Dead Fred

"Don't think you're going to shoot to wing him; shoot to kill."

That's what the shooting instructor said. Even as I cringed inwardly, I realized the wisdom of his words.

Our targets were set up--a line of human sihouettes.

If this was going to work for me, I had to play a little mind game. I thought of the scariest scenario that I had ever worried about:  me alone at home with several of my little ones and a big guy named Fred, brandishing a knife as he was breaking into my house.

I fumbled with trying to get the bullets into the magazine-I awkwardly wrapped my fingers around the gun's handle-I shuffled my feet, trying to get into a proper shooting stance-I hemmed and hawed and hesitated until I could put it off no longer. With trepidation, I squeezed the trigger. Well, that wasn't as scary as I thought it was going to be. Then I squeezed it a few more times.  Well! That wasn't so bad. It was actually rather exhilarating!

                                                   And Dread Fred became Dead Fred.

An Afternoon At The Range

(and I don't mean the kitchen range)


True confession:  I don't really like guns. I don't think shooting is very much fun.

But I believe strongly in our Second Amendment rights and I refuse to stand by quietly and let those rights be trampled. As an American I have the right to own a gun and to shoot a gun and to carry a gun. So I signed up to take a class to become a pistol packing Momma Bear. (yea for Oklahoma's open carry law!)  And that is how I found myself spending the afternoon at the gun range.

However, I don't think I will actually carry a gun around (although if it involves getting a new purse, I  might consider it!) (no, I am really not that shallow!) and I won't be spending Saturday afternoons at the gun-range or on a weekend hunting trip. Just doesn't sound fun to me.

But I have thought long and hard about this:  if someone were to physically threaten any of my loved ones--particularly any of my children--I wouldn't hesitate to defend them. Soon I will be able to legally defend them with a gun. I am only lacking the paperwork. And the passport picture.

There was one concept that stood out to me above all and it was that you need to be certain in your mind that you or your loved one is in danger of imminent bodily harm before you consider picking up that gun and once the gun is in your hand, you shoot to kill.

My mind balks at that...the thought of being responsible for killing someone is abhorrent. Then thoughts of Columbine High School, or the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado or Sandy Hook Elementary School flash through my mind and I think I could defend the defenseless.

Earnestly I pray that I will never be thrust into such a horrendous situation. But if I am, I feel like I am on my way to being prepared. Because I have decided I will be investing some time improving my aim at the gun range after all.