Graduation Night can be Deadly

I was disappointed I couldn't get this into a newspaper by today; a version may appear next week, but to me that is a little too late for parents to get the word out. Since I don't have a huge following on my blog and it is not the same word count I am posting here:

Will your Child Survive Graduation Day?

Is there any family in the area or country that has not been affected by addictions or recreational drug use? I know my own has and because of this I seek education at The Substance Abuse Task Force meetings. There you will find people from every sector of the community, medical, educational, DCF, NOPE (The Narcotics Overdose Prevention & Education) and people of the Faith community, but the ones that have gripped my heart are the parents who have lost children.

One man introduces himself as the father of a dead child; in this case it was not an addiction problem but kids celebrating their graduation last year. How heartbreaking, and yet how many of us can say, "There but by the grace of God go I?"

When I met the grieving father after the meeting the only comfort I could give was to say I would pray for him, give him a hug and these words:

"I know when your son woke up the morning before he didn't think or plan, 'Tonight I will break my father's heart.'"

Although that was what happened, it was a horrible accident, of kids using one drug, one time too many. Young people are not thinking when they use recreational drugs; they are just doing it to fit in with their friends. In some small way, please get the word out, "One time may be one time too many."


Parents please talk to your children especially with Graduation Day approaching; I liken this conversation to being a watchman on the wall as portrayed here:
“Upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen all the day, and all the night, they shall never hold their peace. You that are mindful of the Lord, hold not your peace.” (Isaiah 62:6 Douay-Rheims Bible)


Many of us try to prepare ourselves for the possibility of loss in our families, with recreational pills so prevalent in the younger generation. The statistics show that the national average is 50 people die a day in our country; we need to acknowledge we have a problem here, people, and educate our families. Common things in your home such as Pam, Nyquil and aerosol whipping cream can also be a source of misuse. I’ve learned about Pharma or Skittles parties where kids take medicines from their parent’s and grandparent’s medicine cabinets and throw them all in a bowl. The bowl is then passed around and the kids take some, not knowing what exactly they are taking. The potential for danger in the wrong drugs interacting is incredible!

Parents, friends and youth workers in the community be aware and take the time to talk to the youth that you love.

Their heart cried out to the Lord,
“O wall of the daughter of Zion,
Let tears run down like a river day and night;
Give yourself no relief;
Give your eyes no rest.
“Arise, cry out in the night,
At the beginning of the watches;
Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward Him
For the life of your young children…(NKJV) Lamentations 2:18-19

Join me in praying that the upcoming Graduation Days will be full of family joy instead of the truama of substance abuse.

This was written in memory of someone's son, Morgan Andrew Denney, who was taken off the life-support respirator on June 1st 2011.

Does Suicide have a Face in your Family?

• As the Lord reminded me of many scriptures today concerning hope and help for family members and online friends that I have come to adore, I wept amazed at His goodness and care.

  
  This first scripture the Lord gave me concerning a mother among us who lost a daughter through suicide; she is celebrating her first birthday in heaven. Liana will be forever 21:
  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

  
  

  This mother is using her pain to try to get the word out concerning bullying and that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It is very permanent to grieving families left behind. There are many grieving among us because of losing children from substance abuse also. For those, too, we pray and commend these verses to you:)
  
  These next verses I had marked from long ago, concerning family. The first is a verse that is quoted often but there is more to glean as you read on: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.Jeremiah 29:11-13
  
  Our loved ones can sometimes be carried captive by many things of this world but the Lord knows how and when to bring them back to their senses. Seeking and calling with all of their hearts, is the first step, but extra prayers from others may help them to do that. Sometimes it has gotten so bad, they just can't seek on their own, and for that the Lord seeks intercessors.
  I ask that you each join me today in an unspoken prayer burden (I will join with you in yours, also, we all have those things too emotional to put in writing) for someone that I love and am very concerned about.

  
  

  http://www.facesofsuicide.com/

'Tonight I will break a Parent's heart" 7 people die daily from pill overdose in FL

I was reading Hebrews 13 in The Message and some of the verses made me think about the meeting of The Substance Abuse Task Force. I am always struck by the pain of the parents that have lost children to the disease of addictions. One man introduced himself as the father of a dead child; in this case it was not an addiction problem but kids celebrating their graduation.  How heartbreaking, and yet how many of us can say, "There but by the grace of God go I ?"  Many of us realize and try to prepare ourselves for the possibility of loss in our families, with recreational pills so prevalent in the younger generation. If you are in the Daytona area, please check out the Substance Abuse Task Force monthly meeting. I am asking people of faith and more from the Faith community to show up and start praying that our city will be a light on the hill that shows a different way to live. If you are a church leader who wants to help please post or message me and I will let you know who to contact:)

 

Hebrews 13:13-16 So let's go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is—not trying to be privileged insiders, but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. This "insider world" is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come. Let's take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus' name.

 Make sure you don't take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of "sacrifice"—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets. Hebrews 13


I met the (still grieving a year later) father of this boy after the meeting. I didn't want him to leave that meeting thinking that his son's death was in vain. I knew it was hard for him to make the effort to come to the meeting but I was so glad he came. The only comfort I could give was to say I would pray for him, give him a hug and the words that seemed to help, "I know when your son woke up the morning before he didn't think or plan, 'Tonight I will break my father's heart.'" Although that was what happened it was a horrible accident, of kids using one drug, one time too many. Young people are not thinking when they use recreational drugs; they are just doing it to fit in with their friends. In some small way, please get the word out, "One time may be one time too many."



 Sometimes seeing a real face to go along with the story helps; this was someone's son: http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/southeast-volusia/2011/06/02/new-smyrna-teen-taken-off-ventilator-dies-police-look-into-drug-connection.html