Author: debrabee

When the end of your work day is at hand, there is just so much temptation to hurry home to that comfortable couch and the ever ready remote control. Of course we keep wishing for that exciting life and are ready to jump into it any day now; right after our favorite show is over.

I have a confession. I am tired when I get home and by the time traffic is done with me, I barely have a coherent thought for conversation with my husband. He tends to look at me with worry if I’m not chatty.

Wandering into my small living room I have but one wish this day. Enough energy to turn around and get a life! I think I will point the remote control back at myself and change my channel.

We live in such a culture of gossip it’s hard to get away from it even if we wanted to. You’d have to live in a cave away from people altogether not to be exposed to it. I have a real bone of contention for what passes as acceptable news media in this day and age. The more someone is “messing up” the more we want to know about it. Many years back Don Henley wrote a pop song called “Dirty Laundry” which nailed commentary then and probably more so now…..

“I make my living off the evening news
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose
They love dirty laundry”

There is such a thing as good gossip!

Mal 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.

“I’ll call you later” he said.

I waited, staying up late into the night but my phone never rang. Disappointed again, I finally turned off my cell phone and took my tired body to bed.

Our trusting natures are whittled down by life’s experiences and many are seemingly small to the “caller” in life but never to the one waiting for the “call”. Have you ever met that small child who is so willing to believe you have something special in your closed hand? Over and over again they will choose the ‘left or right’ fist; that is, until the game is played just one too many times with the “something special” not being delivered.

Lip service is so common practice in our generation we don’t even look at it anymore for what it really is; a lie.

It’s been strange days here in California with all the fires. When I leave for work in the morning the air is so thick with smoke the sky is no longer blue and the rising sun is blood red in color being filtered through the haze.

I looked at the satellite photo from yesterday and the red dots are all around the valley I live in. These are but a few of the natural disasters going on around the globe. I have no comment of worth on such matters but it does get one’s attention.

The air has been thick with smoke many days now making it hard to breathe easy. I can’t help but to equate it with the news channels also bombarding people with how awful everything is. It reminds me of those schoolmates who loved to stir up trouble where there was little to be had. I don’t dismiss that it is a struggle with the current condition of our economy but I will never understand the need of our own national and local news to bury people with discouragement.

On the other hand I don’t believe that putting one’s head in the sand is an answer. We really should look more closely at the truth of our situation. We have an opportunity to be reconciled with our King both for ourselves and our nation but we have to first admit we need help.

2 Ch 7:14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

I was watching a movie with my husband when a line jumped out at me enough to stop it altogether. The character had said, “greatness only emerges when needed most” and this made me wonder at why the writer had gone down this path of thinking. The rest of the conversation was an example of how circumstances brought out that greatness with mention of war or calamity.

Now I would agree these are certainly moments of great distress that bring out courage and bravery but I also think there are other situations given absolutely no attention happening every day which also draws upon “emerging greatness”. Of course these stories will never be headline news or even a footnote in history books but humility isn’t looking for a pat on the back.

I am thinking upon the man or woman who prays in desperation for the lost souls of those they love and even those they don’t know. This takes a call to action, dedication, fervency and a need to be humble. “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit.” They are often shunned and disrespected by those they give up their time to help. This is the true understanding to love others more than yourself.

I found myself in agreement with the writer of the movie. To have “greatness emerge” does take war or calamity, and we are in a very real battle. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does…For our struggle is not against the flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

We are living in a time where this greatness must emerge now because it’s most needed!