I nearly missed writing today's blog, so in the minutes after midnight before I go for the night's sleep, I jot down the words I mean for this blog to keep.
A friend of mine called with some sad news. Like mine, the company where he works had layoffs this week. Unlike mine, his company could actually afford to keep all their employees. Here is what he told my husband and I....
The company where he's employed is doing well - profitable in fact, but just not as profitable as the executives had projected. So what did they do? They laid off employees without warning and told the remaining employees that everyone left would have to take a week's furlough -- unpaid / without using vacation days or any other paid time out. Why? This way the company can make it's projected gross earnings and the executives could all earn their bonuses.
How many out there find that wrong?
With the several thousands of dollars that these executives are going to receive, the company could have kept all those they laid off and never required the rest to cut their income. Who knows how this will affect the non-executive employees? How many will find it difficult putting food on the table as they struggle through their meager savings (or none at all) while they look for a new job in a very poor economy? How many will loose their home or car?
Did the executives that made this decision even CONSIDER this or were they so focused on the bottom line -- in filling their own bloated pockets and overinflated egos -- that they did not care for their fellow man?????
This isn't even some stranger in a foreign country or even different state - these were people who worked at the same place as those they canned. Maybe they just went right to their posh offices and the corporate structure is such that the people who were impacted the most never got to enter those posh offices with all the layers of management between them.
Where I work, the company's biggest customer filed for bankruptcy and we lost 90% of our revenue. We didn't have to let people go to boost our bottom line; we had to let people go so the company could survive. Granted, we are a smaller company, but we also care about our employees. We knew exactly how such a decision would impact them each personally... How one was facing issues with paying for a new deck as his existing one was being wretched away from his home due to ground settlement. We were thrilled when we heard from another that her other part-time job needed to give her more hours so things worked out for her. Both the President and founder (his dad) of our company have actually brought THEIR salaries down to $0 per month (no bonuses or dividends either) until the company starts to see significant profits again, which means nothing through the rest of this year and possibly well into next.
What a difference a leader makes.
Not all CEO's and executives are greedy bastards (excuse the language) but there are plenty who are. In these hard times, I've heard cases both heinous and noble. I pray that God guides many more hearts as we continue to struggle on a global scale to set the economy right. I know it's wrong to wish ill on anyone, even those we see as deserving it. So instead I will wish that the light shining from those noble acts of the CEO's who really do care about those in their employ -- those whose hard labors have earned them their position, benefits and pay -- shine bright and brilliant in this darkening world and light the right path for the others who need to look up from the bottom line to see what is right and wrong. For if this world continues to support those who only look to the bottom line and self-serving goals (individual or selective group), then this world is already lost. :(
May the hearts and the acts of the noble shine bright.
Not the bottom line in their sight.
Pray.
- ESA
Showing posts with label Pray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pray. Show all posts
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tribulation
I've debated about whether or not I should write what I have. But some days you just have to follow what's in your heart, roll the dice and face what comes from doing so.
Tribulation is a subject on many minds and in many articles, movies and books of late. I'll try to be brief as possible on the subject (brevity is not my forte, so please bear with me. :D).
WHAT
Tribulation is considered by many as the "end times" or "end of the world". While it may be "the end of the world as we know it" as one song goes, the Tribulation is essentially a period of change -- as brutal as puberty can be -- but not the end of the world. It’s the end of one period and the start of another. Any change is turbulent. But the next era will be something of Peace and Wonder...
HOW
Pick a subject from a long list: earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, strong/violent storms, tsunami's, cyclones, war, famine, pestilence / pandemic, meteor strike, volcanoes, cats and dogs living together... You can find any of these in places ranging from the bible to Blockbuster video, from the neighbors to the nightly news. So I need say no more here.
WHY
What I would like to point out is that it doesn't matter so much what happens, but how humanity responds to what happens. Humanity will grow / change once pushed to our limits. What if that push is on a much larger scale than an individual, family, company or community? What if we're pushed on a global scale? How BIG would that change be?
The other question is what would that change be? My belief is that if we looked to our own needs and developed a bunker mentality, this will only lead to isolation and a "get them before they get us" attitude that could spell the fall of humanity. :(
Or, we could reach out to each other – from next-door neighbors to others in communities around the world. It's been proven that the combined efforts of human beings bring greater results than the sum of individual efforts. What would happen if we expanded our efforts, joining hands with those around the world? What kind of change would that bring?
WHO
There's been much debate about Rapture as a means of escape from Tribulation. But from what I've researched, my conclusion is that if there is an escape clause somewhere, it's certainly NOT at the before Tribulation. There are six of seven seals broken before the 144,000 are sealed in Revelation. So that means there are some events that will happen before that point. In one of the Gospels, Christ mentions that, even though it's going to be a time of grave horrors, "it will be shortened due to the elect." That makes me think the elect will still be around on this mudball at the time or why would it matter...
For myself, suffice to say that I'd rather prepare my heart to go through Tribulation and meet Christ face-to-face on the other side with my head held high rather than saying "I believe" because it will give me a ticket out of the horrors.
WHERE
I believe we shall see many horrors, but not necessarily all in one place (unless the sun blows up then all points above are null and void (save the paragraph above, of course)). Considering we saw a 7.1 earthquake off Honduras today instead of LA, and nuclear war seems nearer in the Korean peninsula than the Middle East, anything is possible.
Let's see, we have Who, What, Where and How... what's missing...? Of course, the first question everyone asks...
WHEN
I don't know. I don't WANT to know. I'm a person that will fixate on a date and needlessly waste the time I have. I'll take it day-by-day, living like it's my last moments instead. In doing so, does it really matter when?
Also, something else came to mind on the subject. Clocks and calendars are man's creation to mark time – not God's. All said and done, it's in God's hands, no matter what we do, say or predict. But God does not see time as humanity does.
I believe the true timing of "when" is similar to one of those little puzzle games where you have to line up the holes to get the ball to drop through. In other words, a series of people and events must line up just right for things to happen. If a person is not there or something does not quite happen in "just the right way" or in the proper sequence, the ball is still "trapped" and the major events are delayed. There have been hypotheses that the "end times" may have happened already. But I believe these were the times when things started to line up but then something changed – perhaps a change in policy or way people handled the situation before them.
But when the time does fall into place and the BIG event happens, it will be a bumpy ride. But at the end is something and Someone wonderful. I think that's worth going through what may come our way.
WHAT CAN WE DO
The answer is also found in the good book: pray. Christ instructed people to pray that it does not happen in the winter (at a time when local food is short, shelter is desperately needed and transport is difficult). I don't hear many people preaching that one. Repent, yes. Believe, certainly. But pray that the end times don't come in winter? No. Why? It makes a LOT of sense to me. That's why it's in my prayers.
In addition, there's some common-sense stuff. The CDC and FEMA have many guidelines and has been trying to get people to read them. Prepare a grab-and-go bag. List your medications. Have the family become familiar with a fire-drill. What would you do if you know a storm is coming - stock up on batteries and essentials. That's stock-up not stockpile – there's a difference; hording is not helping unless you plan to share with the neighborhood. And a room full of supplies isn't useful if you've been evacuated from your home. Again, common sense and reasonable preparations are recommended.
Lastly, get to know those around you. If a major disaster hits, phone lines and other contact with the outside world will be cut temporarily. Even cell phones are worthless if the tower is out of power or taken down – or the switchboard overwhelmed as seen on 9/11. Face-to-face contacts will be the front line to recovery immediately after the disaster. Start now and get to know people and things will run a lot smoother if you find a friendly, familiar face rather than a stranger working beside you.
Well, I've tried to keep it short. I don't know who or how many will read this. But I hope some of the advice above will be taken going forward. Thanks for reading.
Prepare and pray
Not prey
Today
- ESA
Tribulation is a subject on many minds and in many articles, movies and books of late. I'll try to be brief as possible on the subject (brevity is not my forte, so please bear with me. :D).
WHAT
Tribulation is considered by many as the "end times" or "end of the world". While it may be "the end of the world as we know it" as one song goes, the Tribulation is essentially a period of change -- as brutal as puberty can be -- but not the end of the world. It’s the end of one period and the start of another. Any change is turbulent. But the next era will be something of Peace and Wonder...
HOW
Pick a subject from a long list: earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, strong/violent storms, tsunami's, cyclones, war, famine, pestilence / pandemic, meteor strike, volcanoes, cats and dogs living together... You can find any of these in places ranging from the bible to Blockbuster video, from the neighbors to the nightly news. So I need say no more here.
WHY
What I would like to point out is that it doesn't matter so much what happens, but how humanity responds to what happens. Humanity will grow / change once pushed to our limits. What if that push is on a much larger scale than an individual, family, company or community? What if we're pushed on a global scale? How BIG would that change be?
The other question is what would that change be? My belief is that if we looked to our own needs and developed a bunker mentality, this will only lead to isolation and a "get them before they get us" attitude that could spell the fall of humanity. :(
Or, we could reach out to each other – from next-door neighbors to others in communities around the world. It's been proven that the combined efforts of human beings bring greater results than the sum of individual efforts. What would happen if we expanded our efforts, joining hands with those around the world? What kind of change would that bring?
WHO
There's been much debate about Rapture as a means of escape from Tribulation. But from what I've researched, my conclusion is that if there is an escape clause somewhere, it's certainly NOT at the before Tribulation. There are six of seven seals broken before the 144,000 are sealed in Revelation. So that means there are some events that will happen before that point. In one of the Gospels, Christ mentions that, even though it's going to be a time of grave horrors, "it will be shortened due to the elect." That makes me think the elect will still be around on this mudball at the time or why would it matter...
For myself, suffice to say that I'd rather prepare my heart to go through Tribulation and meet Christ face-to-face on the other side with my head held high rather than saying "I believe" because it will give me a ticket out of the horrors.
WHERE
I believe we shall see many horrors, but not necessarily all in one place (unless the sun blows up then all points above are null and void (save the paragraph above, of course)). Considering we saw a 7.1 earthquake off Honduras today instead of LA, and nuclear war seems nearer in the Korean peninsula than the Middle East, anything is possible.
Let's see, we have Who, What, Where and How... what's missing...? Of course, the first question everyone asks...
WHEN
I don't know. I don't WANT to know. I'm a person that will fixate on a date and needlessly waste the time I have. I'll take it day-by-day, living like it's my last moments instead. In doing so, does it really matter when?
Also, something else came to mind on the subject. Clocks and calendars are man's creation to mark time – not God's. All said and done, it's in God's hands, no matter what we do, say or predict. But God does not see time as humanity does.
I believe the true timing of "when" is similar to one of those little puzzle games where you have to line up the holes to get the ball to drop through. In other words, a series of people and events must line up just right for things to happen. If a person is not there or something does not quite happen in "just the right way" or in the proper sequence, the ball is still "trapped" and the major events are delayed. There have been hypotheses that the "end times" may have happened already. But I believe these were the times when things started to line up but then something changed – perhaps a change in policy or way people handled the situation before them.
But when the time does fall into place and the BIG event happens, it will be a bumpy ride. But at the end is something and Someone wonderful. I think that's worth going through what may come our way.
WHAT CAN WE DO
The answer is also found in the good book: pray. Christ instructed people to pray that it does not happen in the winter (at a time when local food is short, shelter is desperately needed and transport is difficult). I don't hear many people preaching that one. Repent, yes. Believe, certainly. But pray that the end times don't come in winter? No. Why? It makes a LOT of sense to me. That's why it's in my prayers.
In addition, there's some common-sense stuff. The CDC and FEMA have many guidelines and has been trying to get people to read them. Prepare a grab-and-go bag. List your medications. Have the family become familiar with a fire-drill. What would you do if you know a storm is coming - stock up on batteries and essentials. That's stock-up not stockpile – there's a difference; hording is not helping unless you plan to share with the neighborhood. And a room full of supplies isn't useful if you've been evacuated from your home. Again, common sense and reasonable preparations are recommended.
Lastly, get to know those around you. If a major disaster hits, phone lines and other contact with the outside world will be cut temporarily. Even cell phones are worthless if the tower is out of power or taken down – or the switchboard overwhelmed as seen on 9/11. Face-to-face contacts will be the front line to recovery immediately after the disaster. Start now and get to know people and things will run a lot smoother if you find a friendly, familiar face rather than a stranger working beside you.
Well, I've tried to keep it short. I don't know who or how many will read this. But I hope some of the advice above will be taken going forward. Thanks for reading.
Prepare and pray
Not prey
Today
- ESA
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