What a terribly sad week this has been. There was a shooting at our local mall that killed two people (and the shooter), and then following right on it’s heels- a school shooting in Conneticut that killed 20 innocent children, and 6 brave teachers trying in vain to protect them. I’m buying gifts, going to work, loving my children, but I can’t stop thinking about all the families who have been affected by these tragedies.

I’m afraid this will lead to people wanting to rush out and buy more guns out of fear and to try to protect themselves. I’m sorry to say, that won’t work. If someone wants to kill you, I promise you can be killed. It is possible that sometimes you can use a weapon in self-defense, but how many of us are prepared at any moment of the day against someone with a plan, automatic weapons and body armor? Do we want to live in fear, armed and constantly on guard?

These young children really touched a nerve in me. I don’t want us all to move on and forget that their lives were brutally taken from them because we allow automatic and semi-automatic weapons to be purchased by just about anybody. Yes, there are problems with mental illness that need to be addressed, but without the weapons, that shooter could not have killed so many, so quickly. His mother bought the guns to protect herself, and they were used against her.

I want those Sandy Hook families to know that their children’s deaths meant something to this nation. That we care enough to change what we are doing.

I know I can’t change anything by myself, but if we all keep pressure on making an amendment to the constitution that will PROTECT our citizens, we can do what other countries have done, and make it more difficult for this type of massacre to happen again.

I haven’t been to church in many years. My mother is Jewish, and I couldn’t accept that if you don’t believe in Jesus you would not be saved, since this would condemn half my family to hell. And if I believed only the Jews were the chosen ones, then what about the good, kind Muslims and Hindus I had met? I believe that all religions are actually worshipping the same God. And that in the name of religion, or people claiming to be doing God’s will, atrocities have been committed. These horrific events that happen are not God’s will. I can’t fathom this cruelty, and I just hope that those who have suffered have found light.

Let’s bring love, compassion and peace into the future- not more hate, violence and guns.

Though my soul may set in darkness,
it will rise in perfect light.
I have loved the stars too fondly
to be fearful of the night. — Sarah Williams

Felt amazingly fine the next morning leading me to believe there was no alcohol in jello shots- or that I should only drink rum.

Okay, this is when being honest and public with the food sketches is a bit embarrassing. I think Christy and Stephen are bad influences! But they are also really fun.