Peace & hope in uncertain times

 MAY PEACE BE WITH YOU

So I’ve been thinking.... dangerous, I know.... up until This last year, I haven’t paid much attention to politics, news, etc. I helped with the recall Effort in my eastern county. I have family in the Portland area as that is where I lived most of my life until I moved across the state. 

First I hear how my president is being impeached but isn’t. Covid 19–I have a small sewing business and I was shut down for 2 months making masks for a new virus, that we will never have control over because a virus is not something that can be treated. I have watched in horror and sadness at the riots and protesting in the Portland area. My governor blames Trump. Why is it his fault? What did he do? He sent aid to help stop and she gets angry because it’s making things worse? Really? I don’t see it.

I don’t like wearing a mask, so 6 feet a part it is... I can do that outside in the fresh air. Now my state is up in flames and it is dangerous to even be out in the open air. The helicopters that are usually used are in Afghanistan so the state’s resources have been diverted. The 7 helicopters that we do have are not sufficient for fires of this magnitude. How convenient!?! If it had been a normal fire year, they probably could have handled the number of fires. But no, because of the amount of fires set, how quickly they went due to wind we are all but destroyed. I haven’t heard yet whether it is Trumps fault. But the article I just read about the helicopters said, “ (they) contacted the defense dept.,” I’m sure the trump requested the defense dept to send resources to Afghanistan based on the assumption that all would be ok given what is normally expected in fire season. It wouldn’t take much for someone to pay attention to the predicted whether and use that to their advantage. Some of the fires we know are arson based. How convenient. Most of the state who has a say in who are next president will be have just lost their homes and the system is broken and they potentially could lose their votes. The last thing on my mind when November comes would be where am I going to live this winter? Not who am I going to vote for? 

I’m sure trump will get the blame because he sent our helicopters to Afghanistan. It won’t be because arsonists set extra fires causing our state to burn so quickly that the normally adequate resources can do the job. Forget the lives lost. Forget the homes lost. 

Police forces are gone. Law enforcement has walked off the job. Looters can take what they want because law won’t stop them. So those people who may have homes to go back to won’t have their belongings.

I have been told it’s all conspiracy theory. I have been told this is all coincidence and too far fetched. Maybe it is. But I have a masters degree and these are the facts as I see them. 

I am now holed up in my house once again because the air quality is so bad I can’t go outside. Blame it on climate change. It’s Mother Nature, she’s angry. Hmm... that sounds about as asinine as my theory. 

FEAR is the enemy... 

Covid - Fear I might die...no doctor can help.

Protesting- fear I might die. No law enforcement to come help.

Fires destroy my home- I might die in the fire, I might die because I don’t have anywhere to live.

Air pollution at its worst- death and sickness due to the level of pollution. 

I am not afraid however, I am angry! I am angry that I can’t do anything to fix any of this. I am angry that things aren’t getting better and I wonder how much more it will take before people start to pray together again. I am not saying go to church. We can’t anyway, Covid keeps us social Distancing. But where are the leaders?!?  

Where are the ones instilling hope? They are the quiet ones. They are the ones doing without acknowledgement. I pray for my small community to continue to be safe. I pray for my state, the reform of hearts and the reliance upon a God of YOUR understanding that brings hope and peace to you in these trying times. I am helpless. I don’t have the answers. But I can give hope and love and understanding... even in the worst of times. I don’t turn to media for answers. I turn to the God I know and he gives me hope and a direction. I pray you know Him too. He is there for anyone who wants to know Him.