Heavy Heart

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians 3:16
I pray this for everyone who's lives have been touched and forever changed by the death of Josh Mitchell deputy Sheriff for Reagan County.

This was my facebook status this morning. This is my heart this morning, and all through the night.  Last night about 7:30 ish I heard a scanner call.   It went something like this, "A Reagan County Deputy has been shot.  They are transporting by ground and have ask that we escort and block intersections".  Us being Tom Green Country Sheriff's Office.   Instantly started praying, praying praying.   I passed it on to others to pray.  I stayed glued to the scanner, I can't hear Reagan County, but knew from what I was hearing it was BAD.   Finally found some info. on FB about a standoff.  By 10:00 PM,  I heard, again on FB that the news of the officer wasn't good.  My heart hurt for the family, for the officers, for the EMS, for the small towns involved.  This doesn't just impact a few people, it is much like the old poem, "Drop a Pebble in the Water"

Drop a pebble in the water:
just a splash, and it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples
Circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center,
flowing on out to the sea.
And there is no way of telling
where the end is going to be.

Drop a pebble in the water:
in a minute you forget,
But there's little waves a-flowing,
and there's ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing
to a great big wave have grown;
You've disturbed a mighty river
just by dropping in a stone.

Drop an unkind word, or careless:
in a minute it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples
circling on and on and on.
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading
from the center as they go,
And there is no way to stop them,
once you've started them to flow.

Drop an unkind word, or careless:
in a minute you forget;
But there's little waves a-flowing,
and there's ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart
a mighty wave of tears you've stirred,
And disturbed a life was happy
ere you dropped that unkind word.

Drop a word of cheer and kindness:
just a flash and it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples
circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort
on each splashing, dashing wave
Till you wouldn't believe the volume
of the one kind word you gave.

Drop a word of cheer and kindness:
in a minute you forget;
But there's gladness still a-swelling,
and there's joy circling yet,
And you've rolled a wave of comfort
whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water
just by dropping one kind word.

~By James W. Foley~

 The ripples from this tragedy go on and on!  It touches lives that never new this man.  Me for one!  I am grieved, I didn't know him.   I pray that somehow some way we changes this ripple of grief into a circling of faith, of community, of prayer, of heart felt respect and appreciation for those that put their lives on the line to keep us safe, of those that pay the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in freedom.  Freedom is NOT free!  Josh Mitchell paid for your freedom last night!   Today thank a person that wears a badge for what they do!  Today they are hurting!  

Please pray for the Community of Big Lake today!  Please pray for all the communities and counties that surround Reagan County, as they are all connected.  This impacts everyone of them!