Hammer Blows

A good morning to all of the Brethren today.  The Reverend's heart is heavy, Sisters and Brothers.  It seems that the hammer blows continue to fall amongst those that are nearest and dearest.  I know that life can be hard, can be full of challenges, and I know that each of us must sometimes rise to those challenges.  And yet, and yet my friends, I would feel a little lighter if just a few of these blows would fall on the Down-Pressor, instead of on the heads and hearts of the hard-working folks around us.  But the Universal Tool Shed's choice of targets is not within my range of influence.  I suppose that the Down-Pressor should rejoice in that lack, for if it were in my power, the blows that would rain down...  well, you get the picture.

I know a hard-working Brother, one of the Brethren, who is clearly demonstrating to me the nature of courage in the face of adversity.  I am so proud of this man, and with good reason.  Now the Brother we are talking about, he has been watching his employer lay off folks in waves.  For months now, this Brother has known that his turn would come.  Despite sending out a flood of resumes and going to myriad job interviews, no other source of employment has been forthcoming.  The sword of unemployment hung over his head, and now it has fallen.  Does he moan and complain?  No, my Brethren, he does not.  

To add to this, the same Brother has troubles on the home front.  He had purchased a condominium after being forced to move out of five apartments in two years, as each successive apartment converted to condos.  This was at the height of the last real estate bubble, when the speculative Down-Pressor ran amuck with greed.  Our Brother finally purchased a modest condo so that he could avoid moving again.  That condo is now worth just over a third of what the Brother owes on it.  After some careful thought, he decided that he had no choice and, with the loss of his employment, he stopped making his mortgage payments.  Eventually the bank may foreclose, but the condo is actually worth less than the cost of a foreclosure.  Again, in these tough times, does he moan and complain?  No, he does not.

I will let his attitude speak for itself.  I only hope that if the blows rain down on me, as they have on him, that I am able to maintain the positive attitude this Brother displays every time we see each other.  I give him a huge tip of the Rev Lid, and I want him to know that he is an inspiration to me, and hopefully to the rest of the Brethren out there who are struggling through these times.