To Medicate or To Feed?

A few weeks back, I was lucky enough to hear Bill Hybels speak on "Holy Discontent." He said that we need to expose those things which wreck us and our sense of justice. He said that too often we choose to medicate (through watching a movie, eating or something else). However, what we must do is feed it or confront it. According to Hybels we need to stay close to it (which is counter intuitive) and expose ourselves to it (by opening ourselves to it).

However, in the midst of this we need to make time for recovery (not medication). We must not let pessimism take charge and wreck us literally.

I must say , this is my choice for Hurricane Katrina.

I am taking time for personal recovery (which the victims do not get). However, I want to stay close emotionally to this story and refuse to medicate and numb myself to the horrors of the gulf region.

I am not a news hound usually. I do not watch commentators calling themselves reporters and hate the 24/7 news cycle's reliance on innuendo, talking points and entertainment disguised as news. But, for now I am watching as much news as possible, praying through the news casts and reminding myself to "not lose hope."
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A little more for you on the coverage (in case you have not seen enough):

*Ryan Sharp posts on Jim Wallis' ways to help.

* For all of you who miss Crossfire I offer this: My friend Eric on the Right showing the Left's exploitation of Katrina. My blog buddy Jesus Politics on the Left showing the Right's exploitation of Katrina.

*The Washington Post reports on the burden on National Guard and others in this relief effort (their primary duty according to their charter) because of the depleted stateside Guard due to the War in Iraq. Link

"Missing the personnel is the big thing in this particular event. We need
our people," said Lt. Andy Thaggard, a spokesman for the Mississippi National
Guard, which has a brigade of more than 4,000 troops in central Iraq. Louisiana
also has about 3,000 Guard troops in Baghdad."