December 11th - Seasons for places and things

The story...

People invested much of their lives building, improving, and sustaining that manufacturing plant.  They learned their first job after practice and soon became an integral part of the team.  They learned how to do some maintenance and later were able to diagnose what was likely wrong.  They campaigned for, and helped install, that new machine that would help them produce more product with accuracy and precision.  They wore their plant logo on their hat and their association with that plant formed much of their identity.  "I've worked at the _____ plant at company A for X years."  It was s part of who they were.

Then the decision came to shut down the plant.  They'd heard the rumors before; but, the decision came as a shock.  Hadn't they done everything they were asked to do?  Wasn't their life investment valued?  What do they mean when they say that our plant was no longer competitive?  Whose responsible?

The manufacturing plant was a tool for producing products that customers wanted and needed.  It was a tool, purchased with borrowed capital $, to produce a return on their investment.  Leaders of the company were responsible for investing the limited capital funds to both pay their debts and to reward the owners and workers.  Capitalism does incent change and growth - change and growth can be hard for many of us humans.

The only church in town will have people who'll want to "do church" just as their parents did.  They'll want things to be as they remembered - something they can count on.  They'll be excited about new movements like "Promise Keepers" was in the 1990s - it was wonderful and right in it's time and place.  The Aim remains the same even though the places, processes, and ways of doing stuff must change. 

Just for today...

"Since there are difficulties with which I must live, the only real answer is to seek the serenity to accept the things I cannot change . . .  Money won't buy serenity; in fact, I'd probably have a whole new set of problems and decisions if a fortune ever did fall into my lap."  Courage to Change (p. 346)

"Change happened; Problems arose - Repaired anew; Fixed and Controlled."
"Weary soul; Peace offered - Doubtfully saw; Faith given."     Am I a Poet?