The Earth Bleeds Red

by Jackson Paul Baer

I prayed to God that we wouldn’t find her, but at the same time, we had to find her.

there and sobbed like I’d never sobbed before. I began to heave and felt like I might actually pass out. I didn’t know what to do or how to move on. How could I ever look at Jessie again without seeing Ashley, without missing my baby girl? How could she ever love me again without the child that made us whole? How could I ever teach another class without seeing Ashley and knowing that I’d never be happy again? “Thanks a lot, God. I’ve never asked you for much, but you don’t care about that, do you? Answer me! Say something! Open your mouth for once and speak to me! I’m the one that always does the talking, but you never say anything! You’re so powerful? So loving? So just? So kind? You’re nothing to me anymore! Nothing.”

Finaly we see this man as a normal human. The first part almlost painted a picture too good to be true about him and his family. Now we finally see him beginnkng to look normal

“God, if you’re out there, please help that family of the girl we just saw. Help them to hold onto each other and not give up.” It was short and sweet. It contained everything that my conversation with God earlier in the evening did not. It put me at peace and calmed me for the first time since that tragic Thursday night when Jessie came running down the stairs.

I wished for a reason to teach, to love, to live, and hoped for a way to forgive. I felt something, and I knew that we were going to make it.

“We cannot love God without loving each other. Coming to Mass means nothing if we do not help those around us. Going to confessional is pointless if we do not share with those who are less fortunate than we are. Saying a prayer is like painting a white wall white if we do not give to those who are in need. Let us leave here today without singing or praying or reading from the Scriptures. Let us leave here today and meet a need. Go home and gather food from your house and find a neighbor who is hungry. Find a friend who needs their power bill paid and pay it for them. Go to the grocery store and pay twenty-five dollars towards another person’s grocery bills. Do something that shows those around you that you love them and do not expect anything in return. Do not want anything in return. Do not look for a ‘thank you’ and do not be hurt when you do not receive one. Do not be happy when you do receive one. Instead, simply do. Peace be with you.”

“Actually, no. I’ve forgiven the men, not because I wanted to, but because God forgave me even before I asked him to. Do you remember the part of the story when Jesus was hanging on the cross, right before he died?” “Yeah.” “He was beaten, scorned; he’d endured ridicule, and they mocked him like a common criminal. They spat on him and ripped him open with whips. But what did Jesus say just moments before his death?” “Wasn’t it something about God forsaking him?” “His very last recorded words in the Gospels came close to that effect, but what did Jesus say to God about the people who put him on that cross?” “I don’t know, Father, what did he say?” “He told God to forgive them because they didn’t know what they were doing. He didn’t place any conditions on the men to ask for forgiveness or require anything of them to deserve God’s forgiveness. He only asked for God to forgive.” “So, you’re saying I need to forgive Ashley’s killer?” “I’m not telling you that you have to, but I am saying that you cannot be happy until you do. Forgive Brandon because he really didn’t do anything. Forgive yourself because this is not your fault. Forgive the killer because even though he is guilty, and he will pay for his crime, hating him will not change a thing. Hating him will only bring you more death, and it will do nothing to him.”

Actually Im impressed, this was a solid message.

I knew that I would choose life.

Tom Stutzman turned twenty-years-old almost four months after he shot and kidnapped Ashley Miller. As soon as he knocked Brandon out with one swing of the gun, he took off his mask and looked at Ashley, bleeding and barely able to move.

Kind of an anti-climatic reveal...

The initial blow sent Papa staggering backwards and onto the floor.

Thats impossible, a .22 pistol wold not knock you back

We touched Ashley’s right arm as there was nothing we could further damage there. Her neck was still red and displayed black and purple bruises all over from when Tom choked her three weeks ago. Jessie kissed her hand, and I did the same, cherishing every second we had with our daughter who came back from the dead. We were living in another world at this moment. Even when we had signs that she might still be alive, I never honestly thought that she was. I tried to convince myself that we would find her, but the more time passed by, the less I believed that to be true.

Do you have anything by The Fray—especially their first album, How To Save a Life?”

Diana's favorite song

“I support you, sweetie,” I said while trying to stand up and hug her but needing Jessie to help lift me. “Regardless of what you decide to do, your mother and I love you.” We turned and headed back towards our home as the darkness tried to settle. The three of us walked, complete but not completely alone. There were three souls on the beginning of the journey, but two small hearts were beating inside of us, and Father Henry held his hands on my wheelchair to see that I wouldn’t go astray.

I'm not exactly sure what the message is here nd for that reason I have some concerns. I would have liked to have heard a clearer pro life message in this situation.