How Dare We

Over the past few days, I've seen, read, heard (and been harassed by) negativity towards absolutely anything that could be considered good! People are up in arms about the fact that the wedding was being covered more than the war, or the other (many) present crises that we are facing as a nation and world. Then there were the tornadoes - for a large part of my life I have adored storms - the stronger the better! I get a huge adrenaline rush from them, and find them exciting - even if I'm making sure that the cellar door is clear in case we have to take cover rapidly! ;) For quite a few years, I would even have major dreams about tornadoes - where I had to rescue everyone... my kids, random people, and it was coming and we were holding on to each other and praying for dear life down in a basement, or closet, or wherever we happened to be, and it would be hard to breath and... I'd wake up!

I still have those dreams sometimes - and yet I still am awestruck by creation! Not just storms, though that's a lifelong fascination, but creation in general! Seeing it's beauty can literally bring me to tears.

All that to say, this has made me ponder our (often self-righteous) ridiculousness! Because there will always, almost every minute of every day, be devastation until God's final Kingdom is established in full force! But there will also be beauty. SO very much beauty! We just have to choose to see it!

So here ya go... my "essay" entitled "How Dare We"! :)

How dare we enjoy dessert or go out to dinner at overpriced restaurants (and lets face it, they all are), or plan the next holiday meal with excitement, when thousands upon thousands starve to death every day.

How dare we enjoy the incredible magnificence of creation in the strong winds, lightning, and crashing waves when the destructive forces of nature take lives through earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, and mudslides.

How dare we post pictures of ourselves at amusements parks, running races, boating, when people we know are devastated by debilitating diseases, arthritis, even paralysis.

How dare we adore our children, telling people their accomplishments, showing everyone their photographs when some have been unable to have children at all, have lost children, have children who suffer with sickness or terrible deformities, or even while there are orphans in horrific situations?

How dare we are thankful and overjoyed by surprise gifts, presents we don't need, furniture that is more than adequate, and a closet full of clothes when there are people who have never been given a present, don't have a home, and wear ragged threads.

How dare we celebrate a wedding with elegance, a birthday with decorations and cake and friends, when there are people who are dealing with devastation in every possible way around us all the time, and every day!

We dare, not to be cruel, because we all realize in the back of our minds that our very existence and way of life is fragile at best, but because without the celebrations, the good times, the wonder, the moments that take our breath away in awe, there is no reason to go through the bad times, no point in the struggles which take up the majority of the time between these moments of sanctuary! We weep with those who weep, but we get up and keep breathing and keep going forward and keep living life to the fullest! We also rejoice with those who rejoice! This doesn't make us evil, or callous - it merely means that yes, we are, indeed, alive!

As much as lies within me, I intend to enjoy each day to the fullest, embracing it all, feeling it deeply, because it's SO short, even if I live past 100 in this part of eternity, in this life on earth (which would truly be miraculous considering my love for butter), I will not be guilty for accepting joy as it comes, even when others somewhere in the world are suffering - but if those others are within my reach, I will cry with them, help them, support them, do all I can to be Christ to them! Knowing the devastation and suffering in the world, Jesus still chose to do his first miracle at a wedding! He wanted the party to go on! He wanted the celebration to continue, and made it possible! He didn't say "you know - 3 miles from here there is a blind man/grieving woman/starving child, how dare you carry on with your fun - don't you know people died today?". He reached out as He went on His way, taking time for rest, being refueled by God, enjoying celebrations, hanging out with friends, and, I believe, seeing (and giving) wonder, life, passion, in each and every moment of much of where He went and what He did!