A Mother's Courage & A Father's Love

            Before I put my emotions or thoughts on this page, I would like to ask that we keep Erin Stoffel’s family in our prayers. While taking their dog for a Sunday walk on a trail, the Stoffel family was changed forever. 33 yr old Jonathan Stoffel was fatally shot and killed, along with his 11 yr old daughter, while his wife, Erin Stoffel suffered 3 gunshot wounds, she successfully got their 2 youngest children (ages 5 and 7) out of harms way. The shooter then turned the gun on himself and died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head. I’m sure that as Erin recovers from the attack this Sunday (Mother’s Day), she will be reminded of the courage it took to save her two youngest children, while family members come along side to support a thankful yet grieving mother/wife.

            Even though Erin hasn’t been able to verbally communicate, she has been able to write. While at the hospital, Erin was given a dry erase board and wrote the following; “Last words”, then she wrote out, Jon said, “Forgive the shooter.”

            What touches my heart about the story is the courage that a mother displayed regarding the welfare of her children and the love demonstrated by the father; even at the point of his death. You would think that a father’s last words would be, “I love you”, or “tell the kids I love them” but not this father. He had the insight to see the resentment, rage, and the entrapment of bitterness that would await his children and wife; so instead, Jonathan denied his own feelings, for the emotional healing of his family. Jonathan wasn't scrambling at the moment of death, attempting to ensure his love ones that he loved them; maybe the way he lived confirmed that. So much so, that Jonathan could utilize his last breath to break the potential, future chains of unforgiveness; sentencing it's prisoners to life, without the possibility of parole. 

          It's because of this family's courage and love, that I'm inspired to love my family in such a way; that when I too must leave this place, I can speak from my concern for my family future challenges instead of from my past regrets.