BE NOT AFRAID

I recently found this post sitting in “drafts” box since March of 2020. Rereading it helps me to remember where we have been, and yet, so quickly we forget what we have learned. Let’s not forget. spend time with your family, play games, read together… I am posting because I think we can still learn from it. God is God all the time no matter what. Love on!

Originally written March 2020

In this time of uncertainty in this world, be not afraid.
Do respect this illness and do what is right. This will pass,
What the enemy determines for evil, God will use for good.
Sometimes we get very distracted by the doom and gloom and rely on ourselves.
God want’s us to trust Him in the good and the tough times. We will get through this and carry on.
I can already see some of the good that has come from this threat.
Personally we are recognizing just how often we go out to eat or for entertainment. We are getting back to dinner together at home around the dinner table.
Parents are getting to know their kids, by spending more time with them.
Our daughter, with 4 preteen children home for weeks, asked, “What did you do with us when we had snow days?” “We sent you out to play in the snow” was our response. That was a different time and different circumstance.
There are so many educational opportunities out there. On the internet, at home. Play a game with them. Be a family.
We have recognized areas where we still rely on others to provide for us. We are given opportunities to pull together to give to or help others.
We are reminded common health practices that as a culture we have let slide like washing our hands, covering our mouth and nose when we sneeze or cough and stay home when we are sick, putting others before ourselves. If not, we could put their health at risk.
Do not be afraid, but be cautious, be safe and love on.

Let Them See You

It is really easy to go along in our day not thinking about how our attitude, words and actions effect those around us.

What do they see when they look at us and see us in action?

I hear music frequently throughout my day at work and today I walked into another department playing a popular national Christian music station. Mind you I work in a secular health care facility. On the radio a song by JJ Weeks was playing…. Let Them See You.

Please make the opportunity to find it and listen.

I stopped and sang along quietly. As I sang and listened to the words my heart broke. I asked myself, in my actions and words today, are people able to see God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit in me? Was I walking in the Love of God or was I grumbling? Was I blessing or was I cursing? Was I seeing the good or only the bad? I cried in the elevator on my way back to my own department.

We need to stop and evaluate ourselves, our thoughts, words and actions. At work or at home is God visible in our lives or are we walking by the world’s standards. Are we pointing people toward God or away from Him, especially those who are closest to us, our families?

My prayer: “Let them see You in me…”