In June 2016 we sold Cedar Pond and moved over the mountains and far away. We now live in Deer Park , WA where the weather is a bit more extreme than Cedar Pond's and in spite of the challenges we're rejoicing in life in our new home with field and forest just outside our back door. God is so good to us !
Four flag-draped caskets containing the earthly remains of four police officers senselessly gunned down in a local coffee shop where they had met over coffee to begin their day's work, serving our community.
There really aren't adequate words, are there?
Four police officers , 3 men and 1 woman who had families. They each were of outstanding moral character and contributed much to their families and community in many, many ways..now dead. For what reason were they killed...because they wore police uniforms.
The Tacoma Dome was a sea of police officers from pretty much every state, and Canada. Thousands of men and women who serve on police forces united to pay tribute to 4 officers slain senselessly.
The service started late because the line of police and emergency vehicles from all over our state and many surrounding states was 20 miles long. Before they began the trip from Lakewood to the Tacoma dome they were parked 30 cars wide by 1/4 mile long and it took over 4 hours for them all to get to their destination, the Tacoma Dome, for the Memorial service.
People stood silently alongside the entire route, some holding flags, some holding their hands to their hearts, some saluting.
Lakewood is a community that also shows honor and appreciation for the many men and women in our military. Lakewood is surrounded by Ft. Lewis Army and McChord Air Force. Our area has lost many men and women during the war in Iraq and Afghanistan too. It seems to me we have lost too many men and women of valor these past few years, and senseless evil seems to rear it's ugly head way too often. What is left behind is the legacy a fallen member of the services ( armed , police, emergency) that shows very often the character that attracted them to their chosen path in life in the first place. The noble idea of service to our communities and our country. Where would any of us be without such men and women? Praise God for them!
As you can tell, I took these pictures from my T.V. as I watched this service most of the day. Our local television broadcasted this without any commercial interruptions and often you could tell by the reporter's voices that they were crying. Our state lost another officer just last month in Seattle where he was gunned down in his squad car while writing up reports. As I listened to the families and friends of these officers I was struck by how their character ( and their families character ) and their contribution for the better to so many, contrasted the character of the killer and his family...the killer's family KNEW he was going to do this and aided and abetted him before and after the murders. The killer's family and friends all have children, some of them too must have been aware of some aspects of this intent because the killer discussed his plans over THANKSGIVING meal. I find this chilling...what will those children become?
I had a different post in mind for today but when my husband and I turned on the news tonight we were horrified to see that 4 of our local law enforcement officers were gunned down, murdered, in a coffee shop not so very far away from us. Four people who have been in Law Enforcement for quite a few years. They were having coffee as they were about to start their work day, protecting the community.
I was struck by the fact that all have families, and children they love, and who love them. They probably had a great and filling Thanksgiving meal just a few days ago...never dreaming it would be their last Thanksgiving here on earth with those they love. They were probably thinking about Christmas celebrations, what presents to buy, maybe even how they were going to come up with the money to purchase just that right gift for their loved ones. They probably kissed a loved one good bye and said they would see them later...then off to have coffee with fellow officers and discuss the coming work day.
We all are most likely the same. The soldier at home, or even in the field ..the father or mother who drives off for work or every day errands, never doubting they will come back home to do the dishes and laundry, or mow the lawn...have the wife nag ( just a little ) for that one chore to be done, yeah, yeah. And we forget we are mortal. A few moments of violence or an accident can so suddenly remove us from the world of the living into eternity. Are we ready?
My sincere and heart felt sympathies to the families of Officers Mark Renninger, Tina Griswold,Ronald Owen,and Greg Richards. To see in the news, the vehicles bearing away the bodies of these Law Enforcement Officers, and the long lines of fellow officers and the community standing silently by, saluting and shedding tears as the vehicles drove by , was somehow even more heart-breaking.
This video is longer than I like to post, but seemed so appropriate. "The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18 & " He will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces." Isaiah 25:8
Four flag-draped caskets containing the earthly remains of four police officers senselessly gunned down in a local coffee shop where they had met over coffee to begin their day's work, serving our community.
There really aren't adequate words, are there?
Four police officers , 3 men and 1 woman who had families. They each were of outstanding moral character and contributed much to their families and community in many, many ways..now dead. For what reason were they killed...because they wore police uniforms.
The Tacoma Dome was a sea of police officers from pretty much every state, and Canada. Thousands of men and women who serve on police forces united to pay tribute to 4 officers slain senselessly.
The service started late because the line of police and emergency vehicles from all over our state and many surrounding states was 20 miles long. Before they began the trip from Lakewood to the Tacoma dome they were parked 30 cars wide by 1/4 mile long and it took over 4 hours for them all to get to their destination, the Tacoma Dome, for the Memorial service.
People stood silently alongside the entire route, some holding flags, some holding their hands to their hearts, some saluting.
Lakewood is a community that also shows honor and appreciation for the many men and women in our military. Lakewood is surrounded by Ft. Lewis Army and McChord Air Force. Our area has lost many men and women during the war in Iraq and Afghanistan too. It seems to me we have lost too many men and women of valor these past few years, and senseless evil seems to rear it's ugly head way too often. What is left behind is the legacy a fallen member of the services ( armed , police, emergency) that shows very often the character that attracted them to their chosen path in life in the first place. The noble idea of service to our communities and our country. Where would any of us be without such men and women? Praise God for them!
As you can tell, I took these pictures from my T.V. as I watched this service most of the day. Our local television broadcasted this without any commercial interruptions and often you could tell by the reporter's voices that they were crying. Our state lost another officer just last month in Seattle where he was gunned down in his squad car while writing up reports. As I listened to the families and friends of these officers I was struck by how their character ( and their families character ) and their contribution for the better to so many, contrasted the character of the killer and his family...the killer's family KNEW he was going to do this and aided and abetted him before and after the murders. The killer's family and friends all have children, some of them too must have been aware of some aspects of this intent because the killer discussed his plans over THANKSGIVING meal. I find this chilling...what will those children become?
