Through the Fog

For the past three mornings, I have awakened to the sight of dense fog blanketing our city. I've always thought that fog was kind of eery or spooky in an old horror movie sort of way. It is especially frightening to me to drive when the fog is so deep that it's hard to see the road or other cars ahead of me.

This week, a massive earthquake struck the small country of Haiti, causing untold death and devastation. Image after image of the unbelievable human suffering occurring there rolls across the television screen on an hourly basis, even days after the event occurred. In a country where poverty and disease were already major problems, the people now have to deal with so much more loss than ever before.

It's easy to change the channel as I sit in my comfortable living room in my small house that would be considered a mansion to many Haitians. It's easy to go about my daily life and not really think about the Haitians who are struggling to survive one more day ... without water or food or shelter. It's easy to tell myself that I "need" all the possessions I have.

What is hard is to listen to the voice of God whispering to me, calling to me, telling me to come out of the fog and pay attention to Him and to His children who are hurting. What is hard is to be willing to give up my "things" and go where He wants me to go. What is hard is allowing Him to give me a heart for the world, for the hurting, the homeless and the needy.

My prayer, my hope, my deepest longing is that I have the courage to follow the hard road ... to jump in and trust God to show me the next step ... to have the faith to know that He knows where the journey will lead and the road ahead ... to know that is all I need to know.

Reconnecting

My daughter recently told me that the "old" people like me have taken over Facebook from the younger generation. I don't know how I feel about called old at a youthful 49 years old, but I will admit and embrace the fact that I do enjoy Facebook immensely.

It brings a smile to my face each time I get a friend request, but I feel an extra joy when that request is from someone whom I haven't seen or talked to for many years. Reconnecting and catching up with friends from my high school and college years is just plain old fun. Well, most of the time. There is a sadness in hearing about marriages that have dissolved or spouses lost through death or friends who have passed on or are sick or have lost their jobs. But for the most part, connecting with old friends brings an undeniable joy to my heart.

I've often wondered if we will recognize one another in heaven, and I don't have an answer to that age-old question. I would like to believe that we will, and the joy of reunions here on earth will pale in comparison, I'm sure. I can only imagine the emotion I will feel when I see my mom and dad again or my brother Jerry or my grandparents.

So here's to Facebook and to reconnecting and reminiscing and remembering. And here's to what will come one day ... I can only imagine indeed.

And So It Goes

Every day, we hear about events that are occurring in our country or around the world. It's one thing to learn about the state of the economy, job losses and home foreclosures through the Internet, television or newspaper, but it's another thing altogether when you watch close friends and family lose their jobs and homes, and face trying to find employment with the economy in such a critical condition.

Last week, the company where I work had to make the hard decision to eliminate several positions. While I understand the need to make adjustments to accommodate the changing business climate, I couldn't hold back the tears as I watched coworkers whom I love and care about packing up their personal belongings and walking to their cars. In the blink of an eye, their worlds had been turned upside down and their lives changed in a drastic way.

Over the last week, several of those friends have contacted me to ask for my help on writing or editing their resumes. As I spoke with them and searched for the words of comfort, hope and support that they desperately need at this time in their lives, I felt as though anything I might say was shallow and meaningless. I still have my job; I can still pay my mortgage on my home; I can still buy groceries without fearing that someday soon I may not be able to do so.

The general prayers that I have offered up over the last months for those caught in the economic crisis have suddenly changed. They are personal prayers now, prayers for close friends, for those whom I love. As I prayed yesterday for these friends, something struck me. God calls me to a personal faith, to a faith that gets involved, to a faith that is willing to put everything I am and have on the line. God wants me to live out a dangerous faith and to love with a crazy love.

As I see people losing the "things" in their lives, I'm reminded of Peter who left everything he owned, gave up all he had, to follow Jesus. As the world around us is spiraling downward, perhaps God is calling those of us who believe in Him to be willing to sacrifice all in order to help those who are in need. It's a time to pull together, to live out our faith in a dangerous way, to love in a crazy manner, to follow wherever He may lead.

God bless you and keep you close in His loving hands, and may He light a fire of compassion in the hearts of those who call Him Lord.