The ABC’s of Utah Vital Stats 2012
9,780
That’s how many people in Utah have committed suicide since 1980. In those 32 years the size of a small town took their own lives. It’s sobering news when thought upon in that light and even more sobering when you realize that today someone in Utah will take their own life again.
Every 131 minutes someone in Utah will attempt suicide.
The potential these people had to make us a better society or to contribute their time and talents is gone – forever.
While compiling the stats this time around I didn’t see any significant changes in the way Utah does life, except for the continuous rise of suicides. As I mentioned in the status of Utah schools I carry a hope inside me things will change, and for some people that’s true. Fortunately God can and will intervene when we open our hearts. While I understand and know that as the world keeps drawing further away from the Lord things will continue to worsen, there’s an eternal optimist living in me that doesn’t think it needs to be so.
God is Louder
This past week my family and I enjoyed a few days together over on the coast. I fell in love with oceans as a young child while visiting an uncle who lived in Jersey and from that time on I’ve been in awe.
While visiting Pacific Beach, WA this past week I stood out on the back porch of the house we rented and just listened to the waves rolling in. One after another they came as I made a mental note of their consistency and how their strong rumbling noise kept going even with other noises around me.
Their sound reminds me that God is always present, always on time and always bigger and louder than man-made noises.
When we allow God into our lives His comfort is greater than our most self-degrading thoughts and His Holy Spirit stronger than any self mustered willpower we’ll ever know.
In the advent of our yearly celebration of Jesus’ birth I find myself rushing to complete the Vital Stats Report on Utah. And as this happens every 24 months you’d think I’d get used to the results of my research, alas, that never occurs for me. Ha!
