Post by ciel on Jan 2, 2005 16:21:30 GMT -8
I'm taking a moment to prayerfully recognize the tragedies associated with the great natural disaster that occured one week ago today in southeast Asia.
I hope that everyone who may have been affected here or elsewhere can find solace in knowing "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," called, whether to live in disasterous times or to die in them. Whatever may be peoples' beliefs concerning life and death (and life again), we cling in troubled times to some understanding that the greater good will eventually triumph and often seek to understand more about what the greater good actually means to us individually and as a whole. New perspectives in life arise out of life-changing experiences such as these, hopefully for the better, but there are almost unavoidably some, if not many, who will be so downcast by the loss of family, friends, or posessions that they'll blame themselves or others unfairly for what has happened. Those may have special need of help from willing neighbors who'll draw out the stinger, so to speak, which if left in could poison them, their hearts, their outlook on life to the point of no recovery at all.. neighbors to be a willing source of soul-to-soul aide. It's in light of this that I as an observer feel powerless. How can I help beyond the material realm, being so far from those affected? The only answer I feel satisfies me somewhat is that I ought to dedicate a little more time reaching out to family, friends and neighbors I am close enough to help in order to give to at least them a second chance.
So I leave all of you with this thought and my own sympathies to any who may have been part of the recent calamity in hopes of maybe contributing to the ongoing effort of many valiant people who are now working to bring new life to the wreckage left round about the Indian Ocean.
God bless everyone who was and is involved.
I hope that everyone who may have been affected here or elsewhere can find solace in knowing "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," called, whether to live in disasterous times or to die in them. Whatever may be peoples' beliefs concerning life and death (and life again), we cling in troubled times to some understanding that the greater good will eventually triumph and often seek to understand more about what the greater good actually means to us individually and as a whole. New perspectives in life arise out of life-changing experiences such as these, hopefully for the better, but there are almost unavoidably some, if not many, who will be so downcast by the loss of family, friends, or posessions that they'll blame themselves or others unfairly for what has happened. Those may have special need of help from willing neighbors who'll draw out the stinger, so to speak, which if left in could poison them, their hearts, their outlook on life to the point of no recovery at all.. neighbors to be a willing source of soul-to-soul aide. It's in light of this that I as an observer feel powerless. How can I help beyond the material realm, being so far from those affected? The only answer I feel satisfies me somewhat is that I ought to dedicate a little more time reaching out to family, friends and neighbors I am close enough to help in order to give to at least them a second chance.
So I leave all of you with this thought and my own sympathies to any who may have been part of the recent calamity in hopes of maybe contributing to the ongoing effort of many valiant people who are now working to bring new life to the wreckage left round about the Indian Ocean.
God bless everyone who was and is involved.
