What's Justice Got to do With it?

Earlier this week we lost quite possibly the most talented child star to ever live: Shirley Temple. I'm happy to say she lived a good long life; she was 85 at the time of her passing. Given her recent death I wanted to do a quick post of tribute to her amazing life.

She was born April 23, 1928 (we share the same birth month). As a child she was known for such movies as "A Little Princess" (1939), "Curly Top" (1935), "The Little Colonel" (1935), "Bright Eyes" (1934), "Heidi" (1937), et al.

More impressive than her childhood career is the career she developed as an adult. She retired from acting at the age of twenty-one to pursue a life in politics. She became the US ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She also the title Chief of Protocol of the United States.

I've featured her on this blog because of the political career. She obviously had a heart for justice and justice related causes. We should all try to be more like her everyday.

My aunt, Marilyn Long was killed in her home on March 1, 2011, 2 weeks before her fifty second birthday.  She died along with her husband, Charles.  Prior to her death she was a very loving and involved wife and mother to seven children.  She was a stay at home mother and made a career of schooling her children.  She was a member of an Evangelical Free church and also attended a local Seventh Day Adventist church to support her husband who had converted to that faith in recent years.  Because of her passion for teaching children she was the director of children's ministry at her church.  She also had two grandchildren whom she happily doted on and looked after whenever given the opportunity.  She looked most comfortable when holding a baby in her arms.  She was a generous and loving woman, she was always eager to fill the needs of her loved ones and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.  I love you Aunt Marilyn!

On March 1, 2011 my uncle Charles Long was shot and killed in his own home.  His wife was also killed, his two young children were attacked but by the grace of God survived and are doing quite well.  Charles was a loving father to seven kids, five sons and two daughters.  He drove a delivery truck for Frito-Lay inc. to provide for his large family.  He was very involved with a local Seventh Day Adventist church but also attended an Evangelical Free church in support of his wifes faith.  He was a loving and gentle man, found ways to show his family (both immediate and extended) that he cared about them.  When relatives were planning to visit he would make sure to have food and beverages that he knew they would like.  He enjoyed spending time with his family, he had taken a trip to visit his son, Caleb, before the young man was deployed to Iraq and he took his son, Jacob on a trip to see a NASCAR race, both Charles and Jake were avid race fans.  He never had a negative word to say about any of his family.  Our world lost a great man this year and the impact of the loss will be strongly felt by all who had the privilege of knowing him.  Good bye Uncle Cal, I love you!