The other day I was watching something on the Holocaust. It was too painful to watch, and I had to turn the TV off. I have been thinking about the horribleness of the event a great deal lately. I just finished a book by Corrie Ten Boom (thanks Em!). It is about her experiences in a concentration camp, and I have to say it was life changing. It is just hard to believe that kind of hatred actually happened. Since becoming a mommy, my heart is even more softened to such hatred. I look at pictures of little children heading off to certain death, and I can’t bear to imagine my own little boy being torn from me by the hands of brainwashed officials. I weep for those mommies and daddies that must have felt so helpless. Needless to say, there are so many people hurting in the world today. The topics are endless…racism, abortion, abuse, orphans, the hungry the, homeless, the jobless, the unreached nations, those without the hope of Christ, people with no Bibles in their language, street children, those in the midst of war, the persecuted, the tired, the lonely, the hated, people trapped in religion and cults, those in prison, the widows, those that have lost children and loved ones due to tragic circumstances, the sick, neglected children, etc… Not to be Debbie Downer or anything, but it all breaks my heart!
Of course, I am convicted of my own selfishness. I may see something on TV or read about an event in the world, and I think about how terrible it is! A minute later, I forget and start thinking about how I could redecorate or where we should go have dinner or what movie we could watch.
Other times, I am just simply overwhelmed. I can’t give my time, money, or attention to every single issue. I can’t depress myself by thinking about all this stuff every second. There are things I can do….1) I can pray daily. I can pray for several of these issues, and the next day pray for several more. I can pray that my fellow believers would go into the world---that our feet would bring the good news, that our hands would feed the hungry, that our ears would hear the hurting, that our homes would be open to the needy, that our tables would welcome others, and that our voices would speak hope. I can devote myself to these prayers. 2) I can remember the hurts in the world as a reminder to not live for the pleasures of this life. These issues serve as a reality check in my own heart of where my treasure often lies. 3) I can devote my life to what I am most passionate about. I can’t tackle everything, but I long to find what I am most passionate about and give my money and my time to just a few areas. We all as Christians have been given gifts and hearts that may be more inclined to a certain area. How beautiful is that picture! We don’t all have to contribute to the same thing. What a great display of the body of Christ!
WELL……
On a much lighter note, check out Hudson’s updated room. I scored the door for 15 bucks at a yard sale, and I stapled fabric behind it. I also found the window at the same yard sale. I am beginning to love the treasures to be found at yard sales and thrift stores. Much of this is owed to Nikki Armstrong! See ya retail prices. Hello cheap finds with much character! The last picture is the baptism gown my talented mother in law made. I'll blog more about his baptism and post pictures really soon!
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