I think December was one of the worst months of 2012. In my opinion, the only description for it is “wow.”
The Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world would happen on December 21. While that didn’t happen, there were some tragic events in the last month leading up to 2013.
On Wednesday, December 12, in a Portland, Ore., mall, a 22-year-old man walked into the food court and opened fire. Then CHAOS stormed in. Everything. Stopped. Immediately. Sheer panic and confusion took over. Fear struck everyone within hearing distance. “Should I run, hide, or just stay still?”
In an instant, two innocent lives were silenced. The shooter left 45 year-old Matthew Forsyth and 54-year-old Cindy Ann Yuille dead before fatally shooting himself.
Cindy was maybe grabbing a drink before hitting the next sale. Matthew might have been getting a quick bite after buying the best gift he could find for his wife, Karla. They were just two people, enjoying their afternoon.
The sadness that darkened Portland quickly spread across America. The joy of the season dampened. However, out of that darkness a rose a ray of hope.
Fifteen-year-old Kristina Shevchenko was also shot, but due to a quick medical response is at home recovering. “I know God has His eyes on us. He has angels on everybody’s shoulders, and he is especially watching over my family,” Kristina said.
Two days later, America’s focus was shifted to another tragedy.
On Friday, December 14, in Newtown, Conn., another young man, just 24 years old, gunned down 18 children and seven adults.
Children, truly innocent children, without a care in the world. Boys and girls who just a short time earlier had said, “Bye” to their mom and dad, and knew without a shadow of a doubt they would pick them up a few hours later.
I have a granddaughter in the first grade. On that day, she was in her school’s “Holiday Store” picking out gifts for her family. Her biggest concern was what they would like best.
I’m betting the children in Newtown had the same concerns. Christmas was soon. Santa. Toys. Bikes. Celebrations with grandparents, aunts and uncles. Happy times full of joy and laughter.
But from the moment the killer entered the school in Newtown, another dark, evil-boding cloud spread across the United States, again leaving us to wonder how this could possibly happen and what can we do prevent it from happening again.
The end of the world might not have occurred; however, there are some families in that small Connecticut town whose world will never be the same.
Then, in the mid-America states, we had a Super Storm of our own, which so far has claimed six lives. Meteorologists call it a “blizzard.”
Power outages, fallen trees, accidents, ice and snow all over the mid-central states left Christmas Day and the ensuing days dark, cold, and bitter. However, for every downturn, there’s always an upturn.
My husband and I were talking with a couple that had just such an occasion to rejoice. They were telling of an accident their son and daughter-in-law had experienced.
According to their story, they were driving home on one of the snow-covered, icy streets in Little Rock right after the blizzard had set in.
The daughter-in-law was talking on her phone to her mother when a snow-laden tree branch snapped off and propelled itself through the window of the car and right into her side.
The son stopped the car, and immediately started yelling, “Please don’t die.” The girl’s cell phone had dropped to the floor, and although her mom was frantically calling her name and asking what happened, all she could hear was the husband crying and begging her not to die.
He called 911, and she was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. As of the writing of this column, she’s in the Trauma Unit, recovering from several surgeries, and will probably remain there awhile longer. However, she is OK.
Life is fragile. You never know when or how it might leave you or a loved one. With that in mind, here’s a New Year’s resolution everyone can make and keep: Love your family members. Spend time with them, be kind to them, and serve one another. Make no room for regrets. Tomorrow is not promised, and today is short.
Happy 2013! May your new year be blessed with God’s peace and love!
Pecan Dreams
1 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (one stick) of butter, softened
1 cup of chopped pecans
Topping:
1 cup of whipping cream
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
1 cup of Heath Bits o’ Toffee Bits
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x9 pan. Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and flour in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the cream cheese and the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the nuts over the mixture and then press them into the dough. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Whip the cream and the granulated sugar together with a mixer until stiff; fold in the toffee bits. Spread over the cake. Refrigerate. Makes about 25 squares.