Posted by
SquiddyPopPerkyJean on Tuesday, January 08, 2008 6:12:11 PM
We've had a family tragedy recently. A certain relative did something very, very horrible and permanent, destroying more lives than just the one physically taken. We can now look back and see how events led up to this rash decision of his and can even see that he was not in his typical state of mind.
I am frightened because none of us ever thought someone we knew was capable of such things. I've seen all the shows on Court TV, etc. about this or that murder or heinous crime committed by someone everyone thought was a nice guy. Well, it happened to one of the 'nice guys' in our family.
He must take responsibility for what he did, yet my heart also grieves for him because his soul will be tormented, knowing what he did, and that he cannot just reverse it and apologize. No, only God can decide what mercy or punishment is truly appropriate, other than what is decided by the courts concerning his earthly existence.
Children are left without a mother and their father will likely never be a free man. I know how it feels to be depressed or tormented inside, to feel lost or hopeless or trapped. I've done things that I've painfully regretted -- fortunately nothing too extreme. I also know what it feels like to know I can turn to Christ and receive genuine peace, comfort and forgiveness beyond what I could ever deserve.
I'm not sure what will happen with the eternal soul of the relative who did this terrible thing, but his family -- as well as the deceased wife's family -- are in hell. They will never see her again in this life. They see how he has destroyed his own life along with those of his wife and children.
There are already news reports and rumors circulating that cast blame every which way and spread erroneous information about both of them. People make blog comments like they are experts, when they've never even met the parties involved.
Anyway... it wasn't enough to have this heart problem, along with the writers strike making it so my husband has no idea when he'll ever work again. Now we have to try and help clean up a very tragic mess and keep both sides of the family united in love and forgiveness. So far, the victim's mother has been stalwart, brave, compassionate and broken-hearted for the parents of the man who committed this act. She knows her daughter is in a good place. But the son-in-law might never ever end up in a good place.
I'm just thankful for the peace in my own home, for a loving husband, for a God who is merciful and who will work everything out in the end for the good of those who love Him. There may not be perfect justice in this life, but there will be in the eternities to come.