Where Is That Wood Drake When I Need Him?

Just glancing through my New York Times e-news this morning I found myself wishing I had chosen to clean toilets instead. Bad enough when Brad read aloud from the Fresno Bee informing us that Marcus Wesson named his offspring after vampires. I had to further plunge myself into despair for the world and read the Times:
Jewish settlers being evacuated (all I can see are children's faces...) ; 'The Bible considered an improper outside influence,' which is a disturbing story of a 'Bible-reading man' who kidnapped, raped and killed a waitress; and one of my personal favorites, when Jesus gets His name dragged through the mud by 'the religious right' who are 'violating the spirit of the law' in the Terry Schiavo heartache.

So... would it be wrong to simply place my hand on the unopened newspaper and pray for Jesus to cover everything in there? Yes I know as His followers and even His foot soldiers we should know what is going on and be in prayer for it...against it... but sometimes I cannot stomach it. Children being raised in treacherous environments and women walking wounded through life and men so deeply enraged they try to beat the anger out of themselves on the flesh of their families.... all of this I see on the street where I work and it is already too much.

Sometimes--often even--I am in a social situation where seemingly EVERYBODY else knows about something that is being hyped in the news. A horrendous current event that I am totally unaware of. Because I walk past that newspaper most mornings. And I am often embarrassed by my ignorance and have this little talk with myself about changing. Then I read the news.

Not sure what to do here. But I do know some days I need to stay inside my house and be with Jesus and not take in anything else. Right or wrong it is the truth.

And anyway my toilets really do need cleaning.