Monday Morning Memo: What If?

Because of what we are all currently experiencing in our world, it is so easy to become frustrated and at times…even a little ticked.  I know I’m perturbed that I am unable to worship in my church on Sundays, with my church family.  I’m exasperated that I can’t meet with my small group from church for our time of fellowship, prayer and Bible study.  I’m annoyed that I can’t go to a restaurant and actually eat inside its doors.  I’m frustrated that we can’t get in to see our elderly relatives that are living in facilities that have had to close their doors to visitors to try to keep their residents well.  And I’m really ticked I can’t be as close as I want to be with my children and grandchildren, hugging them and spending precious time with them.

There have been some positives.  Because we can’t go to our church on Sundays, we have been spending that time not only watching our service online…but several others online also.  Life has been at a slower pace which has allowed more time to read, try new recipes, work on that puzzle I wrote about last week and learn how to put together a pick up order at our grocery store (yes, I’m a little behind the times!). 

I was thinking about all of this the other day when I came across this graphic.  It made me start thinking about some other What if’s…

         What if  as a result of this pandemic…families are drawn closer together because their schedules aren’t so crazy running from one sports event or practice to another…

         What if  as a result of this pandemic…families are drawn closer together because their schedules aren’t so crazy and they begin to realize what is really important in life…

         What if  as a result of this pandemic…families are drawn closer together because their schedules aren’t so crazy and they realize what is really important in life, and they find they have more time to tune in to the online church services that are now being offered.

         What if  as a result of this pandemic, families are drawn closer together because their schedules aren’t so crazy and they realize what is really important in life, and they find they have more time to tune in to the online church services that are being offered and as a result, they hear about the hope of the gospel.  And…

         What if  as a result of this pandemic, families are drawn closer together because their schedules aren’t so crazy and they realize what is really important in life, and they find they have more time to tune in to the online church services that are being offered and as a result, they hear about the hope of the gospel, their hearts are softened and they come to know our Jesus and accept Him as their Lord and Savior?

Trust me…this is only one “What if?” scenario I could list here.  I can think of many.  And before you remind me of all of the tragic loss of life, job loss and financial loss there has been as a result of this horrible virus, I want to make sure you know that I understand all of that and I never want to act oblivious to all the pain it has caused.  But I think it is important that we stop and think of the positives that could transpire as a result of the “sacrifices” we are making now.

What if?  Will all of this craziness and quarantining and not being able to go to the restaurant or sporting event that we want to go to or the inability to worship together in our church building…be worth it?  Each person has to answer that question for his or her self.  I just know that we serve a God who is SO powerful and can work miracles even during times of frustration, despair and being ticked off.  He, unlike us, has NO limitations! 

 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. 

He brought me to this position 

so I could save the lives of many people.”

Genesis 50:20

Monday Morning Memo: Puzzled?

I caved.  Even though I know I’m not supposed to…I gave in to peer pressure.  SO many people were posting pictures on Facebook that they were doing it…and I just finally caved. 

Yes, just like so many, I started a puzzle during this time of quarantine.  To be honest…I’m not a puzzle person.  It’s just too much monotony for me.  All the pieces look pretty much the same in my mind and to sit and try to find the exact piece to go into the exact place…is just too much stress.  Everyone else makes it seem so simple…they are posting one trillion-piece puzzle after another and they seem so satisfied and fulfilled in their accomplishment…and instead I just end up with a headache.

Maybe I would have felt better about myself if I would have started with a puzzle with only 25 pieces.  You know…one that was left over from when my kids were young.  At least I could have finished it rather quickly and I could have posted it for everyone to admire.  But then again…a puzzle of Big Bird isn’t a hot commodity right now.

But no…I started with a puzzle with 550 pieces and to have that many little pieces of “cardboard” staring at me is just overwhelming.  Even though the box lid shows me what the finished product is supposed to look like, for some reason, I tend to look at all the individual 550 pieces.  And as strange as it may sound, it’s easy for me to then become rattled and stressed. 

I don’t know about you…but life during this time of quarantine can, at times, feel pretty much the same way.  Yes, we know Who is in control.  Yes, we know Who holds us in His hands.  Yes, we know that He wins in the end and what the final “picture” will be when we are blessed to spend eternity with Him.  But even though we know all that…we tend to look at all the crazy, individual puzzles pieces of life that don’t seem to fit in anywhere and as a result…it is so easy to become rattled and stressed.

Over Easter, we watched the classic movie, The Ten Commandments.  I’ve seen this movie more than once and have read the account in the Bible numerous times.  But something hit me this time that I’m not sure I have ever considered.  In the amazing scene where God parts the Red Sea and the Israelites walk on dry ground to get to the other side…I think I have always focused on the incredible, miraculous fact that He parted the raging waters.  But I never thought about the participants.  What would they have been thinking as they walked across?

I know what I would have been thinking.  Instead of being in awe of what God was doing for me…I’m guessing I would have spent my time wondering if and when the waters would come rushing over me.  I have a feeling I would have walked across with my neck cocked to either the right or left…watching every droplet of those waters, wondering if they would stay back.  Instead of keeping my eyes on where I was going and the glorious “picture” of being on the other side on dry ground…there’s a good chance I would have crossed in overwhelming fear of the water swirling around me and would have surely been rattled and stressed.  I’m afraid I would have missed the magnificence of the miracle, because my focus would have been on the spraying droplets around me.

Ahhhhh…once again…it all comes down to where my focus lies.  When I’m doing the puzzle, if I keep my focus on what the finished picture looks like…it’s easier to take one piece at a time and find its place.  During this time of quarantine, if I keep my focus on the One who already knows what the finished portrait of my life will be, it’s easier to take each individual puzzle piece of life more in stride…knowing it’s all part of His plan.  There really is no reason for me to go through life so “puzzled”.  One day at a time…one piece at a time…always being in awe of the miracles on the journey.

By the way, I’ve decided I’m going to keep working on my puzzle…one stinkin’ piece at a time.  But if I don’t have it done by the time the quarantine is over…I think I might just put it away and go for Big Bird.  Then I can boast that I completed a puzzle during my time at home…and I’ll just pray no one asks me how many pieces it was 

“So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, 

we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. 

For the things we see now will soon be gone, 

but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

2 Corinthians 4:18

Monday Morning Memo: If Jesus...

I’m guessing I don’t have to tell you that we are living in a different world than we were just a few weeks ago.  It seems like just about everything that used to be in our “normal”, isn’t normal anymore.  Many of us are home way more than we are used to…and when we do go out it seems as if we have entered a third world country.  

I have especially been struck by the difference in people in stores.  Where I used to hear lots of noise as shoppers visited with friends in the grocery store aisles…there is now an eerie silence.  I’ve observed that there isn’t even much eye contact between buyers; most act as if they have blinders on and are extremely focused to put their needed items in the cart as quickly as possible so they can exit the store.  Of course, many have now adorned masks, which just adds to my feeling of being in a different country.

This, of course, is all because of the hidden virus that has invaded our world and is the cause of our “normal” becoming abnormal.  It’s hard to understand how something that is unseen with our human eye can have such a global impact.  Words such as “social distancing” were never uttered before, but because of this virus they are words that control most of our actions.  Because of it we are now warned to stay away from others...wash our hands over and over…and just about bathe in sanitizer.

I think what has troubled me the most as I’ve seen others who have braved public locations, is the fear and anxiousness I see on their faces.  Many look scared.  This virus has put a fear in them that they have never known before or ever thought they would know in the U.S.A.  Something of this nature wasn’t ever supposed to rear its ugly head here in America and bring our daily routine to such a screeching halt.   We weren’t supposed to have our flourishing businesses suddenly be told to put a closed sign on the door, bringing incomes to a standstill.  This type of interruption should only happen in underdeveloped countries…not in such a modern, high-tech country such as ours.

But it has happened here and we have all been forced to deal with its serious consequences.  We can’t just ignore it and hope it goes away.  We have to face it and make the necessary changes in our lifestyle to not only keep ourselves healthy…but keep from infecting those around us.  

It is natural then that fear and anxiousness creep into the recesses of our mind.  Our world has been turned upside down in a relatively short time and it is normal to feel apprehensive about our future.  The question then becomes: How do we control our fear and anxiety so that it doesn’t take over our emotions every second of every day?

So that you know…I wrote this much of my post before yesterday…before Easter Sunday.  And if I’m honest…I didn’t have a clue how I would answer that question…so I stopped writing.  Sure, I knew of scriptures I could share…glib phrases that we all know well that I could list…but nothing I considered seemed “right”.  Then…Easter happened, and I knew the answer to my question.

We just came through probably the most important weekend for Christianity.  This is the weekend we spend time contemplating Jesus dying on the cross for you and for me…and then celebrate the fact that He rose again so we can spend eternity with Him.  As I watched one service after another yesterday, hearing over and over again what has been done for me…it suddenly hit me.  Do I really believe that this happened?  Do I really believe that Jesus died on the cross for me and rose three days later so that I can now serve a King who is alive and well?  If my answer is YES…I DO believe this happened…they why in the world would I let anything that happens on this earth control my emotions and cause me to be anxious and fearful?  Why would you?

💗If Jesus was powerful enough to rise again…He is powerful enough to handle those things that cause us fear.

💗If Jesus was powerful enough to rise again…He is powerful enough to handle our health and the health of our family.

💗If Jesus was powerful enough to rise again…He is powerful enough to handle our loneliness during this time of quarantine.

💗If Jesus was powerful enough to rise again…He is powerful enough to handle our finances and will provide for us what is needed.

💗If Jesus was powerful enough to rise again…He is powerful enough to handle ANYTHING that we will face today and tomorrow!

      

YES…if He was powerful enough to rise again…we don’t have to worry, fret, lose sleep or fall apart, screaming that the sky is falling…because He walks before us, beside us and stands behind us.  He is with us ALWAYS!  HE IS RISEN INDEED…HALLELUJAH! 

Monday Morning Memo: The Leaky Bed

If there is a word that means more than exhausted…that’s the word that would have described me on that particular night.  It had been a long day with three adorable, energetic grandsons, ages 18 months, 3 and 5.  I had finally put them all in bed and I wasn’t sure I even had the energy left to make it down the stairs.  I slowly descended, willing myself to put one foot in front of the other.  I had planned on taking a shower, but that wasn’t going to happen without first sitting down and resting for a while.

I had only been resting in the chair for five to ten minutes when I heard a voice.  My daughter’s home has an opening at the top of the stairs which allows a person to look down into the living room.  I looked up and I saw Elias’ face looking down at me.  In a very hesitant, soft voice he said, “Grandma, my bed is leaking”.  I asked him what he meant by that and he said, “My bed is leaking and it’s all wet.”

As I said, I had just put him to bed, so I knew that whatever he was talking about…wasn’t a result of him wetting the bed…but I had no clue what I was going to find.  The only thing I did know was the fact that I was going to have to now ascend back up the stairs, willing myself to put one foot in front of the other.

I made it up the mile-long staircase and into Elias’ bedroom and he had been correct…his bed was pretty well soaked.  The culprit?  A water bottle whose cap hadn’t been put on securely, causing its contents to saturate a very large area of the sheets and mattress cover.  I was hoping that whatever I found would be able to be dried up easily…but it didn’t take long to figure out that the bed would need to be stripped and remade with dry sheets.

I knew at that moment I had a decision to make.  I could let Elias know that this was the absolute last thing I needed to happen and ask him how in the world he could have let this “tragedy” occur.  Or, I could take a big breath, count to ten, and ask Jesus to give me the strength to get the work done.  Fortunately, in a very rare moment for me, I made the choice to do the latter and just get the work done, without having a yelling scenario play out.

Before long, the bed was put back together and I had re-tucked Elias into his dry, cozy bed.  I picked up the wet sheets and as I was getting ready to walk out his door, I again heard his soft voice say, “Thank you Grandma”.  Do you know what?  After those sweet words…I wasn’t quite as tired 

There are so many occurrences in our day in which we have a choice to make.  A choice to either explode…letting someone else know exactly how upset we are with them…or a choice to take a deep breath and realize that voicing our anger will only hurt more than it helps.  On that particular night…I chose to stay calm…but trust me…that isn’t always the normal for me.  It’s so easy to act and then think…and as a result…relationships can be easily damaged.

This is a stressful time and many people are on their last nerve.  It’s so easy to feel justified in getting upset and lashing out at those around us.  Psalm 37:8 tells us, “Stop being angry!  Turn from your rage!  Do not lose your temper – it only leads to harm.”  This is one of those verses that we know to be true…but so hard to live out in the nitty gritty of life.  But I believe it is possible if our focus and trust is in Jesus, the One who empowers us to look more and more like Him.  When I am exhausted…He is not.  When I am at the end of my rope…He is not.  When I feel all hope is gone…He IS my hope! 

Let’s make a point today to stop for a second before we react to a stressful situation…taking a big breath while asking Jesus to help us respond in the right way.  We need to remember that this may be just another “leaky bed” experience and it isn’t worth saying something that will hurt our relationships.  Who knows...our response just might diffuse a volatile situation and bring some calmness to these very unsettling days.