On Being a Journalist Now that I'm a Mama

I worked in newsrooms for 10 years before I had kids.

I wrote about everything: local murders, a Presidential impeachment, soldiers coming home from war, the Columbine shootings, Southern California wildfires that ravaged communities.

I covered it all with a tender heart and a detached mind. Tragedy happens everyday, and unfortunately, our job as journalists was to record it, often as it unfolded. Journalists are history writers, and humans are broken, and I tried not to let the bad news sink in too deep.

But that was before I had babies. Before I was a mama.

I doubt I could work in a newsroom today.

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Many of you know Corey now works for an international disaster relief and development company called Feed the Children. It happens to be headquartered in Oklahoma City, about 15 miles from Moore. Corey isn't in the office this week, so as a mile-wide twister ripped through the homes of many of his employees, he was here in Minnesota. As you might imagine, he was glued to his computer last night, helping to mobilize the teams that will serve their own neighbors in coming days. But I know his heart is in Oklahoma this week.

All our hearts are in Oklahoma this week.

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A friend who also works at Feed the Children wrote this prayer for Oklahoma City last night. After a day of being glued to the news, of feeling my mama's heart shatter at the mere thought of those babies in the schools as they crumbled around them, it moved me to tears.

It ends:

Come close. Keep this city safe tonight. Be near to the crying, the hurt, those sitting in the shambles. Lead neighbors to be the hands and feet of Christ on earth to those who need it most. Break through light in the darkness and peace to the most restless of hearts. AMEN

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If you'd like to give to Feed the Children's tornado relief efforts, I assure you - your money will go directly to work on the ground. Five Feed the Children employees lived directly in the path of the tornado yesterday; their homes are gone. So this is personal work for the entire, dedicated staff in Oklahoma City. You can donate money here.

And if you live near Oklahoma City, Feed the Children is also collecting supplies of food, diapers and water today to give to those staying in shelters. You can find the most current information about drop-off locations here.