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HOPE IN THE CHAOS

We still are in the pandemic of the coronavirus. We have been dealing with this invisible war for several months. We have seen loss of life-jobs-income-having to get into a huge line just to get donated food because children are going hungry. If that wasn’t enough, now we are seeing another type of war, in some cities.  People’s anger is exploding into chaos. The peaceful protests and marches have turned into the actions of burning buildings-cars and looting. Have you noticed that the peaceful marches are during the day-in the light, and the chaos, sinfulness are under the cover of night-in the darkness?

The things that have been done by some, are covering up the real issues why the protests were started in the first place. When I see the picture of the police officer with his knee on the neck of a human being, I have cried. How can anyone do such a thing to someone who is pleading for help, because he cannot breathe and ends up being murdered, while others watch? It is truly an outrage and reason for a march against this injustice! I am so thankful that I live in a country where we are allowed to have marches and protests against injustice. There are countries that would not allow this and kill the protesters right there where they are standing for no other reason than they live in a country that is not God fearing!

I have been feeling a lot of different emotions during the virus and the current looting and burning. These are some of the emotions I have been feeling and how I have decided to choose to have hope in the middle of the chaos. First, I want to list the emotions that are in my mind and heart.

• FEAR    When I am facing an invisible force waiting to come into my physical body, by just a breath, I am fearful. I have been taking precautions the best I can. I have been spraying every surface that my son has touched when he comes home from work. Been very careful to wipe everything down that we have gotten from the store. This in itself, has helped me to not want to get out unless I have to. But, think about it, there is no 100% way to be safe from this vapor of air that threatens us. I have been fearful of the anger causing looting and burning of property. These poor business owners, regardless of who they are, have had a hard time because of the virus. They have had to close their business and employees are without a job. And then, their business is burned to the ground. How can they survive? These fears take my breath away!
• WORRY    Our country seems like it is at war. Against an invisible and physical war. Most of the protestors, that I have seen on tv, have had masks on, but then there are many others who do not. They are all clustered together-not six feet apart. I am worried that the virus is going to get worse, just as it had started slowing down and not affecting as many. Even with business starting to reopening slowly, the number of deaths has been going down. But because there are so many protests throughout this country, will the sick be spiraling upward again? This fear grabs my heart and I feel that heaviness in my chest.
• HELPLESS   Have you thought that the coronavirus and the chaos we are seeing on our streets in our county, were both caused by one person or happening? The virus that has spread all over this earth, started somewhere by someone. Look at what the actions of one person has caused throughout our country now! I think about this and how much power one person can have and, by their actions, can cause so much destructive and painful results. What power do I have over this? I feel helpless and this makes me so sad!
• ANGER     It is so hard for me to understand the mindset of people who think it is ok to throw rocks, destroy property, write hurtful things thru graffiti and go into businesses and loot and steal. These people do not have the love of God in their hearts. Rather the peaceful people marching realize that these actions do not bring any change. All of these actions seem to be hiding the real reason for the right of the protestors to show their disgust and injustice of what has happened. I feel anger towards those people who are doing hurtful things. What gives them the right to do that? I feel so negative and angry towards them!
• GRIEF     There have been so many lives lost to death during this virus. Everyday more people pass away. Our lives will never go back to the way they were. I feel the grief of those who have not had the chance to tell their loved ones, who are in the hospital dying, goodbye and hold their hand. How does a person get past that type of grief?  I was with my mother when she left this world, holding her hand. I am so blessed that I was there by her bedside. That type of grief can be so overwhelming! Sometimes, I just want to just sit and stare into space and let the tears flow.

Well, I just want to thank you for reading through all these negative emotions I have been having. I am normally a very positive person. I think it is time to share with you what I have reminded myself over and over again, that helps me to find answers through the negative storms that go through my mind. We will look at some Bible verses and then see how much we feel the burden of-fear, worry, helplessness, anger and grief-lift from our hearts. I know that these emotions cannot ever be gone forever, but when they do, “rare their ugly heads,” we will hopefully remember to look towards God and His messages and promises.

• PRAY     Well of course, we know to do that, but do we? Do we turn to God during all things? When we have seen all the pain and loss that the last few months have caused, do we first turn to our God? If we did, we certainly would save some time and aggravation. I have seen police officers kneeling with protestors and praying. That warms my heart. It makes me feel some peace. Maybe things are going to get better! Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  God is so much stronger to carryour burdens. Seems like when I turn to Him first, everything just seems to feel better and peaceful and fall into place. The weight on my shoulders seems lighter after I talk to my God!
• LISTEN     Isn’t that an important part of what we have been going thru? We need to listen to our leaders when they have told us how to be safe from the virus. There are so many, including my dad, who have been in their homes for the last 3-5 months. It is easy for them to feel the loneliness from isolation! Call, text, zoom these who have been isolated and confined to their homes. Listen to them. I know that I feel better after a friend has listened to me and my burdens. The purpose of the protests is for their voices to be heard. When all of the chaos happens at night, they are taking that purpose of listening, to evil and destruction! The verse below, is talking about when people do not listen to God, and remain sinful, that God will not listen. Proverbs 1:33 reads, “But whoever listens to Me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.” How do we overcome our negative emotions? Listen to God and His words in scripture!
• GET OUT OF SELF     When I have any of the negative emotions, I listed above, I realize that I am in myself. I am thinking about those emotions and dwelling on them. They seem to just get bigger and bigger! But when I look around me, I realize that there are things I can do to help others. With so many out of jobs or a business is closed down, there are so many opportunities to give food-money and to help clean up the streets and business’s after the riots have destroyed them. Take food, puzzles, books to an elderly person who has been confined to their homes. This will help their loneliness. James 3:16-18 reads, “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.  Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” Takingself out of my emotions, will help me to see the bigger picture. It is not all about me and my feelings. But the service I can give to others!
• FIND THE JOY      When we are so raw from the circumstances and the hopelessness that we feel, it is hard to think that there is anything to be joyful or positive right now. The word joy is a very powerful word. It not only refers to happiness, but to the joy of eternal life when we leave this earth; no matter what our circumstances are. Read and think about Hebrews 12:2. I have said this before and I say it again. Journal! That has helped me through some really hurtful times in my life. But journaling can also be a journal of joy. Have one special journal that you can write down, every day, three things-five things (whatever you want to) that have brought you joy, happiness or a smile. When you start thinking of the positive happenings within a day, your heavy heart feels lighter. In Isaiah 61:2-3, Isaiah says that God had given him the ability to “…comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning.” I love how that reads “beauty for ashes.” There is alwayssomething to be joyful about every day. Listen to music. There are so many songs that give me hope, peace and the realization that God is right there beside me in the sorrow and the joy! It helps me to take a deep breath and realize that I am not alone. There are many things in this life, that we feel are not joyful. Maybe you are not feeling joy in your: job, marriage, deep within yourself.  If that is true, (I have had those feelings}, then it is time for an attitude adjustment. When I started back to work after two months off because of the pandemic, I had to make an attitude adjustment. Many times, in my marriage, I did not feel joy. I have felt down on myself and had to find that joy deep within my heart once again. Instead of thinking negatively about my situation or feelings, I had to adjust to feeling positive. Dig deep and find the good things about your circumstances and start dwelling and believing in them. When I have started changing my thoughts from negative to positive, it helped my find joy in whatever circumstance I am in. Sport a “tude,” a positive joyful atti”tude”!

There are a lot of good things coming out of the distress. Protestors, while walking, singing the song by Michael W. Smith “Waymaker.” People bowing down in prayer together. Police and protesters praying together, hugging each other. Millions of dollars to help those who are out of a job and hungry. We just need to focus on the good and not the bad. Limit your social media. I record the world news every night. True, we have to know about what is going on in the world around us. That gives us much needed info, but limiting it will also help us to see the good as well. I have noticed that at the end of the news, they show something positive someone has done. I love that!

I hope this blog has helped you in some way. These emotions that seem so overwhelming, seem to swallow us up at times. But when we remember that God is true to His promises and He is by our side as we navigate the unknown; we can find peace through prayer-we realize we need to get out of self and reach out to others in service-we need to listen to what God has told us in scripture and finally, look for the joy and positivity in every day.

Reach for the hope not the chaos. I will leave you with this scripture.

Isaiah 60:19-20 “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you, but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down. Nor shall your moon withdraw itself, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your morning shall be ended.”

(I would like to suggest to everyone who is reading this blog, to listen to the song “Bleed the Same” by Mandisa. It talks about what we are going through right now in our country. We are truly, all God’s children!)

Till next time!            Keela

THE HUG CONNECTION

I am a hugger! There is just something about giving someone a big hug. It connects people to each other in a deep way. When I see a stranger, I do not hug because I am not connected to them in any way. There are several types of hugs. At work, when we have a euthanasia, I ask the client if I can hug them. Some say no, but there are many others that you can tell need that human connection. That type of hug lets them know that I understand what they are feeling because I have had to euthanize several of my pets through the years. It lets them know that I hurt with them. At funerals, I hug the family because I know how it feels to lose a loved one. We all just need that one on one connection. I also hug when I am happy! When I have not seen someone for a long time, I give them a big hug! I know that when someone gives me a hug because they have been touched in some way, after I have given a speech, published a book or written a blog post; it makes me feel like they appreciated what I wrote or said and that gives me encouragement. I have told all of my grandkid’s friends, if they are coming over to share a meal or visit, they have to give nana a hug just like my grandkids have to do.

Right now, we cannot hug. That is very hard for me. When we get back to church services, we will not be able to hug each other or sit close to each other for awhile. That will be so hard for me and others! We have not seen each other in several months. We have not had any kind of connection, other than texting-virtual hugs-facetime-Zoom-calling on phone. I am so thankful that in this time in history, we have those options. But none of those replace a good hug, in my opinion. Now that I am back to work, it is hard to not hug those people who I have worked with for fifteen years. We have no idea in the future, when hugs will become, once again, a reality. I pray that since we have been social distancing, that the human connection has not been lost. But, rather, “the hug connection” will come back into our lives.

When I look at the word hug, I not only think of the physical hug, but it makes me think of a spiritual hug as well. What can we get from a spiritual hug? There are three things I can think of: Hope–Unbelief that can be changed through trust & faith into belief and the Gift. So, let’s think about these three for a few minutes.

• Hope-What is the definition of hope? According to Webster’s: promise of a future-desire of expectations of fulfillment-eager, confident expectation that sustains a person while he or she is waiting patiently for future fulfillment in God. I am hopeful that we as a church family, will be able to meet together again and eventually, hopefully get to hug each other! I also have the hope of leaving this world with its pain-sadness-fear-worry, and living with God in heaven when I die. 1 Peter 1:3-5 reads: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  Hebrews 10:23: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who has promised is faithful.” We can have this hope and promise of eternal life, if we have chosen to follow God’s law and served Him faithfully. Our hope rests upon the belief that Jesus died-was buried and rose from the grave to live with God in heaven. This world has no hope! The world is living for themselves. They are planning on a future of more possessions on this earth. Their belief is when they die-they just die. But a follower of God does his best on this earth with what God has given him and looks to a future with God in heaven, if they have hung on to that hope! We as followers of God, are like a kaleidoscope. God takes all of our broken pieces-puts them all together-and shines His light through those pieces, for others to see the beauty of the hope we have in Him. We need that hope right now!

• Unbelief that can be changed through trust & faith into belief -What is the definition of unbelief? According to Webster’s: a person who doubts. A person who has unbelief, does not have confidence or trust that something will actually happen that was promised. When we trust. it involves an element of risk. Some trial has to happen before we can actually understand what trust really means. It is easy for the world to have unbelief, especially with what is happening in the world today. Sometimes we think of trusting God by relating that trust to our circumstances. But trusting God is much more than that. Trusting and belief in God is in SPITE of our circumstances. In Joshua 6, God told the Israelites to march around the city of Jericho and blow their trumpets. This went on for seven days and on the seventh day, the people shouted and the walls of Jericho fell flat. The walls of Jericho were wide enough for a chariot to drive on. The wall was not made like two of the three little pigs houses, in the fairy tale: one of straw and one of sticks. The wall of Jericho was sturdy. Most walls around a city, were used for protection from their enemies. They were usually fifteen feet thick, made of stone, and twenty-five feet high. This wall of Jericho fell inward and this helped the Israelites to have a “ramp” to go into the city and overcome it. These people had to have a lot of belief-faith-trust that what Joshua told them, was from God. Walking around a huge wall which was around a city, blowing trumpets for seven days, could have seemed strange. If the Israelites had not believed and done what God told them to do, the Israelites could have been taken captive, instead of them taking Jericho captive. It is easy to have unbelief, because of the unknown and uncertainty of the future-like we have today. But we need to have belief-faith-trust, that God will do what He promises. If we don’t, we will be lost! We won’t get to see the promise of the glory of heaven. Jeremiah 29:11 reads “For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Conquering the unbelief, turning it to belief, and having trust in God, means having faith that He works out the best for our lives, even when it does not make sense! Take the “un” out of unbelief. Change it to belief!
• Gift-What do you think of when you hear the word gift? Websters defines it as: something given with no strings attached. When I hear the word gift, I think of excitement-happiness-surprise. My little great-granddaughter turned two in the middle of this virus. Since we could not have a party, I went ahead and mailed her present to her. My granddaughter sent me a video of her opening it. She said “what’s in there?” Her little eyes lighting up as she blew me a kiss! No matter how old we get, we all like gifts! There is one gift I especially love and that is the gift that God gave us in the form of Jesus, His only Son, who gave Himself willingly for you and for me on the cross. In the Old Testament, the people of God brought gifts of sacrifice for the atoning of their sins. But under the new law, Jesus gave his sacrifice, His blood & His death, for a one-time atonement for all of mankind. In Hebrews 12, which is right after the “hall of faith” chapter, talking about enduring our lives here on the earth, verse 2 says “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus could have saved Himself on the cross, but then He could not save you and me. Romans 6:23 reads “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I want that gift, don’t you? This gift is not more about what I do, but it is about what Jesus did for us. We must obey His laws, but it is not about you and me. This gift is all about what God gave us (in Jesus) and the gift He will give us (eternal life) when we die!

 Hope

 Unbelief turned to belief, faith and trust

 Gift

Jeremiah 17:7-8 reads: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

Christ is our hope. We have to turn our unbelief into trust. We will receive the gift of eternal life one day when we die. We have the hope in eternal life because of the gift of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection. We have to have all three: hope through Christ-unbelief turned to belief, trust and faith, in whatever our circumstances might be. If we have hope and trust, we will be able to enjoy the gift of eternal life.

Think about these things. If you do not have the spiritual “Hug Connection” we have talked about, get out your Bible and search for the answers or go to someone who is a believer in God to help guide you.

God will see us through this. After this pandemic, we will have learned many lessons. We will be a much better person because of it. Hold firm onto God’s promises! Let one of those lessons be the realization that God is right by our side during this pandemic.

Oh yea! When this virus is over and we are all clear to hug-watch out because I am headed your way with a huge hug!!

Till next time!                           Keela

(The picture at the first of this blog is my daughter’s oldest and youngest children, Adasen and Iley. I can almost feel that sweet hug right now. To be able to hug, is truly a blessing! Thank you, God!)

THE TICKING OF THE CLOCK

Does it seem to you that time flies by? Next week, I will have been off of work for two months. When I do go back, will I be able to remember things associated with my job? Will I even be able to clock into my computer? These last two months seem like they have flown by. I accomplished a lot of things around the house that I had been putting off. I was able to do one of my passions, to read. When I am working, I do not have time to read or accomplish large tasks around my home. I plan to retire in the next couple of years. I am sure time will go slowly, at least in my mind, when I get closer to that milestone.

When all is quiet in my home, I can hear the ticking of all the clocks around me. Each tick is one more second, one more minute that has gone by. One of the tasks I have gotten done is to clean in my garage. (My neighbors probably think I am a hoarder by the way it has looking!) I found a box that had my grandmother’s cuckoo clock in it. She was so proud of that clock and took really good care of it. I remember that when I would call her, I would hear that clock in the background. Somehow it made me feel like home. I love the clock but do not have anyplace in my house that it fits in with my décor. My brother, when hanging it in my grandmother’s new apartment, has a different feeling about that clock. As he was hanging it up, it fell on his nose several times. He definitely did not want to keep it. Even though the clock is in a box in my garage, I just cannot seem to let it go.

Isn’t that the same way with time from the past? We just cannot let it go. We dwell on events of the past that cause us to live in the past instead of the present. As I have said before, I have some of my parents black and white photos and am still in the process of organizing them and putting them in an album. When I am able to work on them, I get drawn into the past. I am so centered on a memory; I sometimes feel like I am in a tunnel going back in time. There are some flashbacks of memories from the pictures, that I wish I could change. But of course, I cannot. There are also pictures that I wonder, what was I thinking with that outfit or hairstyle. Where did all that time go?

During this pandemic, I have had more time to think. The events of the past, have helped shape me to be who I am today. The people I have come in contact with in the past, have also helped to shape me today. Some of these events or people, have affected me negatively. Some of them have been positive. I am a big believer in looking at the glass half full instead of empty. I feel I have been blessed to have mostly positive influences from my past. But there are so many who cannot say that. Many who have had so much sadness and lose when they look at their past. They have had parents who have not been a good influence. One lady I knew, had a very abusive father, physically and mentally. She struggled with being able to understand who our Father God should be in our hearts because she had never been shown that human type of love from a father.

Many years ago, when my husband was preaching in a little congregation, we went to a lady in her 80’s, home for lunch. She held onto something from her past and could not let it go. She confided to him that when she was a teenager, she had an abortion. Besides being very dangerous physically during that time; she had held that event from her past and had not ever let it go. She had been a Christian for many, many years, she knew God had forgiven her years ago. But she had not ever forgiven herself. It was something that made the ticking of the clock stop and kept her from feeling God’s mercy and grace. I feel my husband was able to calm her fears and make her realize that she could not stay in the past, because there is so much living to be done now-today-this moment in time, while the clock is still ticking for us.

This time in history, has helped me to remember to live in the today. There are so many opportunities I have missed today. Opportunities to: tell others about Jesus-to be with family (even if it is on zoom or over the phone or texting)-help someone in need. There are so many people who are full of fear because they have lost their job and cannot feed their families. They have to go to the many huge food lines that we have seen on the tv. Children are going hungry in our country. In my lifetime, I never thought I would see that. Could we have helped them, if we had known? Don’t make that an excuse. Make it a reality, by reaching out to others and finding the needs that are out there. There are so many, especially right now! Get out your church directory and start calling people to see how they are doing. I know that lifts me up when someone calls to check on me. Maybe it is as simple as a prayer for them, that they need!

There is a new song by JeremyCamp called “Keep Me in the Moment.” I amgoing to share with you some of the words. They sure made me think!

I’ve been thinking about time and where does it go.

How can I stop my life from passing me by. I don’t know.

I’ve been thinking about family, and how it is going so fast.

Will I wake up one morning, just wishing that I could go back.

I’ve been thinking about lately, maybe I can make a change and let You change me.

So, with all my heart this is my prayer.

Singing Oh Lord, keep me in the moment.

Help me live with my eyes wide open.

Cause I don’t wanna miss what You have for me.

Singing Oh Lord show me what matters.

Throw away what I’m chasing after.

Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me.

When I wake up in the morning, Lord, search my heart.

Don’t let me stray, I just wanna stay where You are.

All I got is one shot, one try, one go around in this beautiful life.

Nothing is wasted when everything’s placed in Your hands.

Keep me in the moment.

I’ve been thinking about heaven and the promise You hold.

So, it’s all eyes on You until the day You call me home.

Keep me in the moment. Help me live with my eyes wide open.

Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me.

Show me what matters.

Throw away what I’m chasing after.

Cause I don’t want to miss what you have for me.

Such beautiful words! Keep me in the moment. Help me to remember your promises that You will never forsake me. That, You are always with me in the hard decisions. You are always with me during the loss of someone we love. You are with me when I do not know what the future holds, because I have lost my income. Even in the difficult trials, you are with me when I try to live my life for you. Even during the darkness, You are right there with me. Help me to remember to live in the now-today, even if it is uncertain. We cannot ever get the ticking of the clock, back. Maybe God has led you to this time in your life and He has something for you to do. He has a purpose for your life and you have let the ticking of the clock pass you by and did not fulfill that purpose.

What are you doing right this minute? What do you need to be doing this minute? These minutes pass us by so quickly. Just like all of the black and white pictures have shown me, we can never get the ticking of the clock to go backward-only forward! I understand if you feel sad-fearful-hopeless. But we are never going to get today back, because when the sun rises or sets; it becomes our past. We might look back and wonder why we did not do something in service to God. There are things we can do to serve the Lord right now and bring cheer to others. There is a couple whose 70^th wedding anniversary was yesterday, who are members of the church congregation I attend. Last night, there were several of us, who drove by with balloons and posters, letting them know we loved them and celebrated with them their lives of so many years of marriage. I could have stayed home. I was feeling kinda down yesterday, but I went anyway with some friends. We wore our masks, so hopefully the couple knew who we were! But that is not what is important. What was important is that we showed our love for them thru our actions. I was so glad that I did not let the ticking of the clock just go by while I stayed at home but took the opportunity that was right in front of me, to do something for someone else! I felt so much better after I got home.

Everyday God puts in front of us opportunities to serve Him. Make changes in your life so you can act on them. Right now, is your time in history. Right now, the ticking of the clock has just passed us by and is gone forever. We need to remember, to keep in the moment-the here and now, which is so fleeting. The time is now!

I want to end with a few scriptures for you to think about which relate to this blog.

James 4:14 “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? Is it even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Verse 17, “…God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose.”

Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

Ephesians 5:15 “See then, you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

The Bible tells us that our lives are as vapors. God has made this day for us. There is a time for everything. We are not to worry about tomorrow, but rather redeem our time; taking advantage of service we can do today. Jesus is the same in the past, now and in the future. He will keep His promises. He will take care of us.

Remember to make wise use of this moment and all God has in store for us and for us to do. Do not waste today. Use your time wisely. Just like the ticking of the clock, time waits for no one. Even today in this pandemic, there is much to do for the Lord! What are you waiting for? The clock is ticking!

Till next time!                        Keela

• 

MASKS

The other day, I had to get out of the house and get some medicine. Like a good girl, I put my mask on and went into the store because I needed some other things too. (My doctor from the animal hospital where I work, has been amazing sending me masks to keep me safe.) When I checked out, I smiled at the employee and thanked her. When I got into the car, I realized that even though I smiled, she could not see it. Nor could I see her smile, as she was also wearing a mask. At the animal hospital where I work, I am a receptionist. A smile is part of my job when people come in and when they leave. That is one of my goals at work; to make everyone smile before they leave the hospital. This has been my fifth week not working because of the virus. I miss seeing clients at the hospital. (Of course, one on one interaction with clients are done differently right now because of the virus.) Wearing a mask, got me to thinking about the masks we wear each and every day, even when we are not in a pandemic.

Have you ever thought that in our school yearbooks, all we see is the face of our classmate? How about when the police are looking for someone? They only show their face on the tv or poster! One of my grandsons, is going to the police academy in the fall. He has been working at a local police station. He fingerprints and helps when a criminal comes in to be put in jail. The mug shot that is taken, just shows the persons face. Some of those mug shots are really scary to me. The looks some of the criminals have on their faces, show who they are on the inside. But yet does it really? The other night on the tv news, they showed a face of someone the police were looking for who had committed murder. By his mug shot, he did not look like a man who could do such a horrible thing. He put on a “mask” to hide behind who he really was.

Our face is the most recognizable part of our bodies. It is the part of our body that is the most public. Many years ago, right after my husband and I got married, we were Christmas shopping with my mother and dad. My mother was looking at a jewelry case in one of the stores. There was a young lady looking in the same case. My husband came up to that lady and put his arm around her. Guess what. When she turned around, it was not me after all. My husband was mortified! Especially since he had done it right in front of my mother!! Of course, that was a brunt of many jokes through the years! But if the lady had turned around and my husband saw her face, he would not have put his arm around her. (Hopefully! Ha!) Now, with all of us wearing masks, it is really hard to tell who is who. We have to look harder at a person’s face to see who they really are.

Our face helps us to let our lights shine. We are to reflect God’s glory. God’s light. In 2 Corinthians 3:7-18, Paul is comparing the Old Testament law and the New Testament law. The Old Testament law was “engraved in stone,” which was the Ten Commandments. But in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit, “speaks” to us through the Bible, the new law. We have a much better law and brighter glory. Verse 11 says “For if what is passing away (the Old Law) was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.”  (the New Law) Verse 6 of the same chapter, tells us that “…the Spirit gives life,” which is talking about eternal life at the end of our journey here on earth. Verses 12-18, talks about Moses when he came down off the mountain when he got the Ten Commandments in Exodus 34:29-35. His face shone so brightly, because he had been in God’s presence, that he had to put a veil on his face so the Israelites could look on his face and listen to him.

Wow! Wouldn’t that be amazing if our faces shown, with the glory of God, in such a way that we had to put a veil on our face because our lights were shining so brightly for the Lord! We need to come out from behind the masks we put on our faces; thinking we are not good enough, not special enough, not confident enough, to tell others about Jesus! We hide behind our masks because we have done something sinful or we are in pain physically or spiritually, and do not feel we are worthy enough to shine for Jesus, even though we are told that God loves us unconditionally.  (Romans 8:38-39)

I have mentioned in other blogs, that I love lighthouses. I love what they represent. They, especially in the past, showed by their light, where the shore was-where the rocks were-where a ship’s captain would know to land in safety. The light at the top of the lighthouse, always goes around and around reflecting its light on the special pieces of glass. It is a beacon of safety calling the ships to its brilliance. We need to be a reflection of what Jesus taught while He was on this earth, just like a lighthouse. If we hide behind a “mask,” how are we going to reflect God and His glory? In 2 Corinthians 4:6 we read, “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  Just as God, in creation, commanded the light to shine out of the darkness; God “turns on the light” in people’s hearts when they study the Bible and realize who Jesus is and what He gave up for us. They come out from behind the mask of darkness, which they have been hiding and living behind. But if we do not come out from behind our masks of insecurity, how can anyone ever come out of the darkness and into the light by our teachings and example.

Of course, when we go out in public right now, we are wearing actual masks for protection. Our first responders, the nurses, doctors, those preparing our food or putting it out on the shelves at the grocery store, the people who take care of our elderly in the nursing homes, the people cleaning the rooms of the people who have the virus, the truck drivers delivering needed gear and food, must wear those protective masks to help protect them from this invisible virus. They are our heroes showing us good examples of what we should be doing-wear our mask when get out of the house and we need to stay at home to protect them. There are times for actual masks, it is true. If I have to have surgery, I sure want the doctors and everyone in that surgery room, to be wearing masks for my safety. These are important, but what I am talking about are the invisible mask we put on and hide behind, which the devil uses to make us feel unsecure in who we are and what we need to do to shine for God.

There will be a day we will not have to wear a mask in public. There will be a day that we will be able to see each other’s smile and hug each other again. We do not know right now when that will be and that is the hard part-the fear of the unknown. There are so many things we are able to learn from this time. There are so many things we can still do to help others. I have seen so many people stepping up to help others, letting their lights shine, in such creative ways. There is a bridal shop in Virginia, who are having a drawing for the first responders who are engaged. They are giving away 75 wedding gowns. There are many restaurants who are giving away free meals to hospital personnel. People going to an older person’s home and singing out on the sidewalk to help cheer them. Cities at a certain time every night are standing out on their balconies or in parking lots singing or clapping for the health care workers. People fostering shelter pets to help the shelters out. So many, many people letting their light shine. They are not hiding behind their masks of their own loneliness and fear. But rather pulling off the mask of their fear-depression-sadness-loneliness and instead, shining in their service to others. We need to get out of our self. Out from behind the mask we have put on to supposedly protect our heart from pain.

How do we peel away this invisible mask?

1. Realize that you need to make a change. Realize that you are hiding behind your mask to save yourself from hurt. I know that when I talk to a trusted friend that I feel some of that weight come off my heart. (Proverbs 18:24)
2. Make the choice to make a change in your thought process. We are responsible with our choices and what we do with them. God is responsible for the results. The way you think determines the way you feel and the way you feel influences the way you act! Become a new creature. New in thought and action. (Romans 12:2)
3. Trust God. That is hard during this time, when people have lost jobs and lost loved ones to this virus. Trust takes our faith another step. It involves us being able to put ourselves at risk. It requires us to depend on God to keep His promises, even when proof is not provided. It is continuing to believe when the evidence points in the opposite direction. (Psalm 18:28-30)
4. Don’t dwell on the negative. At the beginning of this epidemic, I was watching and reading everything about the virus. Seeing the refrigerator trucks with dead bodies in them, all lined up in New York. So many people dying in the hospital without their loved one with them and the pain those family members were going thru. It felt like a weight was resting on my chest. But then when I starting to hear all the good things people were starting to do, it helped me realize that this virus has also brought the good in people. Sometimes we tend to forget that when we are surrounded by pain and heartache. Celebrate what you have realized about yourself and the time you have been able to spend with family. (Philippians 4:6-8)
5. Start a journal. We may still have our mask on when we start to write, but I have realized that the mask starts coming off bit by bit. Make a list of five things you are thankful for every day. Writing in your journal is between you and God. He will help you sort out your thoughts and feelings. (Psalm 62:8)
6. Make a list of things you can do, even during this pandemic, to serve others. Then, do it. After all the Bible tells us that even Jesus did not come to serve but to serve others. (Mark 10:45)

This is a hard time for all of us. Thinking positive is hard. We should not be lamenting what we have lost, but celebrating what we have found, by being confined at home. We should not put our invisible mask up to seemingly protect our pain and heartache, but rather reach out to God, who is our light. If we are hiding behind this mental mask, we need to take steps to chip it away. How can we shine for Jesus with this mask on?

We are assured that we will have hardships here on this earth, but it is how we react to those hardships which shows who we really are on the inside. Barbara Johnson said “There is no oil without squeezing the olives; no wine without pressing the grapes; no fragrance without crushing the flowers and no real joy without sorrow.”

Just as the light from the moon, is a reflection of the sun, the light we give off to others, is a reflection of God’s Son. I want to leave you with some hope that God has given us in scripture. Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for me with all your heart.”

One of these days we will be able to take off our physical masks once again when we leave the house. But today, we need to take off our invisible mask that is holding you back from shining for the Lord!

Till next time.                                           Keela

(The picture at the first of this blog, is my daughters four kids. She made a mask for each one of them to wear. She so far, she has been able to keep them protected at home. One day we will be able to see their sweet smiling faces again.)

LAUGHTER

“There are moments which mark your life. Moments when you realize nothing will ever be the same and time is divided into two parts-before this and after this” -Fallen-

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.”  We have been so over loaded with this coronavirus. The other day, after watching the world news, I just sat and cried at so much sadness and death. It can lead us to be so sad, so depressed, full of hopelessness and fear of the future. I feel that we need some laughs in the middle of the sadness. For 36 years, I led women in a ladies day every two years. So many good memories from them! So many women who I hope I was able to remind them that they are special to God, a daughter of the King; giving them hope in the middle of their fears and hope for the future. It was a day to get away from their everyday challenges and come together as sisters to sing, share with each other, time for themselves and a time to laugh.  I have since stopped leading these retreats. I decided that I needed to go a different route with the rest of my life here on earth. Since then, I have published another book and started this blog. I am so thankful that you take time out of your lives to give me encouragement and hopefully glean from each blog.

I have gone through some of my folders from those ladies events. I thought it was time to forget, even if for a little bit, what is going on around us right now. So, I am sharing a few of the jokes we laughed at during those events. Yes, I know there are some of you ladies who helped me with the events, that are rolling your eyes and thinking oh no! Here are a few that I hope can “tickle your funny bone.”

FUNNIES

There was a great loss today in the entertainment world. The man who wrote “Hokey Pokey” died. What is really horrible is that they had trouble keeping the body in the casket. They would try to put his right leg in and, well, you know the rest.

Some of the artist from the 60’s are revising their hits with new lyrics to accommodate us aging baby boomers.            Herman Hermits “Mrs. Brown you’ve got a Lovely Walker”            Bee Gees “How can you Mend a Broken Hip”       Bobby Darin “Splish, Splash, I was Havin’ a Flash”         Roberta Flack “The First Time ever I Forgot your Face”  

My body has absorbed so much soap and disinfectant lately that when I pee it cleans the toilet.

George and I were in a lively conversation when he stopped talking and retrieved his white, no frills hanky out of his back pocket. Unfolding it, he vigorously blew his nose. I continued to talk not skipping a beat. After a few good snorts, he folded the hanky right on the creases, again and again, until it was returned to its perfect square. He put it into his right hand and slid it down into his back pocket. When he looked up at me, I had become mute. My mouth was agape. I couldn’t believe what I had just seen. ‘Is something wrong?’ George said. ‘Do you always fold your hanky like that after you blow your nose?’ ‘Yes. Why?’ ‘So, I’m sorry to tell you that when I’ve been doing laundry and find your hanky so neatly folded in your back pocket, I assume it hasn’t been used and I simply put it back in your drawer without washing it.’ It was George’s turn to stand there with his mouth open. He said, ‘No wonder I always have so much trouble getting my glasses clean!’

A man and his ever-nagging wife went on a vacation to Jerusalem. While they were there, the wife passed away. The undertaker told the husband, you can have her shipped home for $5000 or you can bury her here in the holy land for $150. The man thought about it and told him he would just have her shipped home. The undertaker asked ‘Why would spend $5000 to ship your wife home, when it would be wonderful to be buried here and you would only spend $150?’ The man replied, ‘Long ago a man died here and was buried here and three days later He rose from the dead. I just can’t take that chance!’

Three old sisters, 92, 94 and 96 years old, respectively, all lived together. One day the oldest drew a bath. She put one foot in the water, paused, then called downstairs to her sisters, ‘Am I getting in the tub or out of the tub?’  The middle sister started up the stairs to help, then paused and called back downstairs, ‘Was I going up or coming down?’  The youngest sister who was sitting at the kitchen table having tea said ‘I guess I’ll have to help. I hope I never get that forgetful’ and knocked on the wooden table. She got up then, paused, and called, ‘I’ll come up as soon as I see who’s at the door!’

I have an age spot here on my hand! I am getting so old that whenever I eat out, they ask me for money up front!

After putting her children to bed, a mother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and then washed her hair in the sink and smeared her face with a slick green moisturizing cream that hardened into a mask. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience evaporated. At last she threw a towel around her dripping hair and stormed into their room, threatening all sorts of dire punishments if they didn’t get back into bed and go to sleep! As she left the room, she heard one small voice whisper in the darkness “Who was that!”

Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the snake and the snake didn’t have a leg to stand on.

The best vitamin for a Christian is B1.

I hope these funnies got your thoughts away from all the sadness associated with this silent-invisible coronavirus. As my mother always said, ‘This too will pass!’ Let’s hold onto that hope for the future. Even though it already seems like months and months since this started, before long this will all be over and we can get back to our ‘normal’ day to day activities. We can all get back together and give actual hugs, not virtual ones! Let’s remember that God is helping us day to day. When God leads you to the edge of the cliff. Trust Him fully and let go. Only 1 of 2 things will happen, either He’ll catch you when you fall or He’ll teach you how to fly!

I will share with you a memory from Ladies Day 2012. This is a quote written by my granddaughter, Alexis, who was about 18 at the time.

“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place. In the end, we only regret the chance we didn’t take, relationships we were afraid to have and the decisions we waited too long to make.”  -Alexis-

My prayers are with you my friends! May you stay safe and sane. If you did not get the chance to read my last post, read “Maybe it is Time.” You might check it out. Since we have a bit more time on our hands, maybe it is time to think about some things!

I will close with a writing from Lupytha Herman which I think applies to us today.

“One day she finally grasped that unexpected things were always going to happen in life.

And with that she realized the only control she had was how she choose to handle them.

So, she made the decision to survive using courage-humor and grace.

She was the queen of her own life and the choice was hers.

Make the choice today to see the beauty in each day. Stop and just breath. Do what you can to brighten another’s day. Remember that God is by your side no matter what you are going through right now. It is a scary time, but have faith and trust in God, that brighter days are ahead. Because, yes, this too will pass!

 (The picture at the beginning of this blog, was taken on October 26^th, 2019. This day was the 10^th anniversary of my husband’s death. Such a hard day! The little ones are my daughter’s babies. The little one, Iley’s, laughter on the bottom step, is so special! The oldest, Adasen, who is on the top step, said, “she is laughing at something grandpa said from heaven.” Wow, isn’t it a blessing how these little ones think and how God can send us ways to make us smile even on hard days?)

Be safe! Stay home! You are protecting yourself and others! God will see you through!

Till next time!                         Keela