My daughetr is a school teacher and I phoned her yesterday to inquire about the impact of the Newtown massacre on her as she faces returning to her own teaching campus. With all the recent tragedy in public places it's unsettling to think about venturing out into the workplace without a sense of fearful insecurity. She assured me that they had drills and protective regimens in placed but agreed it was probably not enough to stop a person hysterically intent on doing harm.
It would be easy to live in fear as a result of what we observe happening in our world. I remember as a young pastor traveling with a woman who could hardly ride in a car due to the brutal death of her mother in an automobile accident. Her husband had installed safety bars for her to hold on to because it was the only way she would travel. Teachers and students enter campuses in some lcoations where metal detectors are in place to insure no one brings a weapon on campus. Safety drills are hed to anticipate any "what if?" scenario. Still it seems not enough. And it is difficult to not be afraid.
How, then, do we deal with such fear?
As one whi believes in the Biblke there are severak thigns I would affirm as a matter of my fsaith.
1. Fear does not come from God, II Timothy 1:7.
2. Fear has torment, I John 4:18.
3. Fear is countered by renenberiung we are valuable to God, Matthew 10:31.
The 27th Psalm begins with these words, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom sall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?" The Psalm ends with this admonition, "Wait for the Lord. Be strong and let your heart take courage..."
Here's what I take from the Word.
1. Fear is the enemy's way of paralyzing me.
2. Fear is tormenting and punishes me.
3. Fear can only be addressed by understanding God's provision for me as His valuable possession.
This does not mean bad things won't happen in my life nor that I should be careless and wanton in my disregard for danger. Rather, I realize as I child of God I am connected to One who holds my life in His hand and will give me strength and courage no matter what the course my life may take.
As I enter the marketplace I go renewed in the confidence taht i need not be a victim of fear, but I can live knowing God's grace is with me wherever I go, whatever I face.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
Inventory
In a few weeks I will be moving out of my office after almost years of files, personal notes, accumulated books,, sermon notes, etc. Part of my job will be to inventory what goes with me...and what goes away..into the garbage.
I'm a keeper so this is an especially tough task for me. I like to remember what I did years ago (and squirm sometimes at the memory) as well as file away what I think I might use again (although the probability is small). How do i go about such a task? It is a daunting one, to be sure, and then given my personal idiosyncrecies, the task seems ovcrwhelming.
Here's a couple of things that will help me moving forward.
1. I have a deadline; in order to transition someone else into my offcie space I need to be done by December 31st.
2. Whatever I want to save I have to take with me...and I'm moving. That in itself creates a need to scrutinize what I have.
3. I have some free time that allows me to focus on the task so that I'm not forced to squeeze it into an already complex list of things to do.
4. I have help. Both my secretary and my wife have volunteered to join me in the task...and my wife is NOT a saver. She'll be a helopful filter.
5. Finally, I know it's time and I'm ready. Let the inventory begin!
On another level year-end inventorys are good for all of us in assessing what we should hang on to and what we need to get rid of. it could be a couple of pounds, an obsessively-busy time schedule, a bad habit, a worn-out excuse for procrastinating, a bad attitude...
And it may be a time, as well, to inventory what needs to be added that is missing--more time for the famsily, personal quiet time, exercise, a new hoibby that provides relaxation from stress, a vacation...finally.
"Inventory" may sound like an onerous task to be dreaded...but it may provide a needed opportunity to discard what is worthless--of not counter-productive--and to add what is desperately needed.
Let the nventory begin!
I'm a keeper so this is an especially tough task for me. I like to remember what I did years ago (and squirm sometimes at the memory) as well as file away what I think I might use again (although the probability is small). How do i go about such a task? It is a daunting one, to be sure, and then given my personal idiosyncrecies, the task seems ovcrwhelming.
Here's a couple of things that will help me moving forward.
1. I have a deadline; in order to transition someone else into my offcie space I need to be done by December 31st.
2. Whatever I want to save I have to take with me...and I'm moving. That in itself creates a need to scrutinize what I have.
3. I have some free time that allows me to focus on the task so that I'm not forced to squeeze it into an already complex list of things to do.
4. I have help. Both my secretary and my wife have volunteered to join me in the task...and my wife is NOT a saver. She'll be a helopful filter.
5. Finally, I know it's time and I'm ready. Let the inventory begin!
On another level year-end inventorys are good for all of us in assessing what we should hang on to and what we need to get rid of. it could be a couple of pounds, an obsessively-busy time schedule, a bad habit, a worn-out excuse for procrastinating, a bad attitude...
And it may be a time, as well, to inventory what needs to be added that is missing--more time for the famsily, personal quiet time, exercise, a new hoibby that provides relaxation from stress, a vacation...finally.
"Inventory" may sound like an onerous task to be dreaded...but it may provide a needed opportunity to discard what is worthless--of not counter-productive--and to add what is desperately needed.
Let the nventory begin!
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