Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM OCTOBER 28-NOVEMBER 3, 2020 UCW 17 DAN DEBRULER, General Manager, WCLN. Comments? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. The journey to joy by DAN DEBRULER FAITH As I sat across the table from a business acquaintance telling her about the circumstances of a recent situation that was both costly and painful, she interrup- ted me with, "... and you say that with such a smile on your face." It caught me off guard at first. I didn't realize I was smiling. The matter was anything but plea- sant, and still fresh enough to remember even the finest detail. In retrospect, I imagine the smile was a result of knowing the out- come and being grateful for even the most painful steps it took to reach it. In all honesty, it seems America has become an angry place to live. From the angle of the lens on TV news to the line that 'twists the knife' in newspaper artic- le, we've fallen in love with our outrage. We've created an ele- vated platform in our culture on which victimhood is celebrated. I know bad things happen. I've been there. I'm even reminded in the Bible that even in the face of true injustice, we have an option on how to react and respond. When Jesus walked the earth and was teaching those who would listen, he found himself surrounded by a crowd large enough he needed to move up on a hillside so they could all see and hear him. The details of the conversation can be found in Matthew chapter 5. In what's often called the sermon on the mount he said this: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." In a world where the lines bet- ween news and entertainment have become blurred by editorial agenda, the age old adage beco- mes as necessary as it is true: Ignorance is bliss. The truth of what keeps us at odds with one another is always there. Though it's often intentionally buried in the details of a story spun so large that it's easy to miss. We have a choice in our res- ponse to all of it. We can be pea- cemakers in a culture of war. We can live in the details and find any number of people and situa- tions to blame, or we can smile at the many ways we're blessed as we recount the harrowing details that led us where we are. Please don't give up on joy. Don't give up on peace or your ability to be part of creating it. And regardless of the outcome of next week's election, remember to count the many ways you're blessed. Let your response to the anger and outrage that are sure to swirl around you be so counter- culture that you smile without even realizing it. Don't give up on joy and your ability to be part of creating it. Regardless of a culture of anger surrounding next week's election, remember to count the many ways you're blessed. Let your response to anger and outrage be so coun- terculture that you smile without even realizing it. Medicare has changed. Find out how it can affect you. We are not connected with, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Federal Medicare Program. I understand I have no obligation when an agent contacts me to answer my questions about insurance. Premiums can change if all policies of the same form and class in your state are changed. Plan F, Plan G, High Deductible Plan F and High Deductible Plan G premiums based on attained age will also change each year on or after your birthday. L030NC, L035NC, L036NC, L037NC, L038NC, F001, F002 6248_C Important changes to the federal Medicare program became effective at the beginning of the year. As a result, retirees in your state may be eligible for coverage with new options. Find out if you qualify for Medicare Supplement insurance from Physicians Life Insurance Company that can help limit your out-of-pocket expenses. Get the facts that matter to you: • Critical dates for Medicare eligibility • Options that can help keep more money in your pocket • Medicare benefits many retirees may not be aware of For FREE information, call: 1-855-502-3366 or visit MedSupBenefit.com/upcoming