Post by Dorothyl on Mar 12, 2008 9:05:42 GMT -5
Coping When the Unthinkable Happens
Sitting in a doctor’s waiting room, I was moved by the family sorrows described by a woman sitting beside me. Listening to her account of these heartbreaking losses of loved ones was an experience I’ll not soon forget. She and her family will remain in my prayers.
Upon arriving home, we turned on the television just in time to learn the sad news of the infamous college shootings in Virginia, already labeled as America’s most tragic massacre. Who would have expected the characteristic calm of this quiet college setting to be shattered by gunfire and the unwarranted loss of innocent professors and students?
How can we cope with such losses? Where can we find comfort when the unthinkable happens? To answer this question, I yield to our professional counselor son, Timothy, sharing the following excerpts from his new publication, “HIS COMFORT ZONE:”
“You’ve heard it before: ‘You need to break out of your comfort zone!’ In most cases such counsel refers to that place of complacency where inspiration, motivation, achievement and growth have been forfeited for the rut of a comfortable and familiar, if mundane, status quo.
“But when life’s rocky road offers cold comfort only, what are you to do? Sickness attacks. Friends, even family members betray. Financial security is fleeting. And death, which awaits us all, is sure to remind you of that stark fact by visiting too often those around you, those closest to you.
“So perhaps you have bridled your ambitions, reigned in your risks and circled your wagons – only to find yourself huddled alone in a phony fortress. On the other hand, you may have opted for a more proactive approach, moderating your diet, getting plenty of rest, relaxation and recreation. You may be reaching out to loved ones, helping out at community functions, and looking out for those less fortunate…but peace of mind eludes you still.
“Maybe you’ve chosen to bolster your bravery with booze or likewise numb your nerves with various substances illicit or legal. Sadly, millions do, only to compound the calamity for themselves, their loved ones and society at large with this the cruelest counterfeit of all.
“You’ve been wondering how to cope, what to do, where to turn – when the real question is ‘Who?’ Who can provide a zone of true and abiding comfort?
“Jesus says, ‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.’ As you earnestly seek that zone of ‘peace that transcends understanding’ during your time of trouble, it is our prayer that you’ll find this affirmation helpful:
I’m casting all my worldly cares-
Of health, of wealth, the lack thereof,
Tomorrow’s and yesterday’s affairs,
All temporal things I think I love
Upon the One who truly cares
More faithful than a brother, He,
Who tenderly His shoulder shares
And whispers, ‘Come, come unto Me.’
Of health, of wealth, the lack thereof,
Tomorrow’s and yesterday’s affairs,
All temporal things I think I love
Upon the One who truly cares
More faithful than a brother, He,
Who tenderly His shoulder shares
And whispers, ‘Come, come unto Me.’
- Roger Campbell
~D~