Public School FAIL

This really exists at my school:

Oh man....

Midnight Musings

Credit for this post goes to the New Orleans Police Department. They just woke me up at 11:30 by pounding on my door--waking me up and scaring me to death--looking for a white guy that is supposed to be from my neighborhood and his family hasn't been able to get in touch with him for a couple of days. How did I get blessed to be chosen for the questioning? No idea.

As the police were leaving, both of them mentioned that I need to have my landlord put burglar bars on my windows and I need to leave my outdoor lights on at night. So I immediately turned all of my lights on and now I'm sitting wide awake on my couch listening to a sermon and writing to you all. I'm not sure whether or not to ask my landlord to put up burglar bars. 

Here's the debate in my head: 

I've met all of my surrounding neighbors and I have faith that they will look out for me, but my neighborhood isn't the safest place. I will also have kids soon so it is not only myself that I have to look out for anymore. But If I put bars on my windows, will this close any doors to communicating with my neighbors by acting like I don't trust them? I think I'll talk to my neighbors about it and see what they say. I think they'd recommend putting bars up but I don't want them to think that I don't trust them. 

C'est la vie

Don't tell my mom

Every morning I walk out my back door and face my neighbor's house. She has ornately painted her house a bright purple with colorful designs in memory of her son that was murdered right in front of their house 10 years ago. There is also a sign on her house that says "murder scene". It is a daily reminder of the pain and brokenness we live in in this world.

Today I had an even closer and scarier reminder. I was napping on my couch when I woke up to a number of sirens going off outside. I normally hear sirens pass by because I live close to a main road but this was more than usual. I peeked out of my front door and didn't see anything directly outside so I carried on with what I was doing thinking that it was just the music festival that was going on this weekend. A few hours later I was watching the news and they were covering a story of a man who was shot and killed just a block from my house. I don't know yet if he's a direct neighbor or was visiting friends. He was just 21 years old and holding a baby when someone shot him in the face. I can't even begin to imagine what kind of evil person would shoot someone much less a person holding an innocent infant. It makes me sick.

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Mathew 10:28 ESV

"The fear of a man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe." Proverbs 29:25 ESV

"You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word." Psalm 119:114 ESV

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8 ESV

Another world

Sometimes I feel like I live in a different world...

We've had a series of incidents with middle school kids in the city. One 13 year old was shot while getting off the school bus. And a 15 year old couple was shot and killed just days apart. it is heart breaking thinking about what their friends and families are going through. It is also saddening knowing that this pain and sorrow is a reality for many of my students.

The recent events affecting school age kids have also forced us to have an increased awareness and heightened sense of security. We have practiced lockdown procedures multiple times in the past week. It is while I'm hiding in the closet or behind playground equipment with my students that I yearn for jesus to return. I am thankful and praise God that it has been just practice for us so far and I pray that God continues to protect us.

"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe."

Proverbs 29:25 (ESV)

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