A Woman's View

How to avoid drowning in the sea of bad news

I don't know about you, but I long to hear something good in the news .

Maybe you've wondered why TV newscasters and newspaper headlines usually lead with crimes, tragedies and misdemeanors. Trace it back to an often-quoted slogan of the news business, "If it bleeds, it leads."

Their findings show that readership and TV viewership go up--way up--when they feature bad news and speculations about doom that lurks just ahead. 

That means we feed on a steady diet of this kind of stuff and our anxiety inevitably builds.

Suppose we focused on God's faithfulness instead. Whatever our finances or life situation may be, He brought us to this day we are living.

That's something my grandmother never lost sight of. I last saw her when she was ninety-nine, two years before she died. Her face shone with peace as she said, "God never left me alone for a minute."

He never leaves any of His children alone for a minute.Anytime. Anywhere.

I propose we choose a fresh slogan for ourselves, "If it feeds, it leads."

Let's tune our minds and hearts to promises in the Bible, Truths like these.

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.    --Psalm 55:22

He (she) who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."    --Psalm 91:1-2

(Jesus said) "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."             --John 14:27

As you read you'll find verses that speak to your heart. When you do, underline them. Maybe you'll want to date them, too, either by specific dates or some note that will remind  you of events.

We could call it the "Good Stuff Diet."

Even a daily snack-size serving could change our lives.

Your thoughts, please.

Peace and joy,

Lenore

 

How to keep a sure footing when the daily news drags us down

Sometimes current events and talk of happenings far away have wider meaning for you and me.

Recent headlines, talk shows and late-night comedians endlessly replayed the sleazy actions of a New York congressman. Some people felt genuine outrage. Others said, "Well, nobody's perfect." Reactions are all over the place.

No surprise. Long ago commonly accepted standards for "right" and "wrong" got tossed aside. In their place we plugged in whatever seems right. To you. To me. 

This conveniently enables us, no matter what the behavior, to say, "If it feels good, do it," or "Well, I would never do that, but it's not my life."

So any public figure can trot out the tired old line, "I did nothing illegal," and consider it an excuse.

What does this have to do with our lives?

A lot of people say, "Aw, who cares? Politics, show biz, professional sports. These people don't live in our world." 

Oh, yes, they do. They and their opinions and actions play out before us on our family room TVs. If what's on-screen doesn't matter, why did books featured on the Oprah Book Club become instant best-sellers?

Inevitably, what we see and hear in the media colors our thinking. Words and phrases that once shocked now don't even make us blink. Why would we expect youngsters and teens to be immune?

We can't protect our kids from the world, but it's reassuring to note that studies show young people still look to their parents and older family members as role models and reference points. (Don't expect them to admit it.) 

We can't protect our kids from the world, but we can do our best to give them a solid grounding in what's good and right and true.

That means we need to be solid and clear on what we think and believe.

Check the Manufacturer's Handbook

Many people say, "Restrictions. Who needs 'em?"

That's a popular view of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-16.)  It makes more sense to think of these verses as God's basic operating instructions for how to live happily and function at our best.

Think of them as a plumb line for living.

The first time I hung wallpaper I had no clue what a plumb line was. Why would anyone take time to use a level or a string with a weight on the end of it just to draw a straight line? Why bother?
 
I found out.

When I arrived back where I started, my last strip of wallpaper did not match up with the first. Although I hung the wallpaper with great care, the design had been drifting uphlll as I went along--and I never noticed.

That's the way we are without an unchanging standard to live by.

None of us can live up to those Commandments perfectly. Despite our best efforts, we will blow it now and then. That's why Jesus came, to set us right with God.

(Jesus said) "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."                                                                      John 14:6-7

All we need to do is ask. That's why they call the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus.

Peace and joy,

Lenore    

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