In praise of light

Yesterday when it was nearing time for school to be out, Emma texted me.  She said they were in lockdown.

At Glacier Peak, the school was in lockdown from time to time for bomb threats that were ever only that, threats.

Maybe because of the recent shooting in California, but this felt different. 

Apparently a student reported seeing someone with a gun.  It turned out that he lied (and is now in custody--naughty kid!). You could say that officials used an abundance of caution and when I consider all of the brave men and women that catapulted into action from police departments all over to hurry to the high school, I feel grateful.  They take the kids' safety very seriously and I applaud them.

 These are pictures taken from the Deseret News website:

It's surreal to think that these pictures are from our quiet little hamlet.

after she got home and we were looking at pictures, Emma pointed out our kid car, Loki

Thank goodness for cell phones.  In the two hours Emma was in lockdown, we were in touch. 
Eventually a SWAT team came into the classroom where Emma was and they all had to put their hands in the air.  With the assault rifles pointed her way, Emma said her heart was pounding.  They swept the entire school and finally gave the all clear and the students were released.

While I was waiting for Emma to come home, I turned on every Christmas light in the house.  Light seemed like a good answer.

To me, Light is the only answer that addresses the crazy world we have for ourselves.  We have a world with terror and mass shootings and teenagers who have to show their hands to SWAT teams on a Thursday afternoon during AP calculus because this might be the real thing.

The need for more Light is why I am grateful Braeden is serving a mission.  There are all sorts of arguments for and against gun control and how to handle all these various situations.  As for me, I sent my boy into the world to preach peace and the Light of the gospel.  It's the only remedy I know.