So What Did I Miss?

I did a "media fast" yesterday. Stayed off the grid and out of touch with the world of the internet, TV, radio, newspapers, you name it.

So what did I miss?

• An 8% drop in the stock market. Boy, that never ever happens!
• A presidential debate. Man, I am sure positions were clarified and observers illuminated. Not sure how I will catch up.
• Staring at my PC screen. Enough said.

It was interesting, I had the urge to log in and log on early in the day, but that quickly passed. And then, I was fine. I used the time for more prayer and reflection. I used the time to study for my theology midterm today. Which lead to more prayer and reflection.

But it was time well spent, or maybe time not spent. Not spent immersed in myself or social media. Not spent blogging, or reading blogs, or cruising on Facebook. But time well spent reflecting on my Lord, talking with Him a little more, and a little more closely. Time very well spent.

I will do it again the next two weeks as my pastor challenged us to do.

Who knows, it may become a habit: Wednesdays without the www...

Up, Down and Sideways

clipped from www.google.com

In all the years that I have been following the stock markets, there are times that I am still amazed at how they perform. (Like all the time). On September 25 the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index, arguably the most followed and reported on stock market index, opened at 10,827.70. Today, October 1, it closed at 10, 831.07. That is movement of 3.37 points, or +0.03% growth. Essentially flat.

If I had been living in a cave since Thursday morning, and came out this afternoon for some fresh air and a look at the Dow, I would say the market has been flat for the past week.

How about that? Sound crazy?

There Is Nothing New

"That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun"

Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NASB)

There has been tremendous turmoil on Wall Street and in Washington the past few days. But I take great comfort from the words above. I see not futility, but hope in the message. In the grand plan of all things, this was expected in the eyes of God. Nothing surprises Him. Nothing sneaks up on Him.

There are cycles of boom and bust in everything but His constancy. There is nothing new to Him under the sun, as He created the sun and everything under it. For all is under Him.

We watch and we worry: economy, election, everything.

If we just turn to Jesus, we can watch and wait: His timing, His judgment, His righting the world.

The journey will be no less bumpy, we will get no less bruised along the way. But we can endure with a peace of heart and mind that otherwise is beyond our grasp if we are not with Him. He calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee. He is in our boat and can calm this weather too. No matter what, we will come through the storm.

But if nothing but Christ matters to us, it will not matter what we come through it with other than Him.

Christmas is Around the Corner

Wall Street and Washington need to get whatever ever economic fix done soon. It is the end of September, which means the Christmas season is right around the corner.

Which means if we are in a state of financial and economic turmoil, people might actually turn towards more spiritual matters, seeking answers in the divine that are beyond the grasp of mere humanity.

People might actually turn to the true meaning of the Christmas season and stop saying things like "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings" and start saying "Merry Christmas" and actually know what it means and mean it.

Or the powers that be in the two "W's" might rise to the occasion and right the teetering ship of state and state of business. Get people back to a secure mode of living and investing and spending.

And return Christmas to the commercialized mess it has become. And all this in an election year.