last night

So, last night a bunch of us met at Sass' house to go over a book that talks about sustainable youth ministry. We talked alot about out current programs, how theyre good, and ways that they may need to get better. It was a truly AWESOME night, because it was a chance to really connect with other leaders, a chance to go over the past year and talk about things we can do to make next year even better.

But the best thing is that now im REALLY excited. It was what i needed, a chance to talk about ways to make youth group better, ways to make it easier on leaders, ways to make it more successful, and ways to make it better for the kids. I dont exactly know why, but now im SUPER excited about what is to come, and how awesome its going to be.

Tonight

i really want to talk about tonight. but im going to process it more. tomorrow maybe.

I don’t know how to feel.

On 5/1/2011 Osama Bin Laden was killed by U.S Forces in Pakistan.

He was a murderer, a liar, and a scoundrel. He killed countless people, planned devastating strikes all over the world, and avoided capture for more than a decade. He was the mastermind behind the attacks that  toppled the Twin Towers,  put a hole in the side of the Pentagon, and took down flight 93 in the fields of Pennsylvania.

Today, America, and a large part of the world is ecstatic in the celebration of his death, overjoyed at the death of a madman. It’s quite honestly hard not to be. Knowing that a man who was the head of a terrorist organization who threatened our security, and the security of a good part of the world is dead is comforting. Yet I feel uneasy.

Part of me wishes that he had been captured, so that he could be tried and have to really pay for the crimes that he committed. Another part of me is glad he’s dead, because now we don’t have to worry about him anymore. Another part of me is scared that we could face another attack, in retaliation for his death.

The rest of me, however, is confused. I feel bad for his family, because they face grief, and hardships in his death. He fought for something he believed in, yea, he murdered thousands of people, but apart from that fact that he was probably a bit off his rocker, he was just doing what he believed he was “called” to do. I feel bad for the men who burst into the compound and the men who pulled the trigger, for the man who killed him. He will now forever have the title and the knowledge that he stopped a madman from further madness, but he must also live with the fact that he ended someone’s life. 

For now, all I can do is think. I tweeted way too many times yesterday, but now I’m feeling differently. It’s all confusing… what do you think?