Sometimes it feels as if the whole earth is shaking beneath our feet, and we don’t know where to turn. When the shaking comes back again and again, stress and fear rise up within and our footsteps falter. In the agricultural industry age-old institutions like the Wheat Board and the Wheat Pool (Viterra) tumble like houses of dominos. Wherever we may stand politically, we are touched by the loss. In the world of politics, whether it be the incivilities hurled at each other during political campaigns, or the slashes and hidden agendas that encompass the release of the federal budget, we wonder if anyone has ever heard of government being “for the people” and “by the people”. With change, the goals posts keep moving, and we don’t know whether we can keep up – or if we even want to keep up. Stress and uncertainty clouds our thinking. Is there anything we can say? Is there anything we can do? We get advice from many sources. Some tell us what’s happening is not about decay, but about a ripening. What we are feeling may be the birth pains as new life bursts forth. When I fear I’m getting old and can’t make all those adjustments, I need to see again the motto on an aging colleague’s wall that said “We need individuals who will make rules for themselves – not follow someone else’s mold.” What I’m thinking is that regardless how it comes down, we need to find a way to trust ourselves into God’s hands, find our ways to “hang loose” and keep watch for the glimmers of hope. The saying on the plumber’s van sums it up best. “A laugh is as good as a flush.” God made this world, and he made us, and he don’t make junk!
