God of all
gifts, we thank you for the many ways you have blessed us this day. As a God of
compassion, you know the holes that are left in our heart caused by the
senseless death of a loved one. While the world celebrates around us we long
for a Christmas past where we could have our loved one with us again. Only you
can understand the depths of our sadness, for you experienced the death of your
own Son on the Cross to save our souls. Lord, for all of us who suffer through
tragedy, we pray that you heal us of the loss of our loved one who departed,
and dry the tears of sorrow that weighs down our hearts.
May your hand
impart peace and healing to the downtrodden and bring justice to a land who
needs Your counsel and guidance. We ask for Your special dispensation for
families victimized by heinous crimes and for Your wisdom to reign in the
courtrooms- but most of all, we want in this season for Your will and way to
penetrate the hearts of the unbelieving who can never have the inner peace they
long for until You enter their hearts.
From the Unit
1012 to your family, may God bless and protect this Christmas season and open
up more doors for legal and social justice to prevail. Amen
Lord, thank You for loving us so much
that You
gave Your Son for us, even before we loved You. Thank You for inviting us into
Your family. For all of us who are brothers and sisters in faith, please help us to
love one another in perfect harmony. Father, please help us to see every
person the same way that You see them. Help us to love them the
way that you love them — even when they don’t love us back. Please show us how
to walk
continually in Your love, that perfect love
which casts out fear. We love
you, Lord.
Amen.
|
Families Gather Around McKinney’s ‘Tree
Of Angels’ In Remembrance Of Murdered Loved Ones
By J.D. Miles
MCKINNEY, Texas
(CBSDFW.COM) — The
holidays are about celebrating and remembering. It’s the latter part of that
which makes this time of year hard on those dealing with sudden and traumatic
losses.
Families of those who lost their lives to murder
gathered around McKinney’s Tree of Angels Friday.
It’s an unusual sight, but one that Marcus Bass and
others who visit understand.
“We just come together to make a stand
saying that we are all family now,” Bass said.
They shared hugs while hanging handmade ornaments
to remember people like Bass’s wife, who was one of 8 people killed in a Plano
home two years ago.
“I really do miss her a lot,” the widower said. “That
was actually my best friend… My true best friend.”
Masako Mai understands the emptiness so many here
feel after her brother was shot and killed last year.
“He loved everyone,” Mai said. “He never met a
stranger he was always the light in the room.”
There are familiar names and faces on some of the
ornaments from murder cases that received more attention. But the Collin County
District Attorney’s Office wanted to make sure none of the 50 families that
came to decorate the tree is ever forgotten.
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said
just from the tears in peoples’ eyes and the hugs they give, he can tell the
tree means the world to them.
“We have new cases coming in every day,
but the ones who have lost loved ones… they live with it every single day,” Willis said. “So, this is
just a time during the holidays when we say, “We don’t forget you.'”
The Tree of Angels will stand in the Collin County
Courthouse through the holidays.
Adorned
Tree of Angels
[PHOTO
SOURCE: http://www.treeofangels.org/index.html]
|
Thanks to all Police
Officers who will be working this Christmas.
[PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/policesupporter/photos/a.1581815655369269/2651656081718549/?type=3&theater]
|
OTHER LINKS:
2019 ALBUM: https://www.facebook.com/pg/VictimsFamiliesForTheDeathPenalty/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1858132690975355
2018 TREE OF
ANGELS CEREMONY
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