Yesterday, I was scanning Facebook and saw lots of pictures of people on vacation, playing at the lake, relaxing on the beach, and just having a good time these last few weeks of summer break. These are special times for families and friends to spend together and make memories that will be enjoyed for years. Seeing all the pictures made me a little sad that our family has not had as much time as we would like to just play this summer.
Today, I was scanning news reports and saw lots of painful images and stories: riots in England, families of Navy Seals mourning the loss of precious life, Hispanic families in our own state living in fear, and news of mass starvation in eastern Africa. A particular headline caught my eye, “Which Child Dies? Famine Forces Impossible Choices” (http://news.yahoo.com/child-dies-famine-forces-impossible-choices-145356561.html). Seeing all these things made me feel physically sick and very thankful at the same time. I am thankful that the people in our congregation are not currently facing such heart breaking situations, but I am sick over there being people anywhere who have to face such conditions.
As we take advantage of these last weeks of summer, I want to encourage you to be thankful for all the enjoyable times you have spent with your friends and family this summer. And I want to encourage you to make yourselves sick, so to speak. Let’s not just look at the pictures, read the painful stories of others’ lives, and then turn off the computer or T.V. and go on with our easy living. Let’s carry those pictures and stories with us and lift up the people we read about in prayer. And let’s share the gifts and resources we have that make our lives easier to help make the lives of others more livable.
Helpful Links for Making a Difference Through the Ministries of the United Methodist Church
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ United Methodist Committee on Relief (info and donation site)
http://www.northalabamaumc.org/pages/detail/1608 Alabama Tornado Relief Information
www.umvim.org United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (global service opportunities)
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