Accept the things I cannot change

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."  --Reinhold Niebuhr

Today is September 11th.  I remember where I was (my brand new dorm room) and what I was doing (getting ready for class) when I heard what happened in NYC (my roommate came home from a run and she had stopped for breakfast and saw it on the news.  At the time we thought it was just an accident.  Until the second crash)

And now we're on the verge of war with Syria.  I don't usually watch the news, but Adam had it on while I was in the room and I saw part of the video with the chemical weapons being used on children.  I cried and cried. 

I don't know what the right action for America is.  It isn't fair that kids should ever ever have to have a life like that.  I do the best I can by my own kids, but honestly some of my day to day worries and frustrations seem super dumb compared to what I witnessed.  And I know that they aren't the only children living in horrible circumstances in the world.

The only thing that brought peace to my mind was a scripture from the Book of Mormon.  Alma and his companion Amulek have been preaching about Christ and those that believed and were baptized were later killed for their beliefs.

Alma 14
10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.
13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.

Sometimes bad things (really bad things) are allowed to happen to good people so that their blood can stand as a witness again those who commit these heinous crimes.  But my favorite line?  The Lord receiveth them up unto himself in glory. 

I don't want to live with my head in the sand, but verse 13 leads me to believe that there is a purpose for my life, that I have good I can do, even if I can't save those children.