Decay

I turned on the news this morning during breakfast to see tsunami warnings for the Oregon coast.  I immediately texted my parents to see what was going on (they've been at the beach house all week), and to make sure they were okay.  I think that's the point when I started seeing the videos and images out of Japan of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami.  Horrific, devastating videos of rushing water carrying cars and debris through farmlands was all over CNN.  People trapped on the roofs of buildings waiting for help.  Fires blazing from an oil refinery.  Mass chaos.  My day was irrevocably changed.

And as I continued to follow the news in Japan I kept hearing about the nuclear power plant that was struggling to cool down and possible going to let out radioactive air out to prevent a breakdown.  Then another 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit the other side of the country hours later. 

Sort of like being kicked while you're already down.  Japan has been through a lot in the last 24 hours.

The enormity of the situation in Japan, coupled with all of the other major natural disasters we've been seeing recently (Christchurch, Australia just weeks ago) is overwhelming.  In fact, I even found this list of the Three Most Devastating Earthquakes in 2011 while searching online.  It's amazing is that we've already had three major earthquakes this year and it's only the beginning of March!

It makes me think of the end times.  The decay of the world and it's morals.  It's hard to imagine the world continuing like this, it's actually scary to think about--especially thinking about having a family and kids someday.

On the positive side, for how terrible the world is today, heaven will be so much better.  Sort of the idea that you can't experience true happiness without deep sadness.  With all of the sadness coming out of Japan today, that's what I'm clinging to.