The dichotomy of this December

The celebration continues as the tsunami death toll reaches well above 76,000. David's son is in Fallujah, (Lord, I pray for safety again) Susan Sontag (Writer and theatrical director) dies. Sullivan passes. And the birthing and dying continues. Lord I pray for mercy toward the people of India, Sumatra, Thialand and Sri Lanka.

Lord, hold this blue marble in place.

Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

   "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Mattthew 24