“Tough Times Abound”

Several weeks ago I started to write a column about the fact that four families that I call friends had suffered major tragedies. For various reasons I did not write the column. Well in the last week two more families were hammered with devastating news. In less than two months I know six families that got devastating news about their young folks. That devastating news included two daughters / granddaughters that died, two sons/grandsons that died and two sons/grandsons that were arrested for pretty serious charges.

My heart goes out to these families. And it has left me and my family asking those all too familiar questions. Why? And what’s going on? It has also left me disheartened at times when I hear folks around me make statements about these situations that are careless, insensitive, flippant, cruel or downright wrong. So for the record, if you are around me and are thinking of making these kind of statements about these situations, do us both a favor and keep your opinions to yourself.

Maybe you’ve heard about these situations and before you know it find yourself thinking that surely these were bad kids from bad homes. Well get off your high horse and quit looking down your nose at folks. I know all six of these families and their children and guess what. They’re not any different than many of us. They all come from middle class homes and most had two loving parents. I guarantee you that every one of these young people had parents or grandparents that sit next to you in church, at a ball game or at a civic club.

Did some of these young people make some very poor choices or were they clearly in the wrong place at the wrong time? Yes. But that doesn’t give anyone the right to climb up on their high horse and spew venom from their tongues. And that is just what it is when they make their snide remarks, poison.

As I talked with a group of six men the other day about one of the recent tragedies, all six of us acknowledged that the same thing could have happened to anyone of us in our younger days. How true the old saying is “But for the Grace of God there go I.” Maybe some folks have lived just such a perfect life that none of these situations could have occurred for them or their families. Well good for you, but please keep your thoughtless comments to yourself. Better yet ask yourself if that is what Jesus would say in these situations. I suspect not.

Most of us live in the real world with real problems. And is sure hasn’t been easy lately. Simply Put, tough times abound. We all need to humble ourselves before God everyday, asking for the strength to carry on and to fill our cups with compassion.
From the Front Porch: Coach said Live Simple. Love Generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly. And leave the rest to God.