Dumping the news

For months now the news has been bad piled upon bad. Unemployment, companies going under, everyone is struggling, fear is just hanging in the air.  I have so many friends with loved ones out of work, hunting for anything that might provide an income to pay the bills. I haven’t been writing much lately because of the weight of all this just overwhelmed me, paralyzed the creative energy I enjoy so much.

I feel for those who are struggling. I understand that struggle far more than I want to.  When the news about teh economy hit the fan last fall, work for my husband just dried up.  Nobody was spending money on anything unless they HAD to, so building and remodeling work vanished for him and for many around the country. Every month the bills come in, and we’ve wondered where the funds would come from.  But just in time, the Lord provided something that would take care of the expenses. 

You might think this is a lament about the economy, but it’s not.  It’s become an adventure for us, seeing how the Lord will work each week to meet our needs.  Rather than worrying about it, now we just watch and wait. He’s never late, but He’s never early.

So from here on out, I have turned off the news on TV. I refuse to listen to the clanging bell that says, “Be afraid, things are bad.”  Things have been bad on this planet for 6,000 years. We know it’s going to get worse before He comes back.  Not a thing we can do about that.  But we can do something constructive by turning off the doomsayers on TV and not wasting our precious time watching garbage that doesn’t encourage or uplift. We can spend some of that time praying for those we know who are hurting and struggling.  We can find ways to share what we have with those in need. Grow a garden, join a co-op, find new ways to live on less and share those tips with others.