#BrusselsLockdown for the win!

On Sunday, police in Brussels, Belgium conducted a massive search for terrorists who may have been planning a Paris-style attack there.  As of this writing, the search continues.

Residents were asked to stay away from windows and refrain from using social media to broadcast anything that might give away police positions.

So what did the good citizens of Brussels do?

They let the cat out of the bag.

They proceeded straight to the Internet, where they tweeted pictures.

Of cats.

Yes, the good citizens of Brussels, Belgium took to the Internet to post cat pictures.

Cats are the most posted, most tweeted animal on the Internet.  A popular website, I Can Has Cheezburger, boasts what is probably the most comprehensive respository of cat memes in cyberspace.  Grumpy Cat is an Internet icon.  And who doesn't enjoy just a sweet picture of a cuddly cat every once in a while?

In this case, cats were used as the new weapon of mass destruction.  Instead of cowering in fear and hiding in terror, the good citizens of Brussels dug down deep and found their sense of humor.  I'm not exactly sure how it started, but within an hour after authorities requested that people stay off social media as a security precaution, photos such as the following started flooding the net, tagged with #BrusselsLockdown:

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi!  You're my only hope.

Hmm, let me study up on the subject . . .

As a thank you, Belgian police posted a picture of cat food with the admonition to "help yourselves!"

In the midst of a climate of fear, people responded with a sense of humor and refused to let fear overpower them.

#BrusselsLockdown for the win!

Just my .04, adjusted for inflation.

Manic Monday: "Do not be afraid . . ."

(I have been blessed with proofing work, which is why I have not regularly written on the blog lately.  But I did want to get this in before I started today's assignment.)

"They're coming for us."
"ISIS is here already."
"They're going to sneak in with the Syrian refugees."

These, and other expressions of fear, are what I've read on social media in these days that have followed the attacks on Paris.  Yesterday, a crowd of people paying tribute to the victims at the Plaza de Republique ran screaming in panic after what sounded like gunshots.  They turned out to be firecrackers.  Police activity at a Paris hotel also turned out to be a false alarm.

People are afraid, and I'm not surprised.  In the days that followed 9/11, people were afraid.

I don't underestimate ISIS.  I think they do have more tricks up their sleeve.  It would not surprise me one bit if they had plans to attack the United States somehow, somewhere.  They may already be here.  I don't know.

But somehow, I just have this gut feeling that these responses of fear are just plain wrong.  We're missing something.  We're leaving something out.

In the book of 2 Kings, chapter 6, there's a story of the prophet Elisha and his unnamed servant.  At that time, the king of Aram was at war with Israel, and Israel seemed to know every move that Aram made.  The king was told, "Elisha the prophet tells the king the very words you speak in your bedroom."

The king's response (paraphrased) was, "Go get him!"

Which the army did.  They found Elisha and his servant in Dothan.  When Elisha's servant looked out the window, he saw the army and cried out, they've surrounded us!

Elisha told him, don't be afraid.  There are more with us than there are with them.  And he prayed that God would open the servant's eyes . . .and when He did, the servant saw chariots of fire around the army.

I don't know if God works the same way today as he did in the Old Testament.  I haven't seen chariots of fire lately.  And it may be that he won't protect the United States of America the same way that he protected Israel, or Elisha.

But I do believe that, for those who belong to God, there are more with us than there are with them. Maybe those that are with us will supernaturally protect those who belong to God.  Or, maybe they will just walk with God's people as they experience whatever hardships they experience.

I'm reminded of a song we sometimes sing in church by Don Moen, He Will Come and Save You:

Say to those who are fearful hearted:
Do not be afraid.
The Lord your God is strong
With His mighty arms
When you call on his name
He will come and save.

He will come and save you
He will come and save you
Say to the weary one
Your God will surely come
He will come and save you.

Say to those who are broken hearted
Do not lose your faith
The Lord your God is strong
With His loving arms
When you call on His name
He will come and save.  

He will come and save you

He will come and save you

Lift up your eyes to Him
You will arise again
He will come and save you

He is our refuge in the day of trouble

He is our shelter in the time of storm
He is our tower in the day of sorrow

Our fortress in the time of war

"In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world."  John 16:33

Just my .04, adjusted for inflation.

Today, we are all French

After 9/11, a number of nations said, "Today, we are all Americans."

Today, a day after 3/13, the sentiment is, "Today, we are all French."

I sat in front of the TV and the computer last night and watched in horror as the death toll from six attacks went from 18, to 100, to 140, and currently, the official death toll is at 128, with over 300 wounded.  Six of the 128 were the attackers.  Two of them blew themselves up with suicide belts as the police closed in.

Right now, I have no words.  Just a compliation of facts and feelings that are rather difficult to put on a computer screen.

Yesterday morning, President Obama sat in a chair and claimed that ISIS has "been contained".

Today, ISIS has claimed responsibility for this horrific attack in Paris.  That doesn't sound very "contained" to me.

I do not want to be hateful towards Muslims.  I believe that most Muslims wish to live in peace.  But the current terrorists out there who are causing the most damage are Muslim.  They conquer and kill in the name of their religion, and they show no mercy towards the people they conquer.  You convert, submit, or die.

There are people out there that just do not get it:  You do not negotiate with terrorists.  You do not give them an inch, because they will not only take a mile, they will take more than a mile.  What happened in Paris, what is happening in Syria and in other parts of the world, is the result of what happens when you think you can "lead from behind" and only croak your denunciation, instead of waging a "pitiless war", as French President Francois Hollande has sworn to do.

Last night, I read posts saying that, "This will happen here.  They are coming for us."

I do not want to be afraid.  I will not cower in my house and wait for Islamic terrorists to attack.  But I do feel fear.  It worries me when we either think that we can negotiate or dialogue with these terrorists, or when we mentally decide, there's nothing we can do, and just let an attack happen.

Last night, I remembered a verse in 2 Kings 6.  In this story, the king of Aram was at war with Israel, and the prophet Elisha was telling the king of Israel "the very words [he spoke] in his bedroom."  In response, the king of Aram sent troops to capture Elisha.

When Elisha's servant got up the next morning, he saw the troops and was terrified.  Elisha's answer was:  "Don't be afraid.  There are more with us than there are with him."

This is what I want to think.  This is what I want to believe.  That there are more with us than with him.  I want to believe that God is with people--that God is with me--and therefore, I don't need to be afraid.

In the meantime, I pray and I mourn with the people of Paris.

Je suis Paris.

Just my .04, adjusted for inflation.