Difficult Days....

Sometimes I hear terrible news that just absolutely takes my breath away. Faces in the news and in the paper usually just that...faces. Then other times, it hits close to home.

Yesterday my precious daughter in law called me very upset. She is the mommy to 20 month old Liam and is expecting another baby in August. She is married to my son, the police officer.

Immediately, I thought that something had happened to one of my precious people but she assured me that they were ok.

Then she asked me if I had heard about-----------. She said the name of a young man that I have known all his life and is one of my son's very best friends.

"Oh my gosh," I cried, "what has happened to him?" I was just sure that he had been killed or hurt.

"He has been arrested on child molestation of five boys," she sobbed. She went on to say that he was touching inappropriately.

We absolutely LOVE this young man and his family. When you go to a church most of your life and attend the same Sunday School with his parents and when the young man has been in all of your child's classes at school, the same birthday parties, class pictures, banquets, etc...they become a staple in your life.

We have had him in our home twice recently. His big sister took our family pictures for us.
WE LOVE THIS FAMILY......

So how do you react to this? No one in the news or who leaves comments online about him know him.
"He should be shot!"
"Worthless!"
"Scum of the earth..."
"Pervert..."

I haven't known the people that I see in the news either and I have almost always thought the very same thing. I AM SOOOO QUICK TO JUDGE. (because, of course, at that moment, I act like I'm without sin.....and we all know better than that, don't we?)

I head those words and I think about the little boy that has been one of Danny faithful friend...I just can't stand it. He has been so precious to us all his life. Sometimes you have a friend for a while and then they drift away. Not this young man. He has been a faithful, dear friend his whole life.

He's not some twisted disgusting person.
He's a sinner....and he has hurt young boys. He was soooo wrong.

His parents have been our friends for over a quarter of a century. They must be devastated.

I know we are.....