Writing Your Own Newspaper

Last Friday I drove beneath the sun over to the supermarket and video store, just feeling thankful for my life,where I live and my memories here.

And then, for a moment, I thought of all the bad news on the front pages of newspapers and blogs and that depressing little Yahoo News box which is the first thing that pops up on my computer in the mornings. You know, that box which makes certain you stay caught-up with all things tragic. 

I considered the people I know who base how they feel, act and believe according to what newscasters, columnists or bloggers choose to type or talk about, those who, I think, hope the rest of us will concentrate on, or sink below, their sad reports.

And a thought came to me. Just as Jesus said, "The poor you will always have with you," there is also this truth, "Bad news you will always have with you." There will always be all-day sad thoughts just like there are all-day suckers.

But then these words followed those, "Sometimes, you just have to write your own newspaper."

How true. Not to ignore the bad news emblazoned all around us and then do nothing about it. No, instead, to not allow it to grip and hold you with negativity that paralyzes even the strongest amongst us. Like when a huge, tragic story takes over all the tv stations and you cannot bounce yourself up off your couch and do something helpful, instead.

It's hard to think straight, move forward and be useful when one is tangled in the vines and briars of bad news.

Immediately I pasted a sort of front page together in my mind and read it as I stopped my car at a red light. And here were some of my headlines:

The Weather Man Promised Clouds, But We're Having Sun, Instead

For Every One of My Husband's Weaknesses, I Can Think of Twenty of His Strengths

I May Not Be Living In My Dream House, But I Am Making It Into My Dream House

This Month We Have Money In The Bank For Ourselves and For Others

My Three-Week-Long Flu Has Finally Disappeared!

God Has Given Me a Blog In Which To Share His Goodness

Even If The World Falls All To Pieces, God is Still God And His Word Is Still True


And that was just the front page.

During my Nevada Years, it would have taken me an afternoon to come up with a few positive headlines. That day last week, they came to my mind in a flash.

And that says a lot.

What does your front page say?


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