Skip to main content

How comfortable are you?

Welcome to the First Church of America - A Little Something I Wrote. Click on the pink writing to read that. :)

I've sat in sadness and horror these past few days as the news has given us just small glimpses into the collapse of the Afghan government. Politics aside, which is difficult in that is seems that is what is at the heart of this mess, I'm heartbroken for the people. Today the pictures showed a plane stuffed likely beyond capacity of people leaving their homeland with little more than what clothes they were wearing just to escape the evil regime now in charge. But for every one that escaped, how many more were left? How many women and children will suffer atrocities at the hands of evil now? How many young boys will be forced to be soldiers? How many men will be forced to choose family or country? How many Christians will lose their lives just because they bear that name: Christian?

Heartbreaking. I'll admit to not being one that is always up to date on what is happening in the news because I just can't stand the evil in the news. I also know on any given day even in the US horrible things are happening. My thoughts strayed so far last week as to wonder about the girl standing on the corner by Target begging for money. I wondered because she was dressed fairly nicely if she might just be a victim of human trafficking. Yes, that is happening even here.

So what's my point? America...let's get closer to home. Illinois...no, closer. Rockford. How comfortable are you? 

Do you have what you need - shelter, food, clothing, religious freedom or even just freedom itself?

If you answered yes, which I'm fairly sure you did, when was the last time you thanked the Giver of those gifts. Yeah, they're all gifts. And we have an awful lot to be grateful for.

I get so comfortable here in my cozy side of the world that I don't stop to think about others sometimes. I don't stop to realize that others have way bigger concerns that not being able to find the right size of school uniform when they aren't sure their child will even be able to attend this year. I don't stop to realize that other have way graver concerns than being angry that masking up is coming back when they don't even know if their loved one will live through another bout of illness caused by poor housing let alone if Covid strikes. I don't stop to realize that others have way bigger concerns than where to eat for dinner when they aren't sure IF they will have enough food to last the week, let alone the month.

This week has been an introspective one for me. How about you?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What's in a Name?

Her name is Janice.  Who? The homeless woman who lives in the alley across the street from my work. She has a cart and a small suitcase always by her side. She always sleeps sitting up - at least anytime I see her. I've taken her a bag of water and some snacks once. I pray for her a lot. Until yesterday, I'd only spoken to her once - the time I dropped off the water and snacks. I told her my name and asked her hers. She spoke it quietly, barely above a whisper.  Yesterday I saw her standing at the end of the alley rather than sleeping in the back of it. I dug through my purse and pulled out two fives. I unrolled my window and drove up to her at the alley. I called her name to get her to come to me. Her head shot up and she just stared at me. She seemed shocked to be called that or that I remembered her. Then she came to me and we talked and I handed her the money. A few seconds after she left my car, I heard the manager of another local business call her by her name and ask ho...
Post a Comment
Read more

Unemployed - Part One

September has always been a great month, largely because our family celebrates six birthdays in one week! Add to that it's the beginning of Fall on either my brother's birthday or mine. September is a great month. This year. 2023? It was a rough one. Besides additional physical struggles for my sister, September 8th I quit my job. Many of you know a bit about the why, but I'm going to go a little more in depth here - partly so I can be transparent and partly because it is healing for me. I started this latest job with a renowned attorney in the Rockford/Loves Park/Byron area in April, leaving a job behind where the environment was "frosty" and the attorney I worked with swore like a sailor. Many are able to get past that, but I cringe every time I hear swearing and let me tell you, I cringed all day long every day. There were other major issues, but this isn't about that job. From day one with this new attorney, I realized it may have been a mistake to come he...
Post a Comment
Read more

Unemployed - Part Two

In my last post I mentioned this would be the "rest of the story". I realized a bit ago that this actually is just the middle of the story as God hasn't shown me the "rest" yet. Again, I'm not going to go through and edit this. Again, I'm just being real, typos and all. Where we left off, I'd left my job and now you understand why more fully. It was my mental health or working for her. I chose health. A few weeks before I left, I'd heard a song by my current favorite band, Unspoken. If you know me well, you'll know that I latch onto one specific band or artist and stick with them on a constant loop of their songs until another band sneaks in. I've been listening to Unspoken on that loop for about six months now. Coincidence? Nah. I worked for her for five months. One month prior the Lord started infiltrating my head with life-giving music. He knew.  One song, Sleep in the Storm, hit me hard a few weeks ago. It is the telling of the story ...
Post a Comment
Read more