I Don't Get It

This is not going to be eloquent.  This is going to be bumpy and mostly gritty and a bit rambling.

Welcome to my brain.

Non-action has never equaled action.  Thinking, complaining, googling about buying shoes is not buying shoes.  There will be no shoes on your feet.  Your amount of shuffling in the airport security line will be less, but you will still have no shoes.

I am about to be 35.  Off the top of my head, I remember Columbine.  I remember Virginia Tech.  I remember Sandy Hook.  I remember Columbia mall in my own backyard.  And there have been many many other mass shootings, not to mention homicides, accidental deaths and injuries related to firearms in this country.  Like an alarming amount.  In 35 years.  My own 35 years.  That's a drop in the bucket of (let's hope) modern human history.  

And yesterday I woke up to Orlando.   I don't get it.

What I do get is that the issue is complicated.  This time it involves guns and marginalized minorities based on sexual orientation and possible religious beliefs and a presidential election.  I know nothing about guns.  I know nothing about motorcycles either and so I trust local, state and federal government to regulate their ownership and use.

I now live in a state, in an area, where I can drive ten minutes to the Great Lakes Outdoor Supply store and gawk at the entire back wall of firearms.  I assume I could just buy one if I wanted, but like I said, I know nothing about guns.  I can also buy baby chicks there, but I don't really know anything about them either.

I see a lot of "crunchy granola left democratic" type people saying things on social media that seem to make sense to me: Tougher gun control!  Ban the extra scary weapons! (not a direct quote) Don't pit the Muslim community against the gay community!  Love more, fear less!  Darkness can't drive out darkness, only light can do that!

These sentiments appeal to my Spirit-loving, divine-seeking, people-protecting, Jesus-following tendencies.

I see a lot of "let's make 'murica great again right republican" type people saying things on social media that don't seem to make sense to me:  This is a free country!  Guns don't kill people, people do!  An AR-15 is NOT an automatic weapon, it's a semi-automatic weapon that Americans like because it is accurate, it's not a gun problem it's a Godlessness problem.

These sentiments don't work for me.  Though I have no good reasons why, I suppose.  I am definitely not educated on gun laws, government regulations, politics and how to super annoy people on the Internet (though I could learn).

But I have felt my panties twist on this issue every. single. time.  I always try to see the multiple sides of situations (there is sadly usually only two sides clearly projected...I like 3 or more choices, please).  I understand pro-life AND pro-choice.  But with guns...I don't get it.

What I do get is that non-action never equals action.  And so I want to DO something this time.  I am going to DO something this time.  My heart is set on peace, love, unity.  My heart is set on God.  Not on man. Not on violence or fear or hate.  I fall off the wagon like the rest of you, but my days start new every morning.

So, internet, help me decide what to DO.  Join an anti gun violence group?  Write my congressmen (once I look them up)?  Volunteer or study to help those who suffer from this "godlessness"?  (meanwhile: where are all the calls, ideas, suggestions, legislation to help the people (or the people raising the people) who kill the people so they don't kill the people in the first place??)

Anyway, back to action.  I'll let you know when I have decided.  Maybe I will do them all.  Maybe I will do something different.  I invite your suggestions.  I invite you to join me.

And in the meantime...I will love.  Just Do It.  Remember the shoes from the beginning?  You can't wear love on your feet unless you ACT.  Buy into LOVE.  I promise the Creator of love will help you.

Grace and Peace, lovelies.