Just what do you want me to do?    
                               
Hello family,

          I mean that in the best sense of the word, “family.”  We are family, red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in his sight. Jesus loves his children all over the world.  In our scripture this week, Micah pictured a court of law with Israel on trial before the Lord. God asked, “What have I done to you?  I have done nothing but good to Israel, and have been repaid with rejection and rebellion.”  Then God tells the people “remember” and He lists all that He has done for his people.  So, the people reply, “What do you want me to do?”  The prophet Micah asks this most crucial question in the midst of injustice and violence in 8th century B.C.E. Judean society.  Seems society hasn’t changed and God’s challenge is the same to us in May 2020.  God’s requires us: “To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Do Justly means to act in a just, fair way toward others.  Treat them as you would want to be treated.  Love Kindness  is not to just show mercy, but love mercy; to give the kindness and mercy you want to receive from others.  Walk Humbly.  Don’t just act humbly.  Humility must be in your heart and overflow in every act you perform.  Black lives matter.  All lives matter.  And God calls each of us to a ministry of reconciliation with God and with our neighbor.  We don’t need a new leader to rise us to lead our country, we have such a leader: God. 
​Heed His word.                                                                                                                                                    Praying for the healing of our nation,                                                                                                                        Linda

​But, You O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.                 Psalm 3:3
 
 
Good Morning Sweet One,
     I love to imagine in my mind Jesus seated beside me, maybe with his arm around my shoulders and, with a tender hand, he gently lifts my chin and softly, reassuringly smiles as I gaze into his tender eyes.  I have needed to visualize this scenario often during these weeks of quarantine.   It has been three months since I have even been in a grocery store and while I value my solitude for creative endeavors and study, this is getting a bit much.  At this time, I remember a bit of homespun wisdom from my mother.  One of her favorite sayings was, “God helps those who help themselves.”  We all want to complain, I get it!  But there comes a time for action.  Let me ask in the most loving way I can, “What are you doing to help yourself?”  We all need to reach out to help others but first we need to make sure that the help comes from a full heart.        What fills you up?  What takes your mind off of the virus?  If we don’t fill our minds with the good, Satan is ready and waiting to “steal, kill, and destroy your joy” (John 10:10).  Now is the time to practice self-care.  Read.  Draw.  Sew.  Do puzzles. Garden.  Walk. Give yourself a facial.  Do whatever it takes to draw your mind away from scary scenarios.  Jesus will not take your chin and force it upward.  He needs your cooperation. Do something today that will put a smile on your face and a song in your heart.   Let’s find joy today and every day.
                                                   Linda
 

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask, dream, or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.    Ephesians 3:20

Good Morning Sweet One,                                                          
            Last week, I wrote to you about my new dining room:  the driveway.  These lovely six-foot distancing, seeing your lovely face visits continue to bring me such joy.

               It’s Sunday morning and, in my mind, I am sitting with you on my porch sharing Jim’s freshly brewed coffee and heartfelt conversation.  I so love talking with you and sharing our lives.   Living in quarantine, that is not possible right now.  But in my imagination, you are here with me and I wonder what would we be talking about.  Yes, we could spend precious time lamenting about our losses because of the Coronavirus.  And the losses are real and scary.  And we should grieve lives lost way too early.  And job losses.   And the inability to leave our homes without masks and gloves.  But out of every tragedy, comes wisdom if we allow ourselves to go deep within and seek truth.   I believe that is our task right now.  Re-imagining our lives. 

              Let me ask you a question.  What are you imagining and dreaming right now?   Pause and really reflect.  Are you imagining the worst thing that might happen? The “what if’s.” Or, are you wondering what your life will look like when this virus is no longer a threat?  And that time will come.  I have talked with many of you and there are parts of this quarantine that are a gift.  One very busy friend is biking with her son six miles every morning.  Great exercise and quality time never imagined before.  Another friend has found a great resurgence of energy and purpose making masks and distributing them to friends and first responders.  This blessing of solitude can spawn great dreams.  Don’t fixate on the negative.  God promises you more than you can every dream or imagine.  Don’t settle for mediocre.  Re-invent your life.  Re-ignite your passion.  Spark that ember of enthusiasm.  Live joyfully on purpose.  And that, my friend, is our morning conversation.
                                                                                                                                                                                  Dreaming of wonderful days ahead,                                                                                                                                                            Linda