P E R S O N A L R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y!!

Oh, my goodness!  I cannot believe this story about the former news employee shooting the reporter and cameraman today. What a tragedy!

I am afraid our current society is filled with people like the shooter.  People who cast blame, rather than look inwardly, for their station in life.  From what I can gather, he was a disgruntled employee.  So, I am assuming that he either got fired or something and pointed his anger at these two people.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again:  This boils down to teaching our children personal responsibility!  From a young age.  When my daughter was a small child, she would do something that was not allowed, and then be disciplined for it.  Her response was always this: "You got me in trouble."  Mine was always, "No, you got yourself in trouble.  I just caught you."

You let your kids run amok and have no rules and not have to work for anything and this is what you get.  Go ahead - let them express themselves.  Sit them in time-outs.  Let them act like banshees.  But don't be surprised when they whip out a gun and end someone's life because their life didn't turn out like they wanted.

Life is not fair!  No one owes you anything.  Sometimes you get the shaft.  Sometimes you get a bum deal and it is truly not your fault.  But sometimes it is your fault.  Regardless, you can't just go around shooting people.  Whether your life is in the crapper or not, the sun still rises tomorrow.  Get up and DO something about it.  Improve yourself.  Move on.

I vote we get back to the basics of life.  Turn off that cell phone and interact with your children.  If you are the daddy, then be the daddy.  Be present in your children's lives.  If you hit a bump in your marriage, try to work it out - don't call the divorce lawyer at the first tough time. If your child is being defiant, give them a good old-fashioned spanking!  If your kid doesn't have the latest XBOX, so what?  If a criminal is convicted, stop letting them make appeal after appeal.  Be respectful.  Be courteous.  Be kind.  Stop crying racial discrimination for every last thing. Go to church.  Learn about God and try to emulate the grace we have been shown. Teach your kids to be content.  Stop having every minute planned for them.  Let them be kids. And stop having all your minutes planned as well.  Spend down time with your family.  Teach your kids that some people are nice and some aren't.  Rather than sue the mean ones, just ignore them.  Teach your kids by example. 

You only get one life. If you spend it in a uproar over every last thing, it won't be a very happy one.  Count your blessings. It is what it is.  Just live.