Fear Not

Warning: I am  a little loopy on pain medication.

If I say weird things or use worse grammar than usual,

please cut me some slack.

It's been a wild December.

In addition to the turbulent current events rocking our country,

we have had a host of personal trials.

We had a week of plumbing problems,

and we had to replace our furnace.

Our picture window broke.

I had my first trip to the emergency room

followed by a  long day in the hospital

due to scary-bad abdominal pain.

(It was the worst pain I've ever experienced,

though thankfully it turned out to be nothing more than kidney stones.)

We've had emotional issues to hash out

and some very difficult small-town drama to work through.

At a time like this,

the simple message

"fear not"

has a profound and powerful impact.

Fear Not.

"There were shepherds out in the field,

keeping watch over their flock by night.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them,

and they were filled with fear.

And the angel said to them,

'Fear not,

for behold, I bring you good news of great joy

that will be for all the people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,

who is Christ the Lord.'"

The message of hope

and the reason for that hope

is just as much for us,

for me, for you,

 as it was for those shepherds

all those years ago.

That's something to hold on to.