A Child Loaned... for Christina Green, 09-11-01 to 01-08-11

[California Girl]

While I appreciate, and agree, that the targeting of one of our members of congress - whatever their party - is horrific, it seems to me that we lose our humanity a tad when we continue to focus this so much on Rep Giffords. God willing, she will make a full and speedy recovery.

We lost 6 individuals - their race, color, creed or political affiliation is of no consequence. We all lost something valuable on Saturday.

So, I'm gonna focus on Christina Green, 9. A child. A friend of mine sent me the following... so I figured I'd share it with the board. I'm not an overly emotional or sentimental person, as many of you can attest, but this kind of summed it up for me.



A Child Loaned

"I'll lend you for a little time
A child of Mine." He said.
"For you to love the while he lives
And mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven year
Or twenty-two or three
But will you, till I call him back
Take care of him for Me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you
And should his stay be brief,
You'll have his lovely memories
As solace for your grief.

I cannot promise he will stay
Since all from Earth return,
But there are lessons taught down there
I want the child to learn.
I've looked this wide world over
In my search for teacher's true,
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes,
I have selected you;
Now will you give him all your love,
Nor think the labour vain
Nor hate Me when I come to call
And take him back again?

I fancied that I heard them say,
"Dear Lord, Thy will be done,
For all the joy Thy child shall bring,
For the risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known,
Forever grateful stay.
But should the angels call for him
Much sooner than we planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand."

Anonymous

 

[blastoff]

Christina's parents seem to be taking their tragedy as well as can be expected, at least publicly.

I still feel bad though for the woman who invited her along so she could meet Congresswoman Giffords. Can't imagine the guilt, angst, or whatever she must be going through. Such wonderful good intentions that turned out so horribly tragic. Just hope the woman will somehow be able to cope the rest of her life.

 

[AllieBaba]

As the dad said, it's a bizarre random act that couldn't be foreseen.

 

[California Girl]

Christina's parents seem to be taking their tragedy as well as can be expected, at least publicly.

I still feel bad though for the woman who invited her along so she could meet Congresswoman Giffords. Can't imagine the guilt, angst, or whatever she must be going through. Such wonderful good intentions that turned out so horribly tragic. Just hope the woman will somehow be able to cope the rest of her life.

My understanding is they are Catholic. Which is kind of why I posted the poem. Because it is how they will view this tragedy.

None of us know what Christina may have achieved, had she lived. Strikes me as very sad that, while we know her name, until Obama spoke, we knew very little about her.

 

[Truthmatters]

We can make this a better and more civil country in her name and for all of Americas children.

we can come together in her name

 

[California Girl]

We can make this a better and more civil country in her name and for all of Americas children.

we can come together in her name

Could you please not politicize my thread. It's not about using her death for any political purpose. It's about Christina. As an individual. As a human being. As a child.

I like this poem, because it is how Christians will make sense of this tragic waste of life.

 

[strollingbones]

we...is this the royal we?

how was truthmatters doing anything wrong?

a child is dead...children die daily in this country....why does this one child deserve more than any of the others?

 

[bigrebnc1775]

While I appreciate, and agree, that the targeting of one of our members of congress - whatever their party - is horrific, it seems to me that we lose our humanity a tad when we continue to focus this so much on Rep Giffords. God willing, she will make a full and speedy recovery.

We lost 6 individuals - their race, color, creed or political affiliation is of no consequence. We all lost something valuable on Saturday.

So, I'm gonna focus on Christina Green, 9. A child. A friend of mine sent me the following... so I figured I'd share it with the board. I'm not an overly emotional or sentimental person, as many of you can attest, but this kind of summed it up for me.



A Child Loaned

"I'll lend you for a little time
A child of Mine." He said.
"For you to love the while he lives
And mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven year
Or twenty-two or three
But will you, till I call him back
Take care of him for Me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you
And should his stay be brief,
You'll have his lovely memories
As solace for your grief.

I cannot promise he will stay
Since all from Earth return,
But there are lessons taught down there
I want the child to learn.
I've looked this wide world over
In my search for teacher's true,
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes,
I have selected you;
Now will you give him all your love,
Nor think the labour vain
Nor hate Me when I come to call
And take him back again?

I fancied that I heard them say,
"Dear Lord, Thy will be done,
For all the joy Thy child shall bring,
For the risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known,
Forever grateful stay.
But should the angels call for him
Much sooner than we planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand."

Anonymous

 

[Baruch Menachem]

As for truthmatters.... this is part of her usual evil since the weekend blaming free speech for concentrated evil.

As for the girl.... there were thousands of deaths that day in a nation of 300 millon. Quite a few due to violence. It is good to remember each one, not just for the tragedy, but for what was lost.

Famous peroration on an essay on the creation story about the significance of the Cain and Able story:

"This is why we are descended from one man only: if you kill one person, it is if you killed the whole world"

 

[California Girl]

we...is this the royal we?

how was truthmatters doing anything wrong?

a child is dead...children die daily in this country....why does this one child deserve more than any of the others?

'We' as in 'we, the People'... the ones that make up what we call America.

Truthmatters want to use the dead as political tools, I just wanted to say a few words about one child. One that did not just die.... but was murdered. She is not more deserving, but she is the one that I know of. And.... it's her funeral today.

 

[strollingbones]

o please...the royal we....no one had heard of this child till she died...and now all the people jumping on the band wagon with the royal we are just as trying to make themselves look good...imho

 

[strollingbones]

so what was this child to you before she was shot and killed?

 

[strollingbones]

the dead as political tools?

that hardly is the tool of only one side

 

[California Girl]

so what was this child to you before she was shot and killed?

Go back to your bong, bones.

 

[California Girl]

the dead as political tools?

that hardly is the tool of only one side

Did I say it was only one side? No. I said it was one individual. I always react badly when people use the dead for politics.... the hysteria over health care, our military, and this kid. I'm consistent in my opinion - and I am equally consistent with who I blame.... which is both sides.

 

[Revere]

o please...the royal we....no one had heard of this child till she died...and now all the people jumping on the band wagon with the royal we are just as trying to make themselves look good...imho

Actually, she appeared in a book as a baby as 50 babies born on 09/11/2001.

Her father is a scout for the Dodgers and her Grandfather is a long time major league manager.

 

[del]

We can make this a better and more civil country in her name and for all of Americas children.

we can come together in her name

well said

i see nothing political here.

 

[syrenn]

We can make this a better and more civil country in her name and for all of Americas children.

we can come together in her name

well said

i see nothing political here.

Its because of TM's thread of trying to be more civil, i believe.


just saying

 

[Baruch Menachem]

so what was this child to you before she was shot and killed?

Unfortunately, nothing. I did not know and I cared less. One more bratty kid in Arizona. Meh, there are thousands of them.

That does not change the fact that she was precious to her parents and her friends and made the arizona sunshine that much warmer for those who cared.

So why should we care about one more generic 9 year old?

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

 

[strollingbones]

o please...the royal we....no one had heard of this child till she died...and now all the people jumping on the band wagon with the royal we are just as trying to make themselves look good...imho

Actually, she appeared in a book as a baby as 50 babies born on 09/11/2001.

Her father is a scout for the Dodgers and her Grandfather is a long time major league manager.

and you learned this when?