​My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.                                                         John 15:12-13
 
Good Morning weary one,
        It seems on the surface that the world is a frightening place.  Jim and I are still quarantining.  Going outside in public seems daunting.  And now racism is once again rearing its ugly head.  It was always there, but now its headlines on the news, on our streets, and occupying our mind space.  If you are like me, I weigh the right to protest with abhorring the violence and rooting. How can we make our voices heard? How can we make a difference? The issues loom so large; change seems out of reach. As I lay in bed last night, this verse from John keep swirling in my head and I had a new understanding of this verse.  It brings me new hope.  Let me explain.
        To lay down one’s life does not necessarily mean to die.  It means to die to self interest and truly demonstrate love for another.  I see this in the brave first responders.  They are putting aside their lives, their wants, their desire for fun and distraction and lovingly serving their fellowman.  Nurses leaving their families and risking their lives to care for Covid 19 patients.  Clerks in stores are loving as Jesus commanded to make sure we have food on our tables.  And protesters leaving their homes and the comfort therein and walking in the streets demonstrating their love for people of color who are denied basic rights.  If we really look carefully, we see love in action.  Thousands upon thousands laying aside their lives in the service of others.  Let us look for the good.  The innate goodness in all of us.  Look deeply into your own heart.  Drop the idea of separateness and think, “Just like me.”  He desires love and respect, just like me.  He wants a good paying job, just like me.  She wants equal opportunity, just like me.  She wants quality healthcare, just like me.  When we confess with our mouth and lay aside our wants to work to achieve equality, we are loving as Jesus commanded us to love.  What can you do?  How do you lay down your life for your friend?  Please start by being kind in your words and actions to those who differ from you in color, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.  Start a revolution of loving others who crave acceptance; just like me.   Be the change you want to see.  I ask you this week to see the good, loving people laying down their lives for their friends and the world becomes a better and less scary place for us all. 
                                   Spread the love, see joy in the possible,
                                                        Linda
       

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
 

    I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  Philippians 4:11

Good Morning, seeking one,
​
          We are facing a new normal.  Wearing a mask.  Social distancing.  Groceries being delivered to our doorstep. No hugging. No family dinners on Sunday.  And when circumstances are quite different, we tend to become agitated, depressed, and/or lament our fate.  And that is a choice.  We can agonize or strategize.  Jim and I are really self-quarantined because of our age and health challenges.  But this week, we have super enjoyed a new normal:  driveway visits.
          Tara, a friend, brought us ice cream (and wine).  We put lawn chairs in our driveway and donned masks and enjoyed a lovely visit.  What a blessing.  Audrey dropped off toilet paper and protective gloves.  We drove to Bev’s house.  She had made us the cutest masks and we socially distanced a driveway visit there.   Matt picked up curbside delivery for dinner and we ate on Tv trays in our new dining room, the driveway.   Driveway visits are our new normal and I am content.  So, let me ask you a question.  As you are seeking your new normal, might there be pieces of your new life you might want to embrace? What blessings have come from this self-quarantine?  What are you learning about down time?  Being with family 24/7?   Now is a great time to re-set your life.  And a good starting question to ask yourself is, “What makes me feel content?”                                                                                                                        Praying for your safety and contentment always,                                                                                                                                           Linda







​

​Even when I walk through the valley of deep darkness, I will not be afraid. . .Psalm 23:4
 
Good Morning, Brave One, yes you!

          Elvis Presley sang a beautiful gospel song entitled, “Peace in the Valley.”  The lyrics begin with a refrain that resonates with my soul.  “Oh, I’m tired and so weary, but I must go on.  And the lyrics continue with the hope of finding peace someday.

          I get it if you feel weary.  We are all under the stormy cloud of the Covid 19 virus.  Thousands have died and others are suffering in hospitals alone.  Our medical workers, the heroic ones, are doing their best; but they are tired and weary as well.  And bless the hearts of clerks doing their best to remain calm while checking our groceries and facing long lines of cranky customers.   Our routines have changed dramatically.  Jim and I are super isolated adhering to the social isolating that will slow the spread of this deadly virus.

          But, dear one, here’s the good news.  You don’t have to wait till someday to find peace in the dark valley.  You can experience deep inner peace right now, right in the middle of the storm.  But you must choose it.  Yes, we have to adjust our expectations.  Yes, we have to claim and proclaim, and proclaim again, that we are not alone.  God is with us.  Not one of us knows what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds the future, and we proclaim, He holds our hands.    
                      We must go on, 
​                                 Linda

                   
                             Weeping may last for a night, but
             Joy comes in the Morning
 
 
Good morning, brave one,

        Easter is definitely not the same at our house.  I did not wake at 5 a.m. and rush to church to deliver an uplifting Easter message.  No chocolate bunnies or lilies.  No Easter ham roasting in the oven for a family gathering.  Lots of nos.  This day feels different.  And that is ok.    
                    As we are in quarantine, we have choices and decisions to make about today and also for our time to come when we can once again  safely enter the community.    We choose our attitude. We can weep in the darkness, but friend, Jesus emerged from the tomb, and we must also.  We have a new life ahead of us.  I believe we have the opportunity right now to learn what we value most and to create our new life with joyful expectation.
​​
​
Points to ponder:

1.  What have I learned about myself while in quarantine?
2. What about being in shelter has brought me new joy?

                                                        Love ya,   Linda

In Him, there is no darkness. . . 1 John 1:5
​
Hello dear one,
          The darkness of Coronavirus continues to shroud the earth and as the number of those infected rises and resources to fight diminish, we continue to deal with the demon of fear.  I continue to seek ways to bring God’s glorious light into every darkened space within my home and heart.  Some of my moods are far from sources of redeeming light.  Just keeping it real.  You and I are in a spiritual battle with the powers of darkness and I will not allow evil to win control of my mind.  As I wrote last week, step one for Jim and I was to fight lethargy and step into the light and walk around our neighborhood.  We increased our ventures outside to three a day.  I was looking for a trumpet to blow on our seventh day.  I decided that while I am not musical, I have a voice and breath.  Even if that voice is only self-talk, I will affirm over and over, “I choose light. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light” until the walls of fear come tumbling down. 
        You and I need to choose our words carefully.                                                                                                                                                                         Linda

​I am the light of the world. John 8:12
 
Hello dear one,
          The darkness of Coronavirus is shrouding the earth.  In the dark, fears loom large.  They cast shadows and appear bigger and scarier than they really are.   Jim and I are elderly and health challenged.  I am immune compromised and Jim has congestive heart failure. Most can get the virus and recover quite nicely.  We are in the group that must remain socially isolated.   Separated from family and friends.   Inside four walls that seem to be squeezing in on us, taking our breath of life.  Until there is a vaccine, this might be our new normal.  So how do we (you and I) respond?  How can we bring those walls down and regain life?  So, I chose to go to scripture and what came immediately came to mind was the battle of Jericho.  In the first battle fought by the Israelites in the course of the conquest of Canaan, the Israelites marched every day around the city and on the seventh day, they blew their trumpets, and the walls came tumbling down.  So, step one for Jim and I, today we left our darkness and stepped into the light of the Son and walked around our neighborhood, each step bringing us life-giving fresh air and hope. We chose light:  energy, truth and beauty.   And light destroys darkness and fear.  You and I need to choose to be in the presence of The Light.                                                                                                          Linda

 Set your mind on things above. . . Colossians 3:2
​
Good Morning, dear one,
        I love you and I am praying for your health: physical, emotional, and spiritual.  This virus will attack us in every aspect of our lives.  It is very important that we be vigilant (on watch) for an attack by the enemy.  And sometimes the most vicious battles we will have to fight are in our minds.  Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 to meditate on these things: whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, whatever things are lovely. This is great advice for us this morning. Set your mind.  Make a deliberate decision to control your thoughts.  The Amplified Bible reads, “Set your mind and keep it set.”  That means that you must keep watch and reset your mind whenever it starts to wander into fear territory.
        Do not let your mind ramble.  Let means to allow, permit, or give permission.  Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.”  Do not give evil thoughts a foothold in your mind.  Set your mind.  Only one little letter (L or S) determines your mental health in this crisis.  Let or Set.  I believe that even now we can choose an attitude of gratitude.  We can choose joy.               With God’s help, we can do all things.  Linda