Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [75]
Veronica shuddered as she switched the radio down with the start of another commercial break. She noticed a line of cars forming near two gas stations and concluded the drivers were already preparing for the worst. The stock market’s loss, she knew, would weigh heavily on her Life Challenges group, as many of them had much of their net worth tied up in 401(k)-type plans. Coupled with rising gas prices and shocking news that President Burkmeister would soon resign due to a terminal illness, the bad news was almost too much to fathom. Too many things happening too fast, she thought, exceeding the human mind’s ability to process: a good topic for discussion tonight.
Absorbed in thought, she was jolted back by a solid horn blast from the car behind her. She looked up to see the light was green; embarrassed, she accelerated while flipping back to the Wellington Crane show.
“… and therefore, it’s time that all good Americans pull together, drop their petty differences, and work toward a common good,” said Senator Tom Collingsworth, probably as Crane’s guest again. Hmm, thought Veronica, this is a more conciliatory Collingsworth then the one ranting away last week on the show. Even Crane seemed more subdued. Veronica turned the radio off as she approached the church, surprised at the number of cars already parked there.
Inside the church, the meeting room was packed. She took a deep breath. Winging it, she walked to the front and welcomed everyone to the Life Challenges group. After saying a brief prayer and laying out the ground rules for the benefit of the many new faces there for the first time, she opened the meeting.
“Last week we had a tremendously helpful meeting about dealing with our fears. We talked about many fears such as fear of failure; fear of looking bad; fear of losing something or not getting what we want; fears relating to our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being; and fears of all kinds. We talked about understanding and addressing our fears and the fallout from them such as anger, resentment, anxiety, stress, shame, guilt, and other emotions. As a starting point, would anyone like to comment on their fears tonight?”
“I’m scared to death,” said a long-time attendee, “I don’t understand the things that are happening in this world. I’m absolutely shocked that we’re going to be losing our president to cancer. If it can happen to the most powerful man on Earth, how vulnerable am I? Maybe it’s a fear of death, I just don’t know….”
“I’m afraid for my family’s pocketbook,” said another, “In only two weeks, gas prices have shot up to seven bucks or so a gallon. It’s a killer for us; we can hardly make ends meet as it is now.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” rasped crusty old Jake Hawkins. “I just heard on the news tonight that some A-rabs in Saudi Arabia took over the country, and that Wellington Crane fellow said that gas will cost over ten bucks a gallon tomorrow.” There was a loud gasp following Jake’s comment, and it opened a floodgate of concerns as to what might lie in store for all of them.
Margie Schulstad repeated the fear she had expressed last week about living in end times. “What have we done wrong, Pastor Veronica? Why is God punishing us?”
“Margie, that’s an excellent question and something I’d like to share a thought or two on if I may. I’ve often