that I know and love worry about Big Brother who is always listening and watching and waiting to take away my guns. So here's my disclaimer, I have a shotgun on my wish list. I do. But I own a .380 hand gun. And I guess if we're being about full disclosure, it is a semi-automatic gun. But I'm just putting it out there.... I don't currently have that shotgun I was writing about. (Not to say that one day I won't, because right now I still have that choice and freedom). I am not the marksman my Dad was, but I still wouldn't break in to my house. Just sayin'