Let's talk Trayvon ..grab a coffee!

The LAST thing I want to write about is the Trayvon Martin case, but last night it really hit home for me...literally!  Dave and I are on a business trip to NYC and about a block from our hotel was what seemed to be a protest.  As we walked to dinner we speculated what it was all about since news cameras were everywhere, booms mounted on cranes, and several people with large cameras, etc...
Prior to final print, I had inserted my thoughts on the case here, but erased them when I realized that it would distract from what I am really wanting to write about.
After all, I am mom, not a lawyer, so you will I am sure have your own thoughts on the case.
I am writing the article about something closer to my heart: KIDS.   Walking home from dinner we were literally stuck in the middle of a protest parade that apparently started while we were eating.  There was no turning back and I must admit, I was a little nervous.  Angry men yelling, "What do we want?"...the crowd responding "Justice"...Dave and I were literally swimming upstream and as we crossed the street in front of people holding signs, I saw a mom dragging her young daughter through the streets to "protest".  Does this child know why she is there?  Are they influenced by their parents and the obvious anger?

On a recent visit to church in Boulder, the pastor spoke of idols.  Of course I was expecting the "usual" : money, your kids, your job, etc... Something surprised me.  He asked some questions that struck home:
What gives us protection?
What do we trust to give us the security we crave?
What do we defend when it is attacked , questioned, or challenged?
We may be enamored with an idea that creates rival images of God when we think and act upon it.  We divert our gaze away from Him and to something we think we can control.  It may be politics, or your I-phone, racial justice with our kids in tow?  If you become angry when challenged (aka. put your phone down and pay attention to the conversation!) this may be something that is an idol for you.  Take time to think about how these things affect our kids.  Heck, I wasn't in Florida the night Trayvon was killed and it is no doubt a tragedy for that family.  There  may be something deeper in our society worth taking a closer look at.  It starts with us!

Cheers from NYC
Coffee Talk Mom