The short list.
I haven't been able to write much lately because my little laptop is in disrepair. It stopped recognizing the power adaptor, so my battery drained with no way to recharge it. My computer- along with many important pictures and pieces of my writing- now lies in the (hopefully) capable hands of a computer servicing crew somewhere in Texas. Fortunately my warranty is still in effect through the fifteenth of this month.
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Big, big earthquake. I hate that I feel almost numb to what is going on in Pakistan. How much can I or should I try to hold in my heart? I am exhausted by the thought of another tragedy. But it never ends, does it?
It is time for the Earth to calm down for a while. We humans create enough crises on our own.
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I worked late last night, and I will be working almost every evening this week. Here's a true confession: I start slurring my words when I have been at work for more than eleven hours. I am so grateful for weekends.
..................
Big, big earthquake. I hate that I feel almost numb to what is going on in Pakistan. How much can I or should I try to hold in my heart? I am exhausted by the thought of another tragedy. But it never ends, does it?
It is time for the Earth to calm down for a while. We humans create enough crises on our own.
..................
I worked late last night, and I will be working almost every evening this week. Here's a true confession: I start slurring my words when I have been at work for more than eleven hours. I am so grateful for weekends.
posted by Erin 9:50 AM
6 Comments:
Erin... if only you were a baby and I could carry you around and hold you and rock you to sleep:) But...I am glad you are you...don't get me wrong:)
Erin, I'd be curious to hear what you think about all these natural disasters, and whether or not you feel they relate to the End Times?
Thanks Tiff- That sounds rather comforting coming from a nurse like yourself.
Heather- Interesting question. I know several people that would say Yes, it is a sign of the times. Whether it is or is not, here are some reasons that I don’t think of it that way:
1. Humans have historically been huge failures at interpreting prophecy. Think about the coming of the Messiah- everyone was looking for a military leader. The “turn the other cheek” teachings of Jesus seemed like the farthest thing from their concept of a promised deliverer. While we still have some prophecy books like Daniel and Revelation that seem to point to end times events, I am not convinced that we really know how to even begin reading them.
2. Natural disasters have always been part of the way the creation functions. It seems like we have had a lot lately, but imagine living through the Black Plague. Now that would feel like the wrath of God!
3. It doesn’t seem to fit that God’s judgment would fall the heaviest on the poor and weak. These natural disasters (the tsunami, hurricanes, mud slides and earthquakes of late) have overwhelmingly injured those with the least resources. If anything, it is a chance for those of us that have plenty of food and shelter to practice the discipline of giving ourselves, our time and our money.
4. Jesus said that the end would come like a thief in the night. Even he did not know the day or hour! It is tempting to speculate about the end, but really we are completely in the dark. End times debates seem to really cater to our need to control our future more than actually causing us to live like we are citizens of an eternal Kingdom on heaven and on Earth.
5. Each of us is certainly in our own “End Times” so to speak. We are only given 70+ years on Earth and that is it. Whether it ends in Hollywood scenes of Armageddon or a car accident, it seems that we should live with the same urgency regardless of our place in history’s timeline.
So that’s my brief (Ha ha) response to your question. I guess the bottom line is that there is no way and no reason to know. We can only be assured that our answer to tragedy and unrest should be the same as Christ’s; that is to be present in the suffering of others and give ourselves to fully to the work of reconciliation.
Regardless of when He may return we are to live the same. The one that applies here is to "love others".
I feel for your empathetic heart.
God bless.
Erin, thank you for succombing to my request. I think you are dead on the mark, and I totally respect your thoughts. Thanks for sharing. I'd just love to go for coffee with you sometime! :)
Welcome Curious- Yes, love is the real work at hand.
Heather- We should! Perhaps I'll make it up to Manitoba one of these days...
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