Praying for Tucson

Saturday’s shooting in Tucson (technically Pima County) is heartbreaking.  How do you make sense out of what doesn’t make any sense?  All you can do is shed a tear and pray.  There has been a lot of both in Tucson and around the country since Saturday.  The prayers continue even as the victims start to heal and the families of those killed mourn.

Since the shooting occurred only a mile from my apartment, I did want to describe what happened in my little world on Saturday.  I received calls from family and friends because they know that I have been to some of Congresswoman Giffords’ events in the past and they wanted to know that I was OK.  This tragedy underscores once again how important our relationships are with those we love.  Another reminder to never take our friends and family for granted.

Saturday morning I went to my LD (Legislative District) meeting, LD26 at 9am.  It was there before the meeting started that someone mentioned that Gabrielle Giffords had an event planned at the Safeway at Ina and Oracle.  Our meeting went as planned.  At the very end a lady stood up in the back and said that there had been a shooting at Ina and Oracle and to stay away from the area.  She didn’t have any more information.  Immediately I thought, “I hope the Giffords event hasn’t started yet and I hope she wasn’t there.”  I had no idea what time her event was scheduled for, but naturally I was concerned.  Our meeting ended and some of us were visiting when one of our state representatives came in with the bad news.  He had been in contact with police and they had told him that Gabrielle Giffords was among those that had been shot, but he had no information on her condition or if the gunman had been caught.

Immediately some of us began to cry.  Many of us have met Gabrielle Giffords, and some knew her pretty well.  All of us were stunned.  Some of us huddled together for a prayer for Giffords, the others who had been shot and their friends and families.  Then I left for Pima County Republican Headquarters.

I had already planned to go there for the LD28 meeting scheduled for Noon.  Now I was headed there to see if there was anything I could do in my role 1st Vice Chair of the Pima County GOP.  We spent he next few hours making phone calls, answering phone calls, praying, crying at times, and watching the news unfold.  We were devastated when we heard that Giffords had died.  We were devastated to learn that a 9 year old girl had been killed.  We were relieved to learn that Giffords was alive!  More prayers for her recovery and for God to comfort those who lost family members.  Those prayers continue.

It was an emotionally draining day and weekend.  It’s an emotional start to the work week.

It is surreal to drive by Ina and Oracle and see the Walgreens that I frequent and the entire Safeway shopping center surrounded with yellow tape.  Police cars guard every entrance with their lights flashing, and satellite trucks are parked across the street.

All eyes are on Tucson and all hearts cry out to God for healing and comfort even as we try to understand the evil that was carried out through a very disturbed young man.  I have confidence that God will bring good out of this tragedy.  It is His nature.  I also know that He is close to the brokenhearted.   His Word says so.