Doors, Gates, Handles & Latches

It seems that there are always doors, windows, holes, roads, highways, streams, passages, entrances and exits to this life. We are either entering or we're leaving, while passing others along the way.

We enjoy the entrance of new life. We celebrate with friends and family. The demise of older life is expected but still hard to bear.

The extinguishing of life for no reason, unexpected illness, accident, suicide or by murder or ruthless war, resonates and leaves us empty.

At these times choices are made, some by force, a new road to a new life, leaving what you had behind. Travelling to a different place, perhaps across an ocean. None the less, another journey begins. Starting all over perhaps, with only the clothes on your back.

Families divided because parents have died. Loss of one parent places a financial strain on everyone else. Loss of a home and family through a natural disaster. These are all part of reality.

We live in a safe place much of the time. We have escaped the ravages of war, famine, genocide, and Holocaust. Natural disasters seem to happen in other places than right here.

We wake up in a home where three meals, clothing, money, are a second thought. Our children are educated, our churches are safe from storm troopers. Our borders don't have armed guards in military uniforms with machine guns and dogs. There are no check points on every town and city roadway.

We can speak what we want, when we want and to whom we want at anytime night or day. There are no curfews, no one looking over our shoulder. You're not worried about your neighbour or co-worker spying on you. Reporting any suspicious movements to authorities. There are no threats, not on your street, your neighbourhood, your town, as far as you are aware.

But there is a different kind of threat. It is growing and has been growing in N. America for centuries. It grows larger in number with each generation.

Every generation makes a choice of the route it desires to take.

Every new government brings us closer to chaos by the decisions that get accepted. Laws are passed behind closed doors, or with the acceptance of a select few.

Suddenly and out of nowhere your rights dwindle and the people lose control because they chose to let someone else do their thinking for them. Their laziness and apathy sold the farm and they were left with a pile of horse crap.

The nice life gets left behind and you are now out on a slippery road, that soon becomes a huge muddy hole.

We think, come on that's only in the movies, not here, no way!

What would it take to open our eyes to how bad it could change in 24 hours or less? We don't have a clue. Governments have toppled overnight, let alone natural disasters.

When Catrina wiped out most of New Orleans, people had seen storms before.

When the tsunami hit in western Asia, it happened in moments.

What if it rained nonstop from April to December and crops weren't planted. No planting, no growth, no harvest.

You think it's difficult with the economy now?

All the reserves would be eaten up and there would be nothing to sell to other countries.

No way not here, everything always works out.

History sometimes has a way of repeating itself, in one form or another. Before the great depression, some very bad choices were made, by some so called "very smart people."

Tell me where your faith is? Tell me who you're trusting? Tell me who your money is on should the bottom fall out?

I know, let's not open that door.

Let's all make believe that we will live and let die and can't touch me.

There was a prophet that the King of Israel hated, because he would never say anything good about him, while all the others lied to his face, and tickled his ears, giving him what he wanted to hear.

There is a saying, "the more you lie to yourself the more you believe it's really true."

The farm is not sold yet, but we sure are standing in a huge pile of crap.

Enter through the narrow gate. Another choice.

"You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to destruction is broad and it's gate is wide and many choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few find it."

Matthew 7:13-14

If only a few find it, that must mean that there is something to be looking for. We would rather have found that winning loto ticket, because at the heart of it we are all selfish.

Laziness always wants the easy way out, with the least amount of work, and the most amount of reward.

(photo by Heidi H.)