Encouragement – Page 2 – A Writer's Daughter

Grateful to Encourage

My husband and I moved south!!! After years of planning and praying, we left the DC metro area for coastal North Carolina. And while our new area is changing into something more cosmopolitan, it is still The South.

The South is traditionally known for Southern hospitality. As a newbie I don’t know all that the expression entails, but I have previously observed unusual affection, often demonstrated with terms of endearment like sweetheart and honey, from complete strangers. I find it genuine and heartwarming. During our first days here however, I am also experiencing an absence of warmth. From the frustrated bank teller working us through a change of address and check order, to the sullen barista at a healthfoods café, to the distant cashier at the upscale grocery store on the day before Thanksgiving, folks don’t seem to be their cheerful selves. Retail is a tough job and masks do not help (see previous post) but something is amiss.

We’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it 100 times, these are unprecedented days. The months will soon be a year of rumors of disease and daily numbers reports. Fatigue from the virus and its fallout are palpable. When the lockdown began last spring, I remember thinking ‘at least the weather is getting warmer and we can be outside, and it isn’t over the major holidays.’ Now winter approaches and the holidays are here. This is long and this is hard.

Over Thanksgiving some brothers in the faith brought encouragement. In a Thanksgiving email, Joe Rogers wrote us: “(we) love people, especially family … Period. Politics, misunderstandings, harsh words, differences of opinion, rejections, exclusion from gatherings- these things can and do hurt … stay faithful. Stay healthy. Be kinder than necessary.” Around Thanksgiving kitchen preparations, “Pater,” one of the family grands, almost admonished us regarding God’s great love for people. Pater repeatedly declared God’s endless, loving efforts to reach every soul, as he occasionally chopped cilantro and I quartered parsnips!

I am grateful for these reminders. Our world is hurting and as followers of Christ we have the opportunity to demonstrate God’s patience and kindness to brighten the lives of others around us.

Let the peace of heart that comes from Christ be always present in your hearts and lives, for this is your responsibility and privilege as members of his body. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:15 (The Living Bible)

This weekend we shopped small business in a new hometown.

Mask-wearing Woes

Mask wearing is now a routine of daily living. Regardless of local law, mask requirements are entry policy into most public spaces these days. For many of us, including me, mask-wearing looks weird and feels strange. Recently, two friends from the medical world who regularly wear PPE, remarked to me about their mask aversion in private life but for the foreseeable future, mask-wearing is in! The bright spots in this masquerade are the American spirit of creativity, ingenuity, and entrepreneurship in mask production and … we are all set for Halloween!!!

Early on, I experienced mask challenges. I started with a quasi-mask: a sideways-turned hairband but decided that straps around the back of my head messed up my hair. I broke down and bought the cheap blue industrial style until I had time to sew up some fun masks with my own fabric. The ear loops worked better for me except for the earring issue. Another learning curve was lipstick. I hated not putting lipstick on at all, but the creamy types rubbed off, so I switched to paint-type lipsticks that dry. For recent air travel, I splurged on a heavy-duty snug-fitting type of mask, which apparently kept me COVID-free.

My dad cheerfully sports his Pittsburgh Pirates mask.

A major fallout of mask-wearing is communication. Masks muffle clarity: it’s like you have cottonballs on your mouth, which you do!! My husband and I have misheard conversations including medical directions and food orders. When a second language, cell phone dynamics and less-than-sharp hearing are added to the mask mix, it sends me through the roof!!!

In my last post, I discussed how God created us with five rich senses with which we amazingly engage with people. Masks, I believe, disturb yet another of our God-given, wonderful human gifts. And that is our perceptive ability to read people and their moods and emotions. We perceive through the observation of facial expressions and tone of voice. That sensory ability is greatly diminished when a mask conceals expressions and dulls voices. Eyes peer out (if they’re not also in a hat and sunglasses, making them a regular bandit) but much is lost to the observer. I am especially concerned about children having a prolonged gap in observation and practice during their developmental years, as the mask mandate persists. As a sidenote, I call on Dave and Mark, designers/inventors I know, to develop a transparent mask that meets protection protocols!

This drugstore sign made me laugh – an oxymoron, don’t you think?

To be honest, I do not have answers to the mask mess. With long practical use in the medical world, and some assuring data about at least temporary protection, we are likely going to be wearing masks for quite a while yet. I am trying to put on a happy face, along with my lipstick that you can’t see, as I wear mine.

It does not matter to God if you wear a mask or not. I am not speaking about conformity or rebellion but about how God sees us. We present a desired exterior façade of ourselves which may fool others but never fools God. Not only did He create our bodies and faces, but He sees our hearts and our intentions. The Bible says man looks on our outward appearance, but God perceives the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Psalm 139 details God’s intimate knowledge of us, to the point of knowing our words before we say them. This is scary yet assuring. God knows us completely, our best and our worst, yet He loves us wholly. He is compassionate too, fully grasping our pain, loss and fears. In the end, that we cannot disguise our true selves, is deeply reassuring.

It was a beautiful evening at a picturesque spot but my smile, not my mask, covers an undercurrent of discord.

Brevity

On my pre-pandemic commute, I passed a street named Brevity. Brevity sounded like a profound topic for a blog post until life as we knew it was upended, continuing to this day. With the utmost of brevity, I share these words.

It is not whether you test positive for COVID19 or not. It’s not poverty or prosperity. It’s not black or white, or left or right. It is know Jesus or no Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

As someone who knows Jesus, let me be quick and clear to say that Christians are not perfect and don’t always get it right, but we desire to follow the life and message of Jesus, as written in God’s Word, the Bible.

The Apostle Paul summed it up this way: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2

Shadow of Death

I crisscrossed the roads of Norfolk and Virginia Beach quite a bit this winter when I stayed there to help my daughter with her new baby. One afternoon as I headed back to her house following the directions of a navigation system, I drove past some city services buildings and noticed an unusual display of t-shirts. It took me a second, but I soon realized that it was a memorial for the victims of the Virginia Beach shooting on May 31, 2019. The complex was just a couple of miles away from my daughter’s home. It was a sobering thought for me. She and her husband had also spent time in Pensacola, FL for Navy training a few months prior to the shooting at that Naval Base. Life nears the “shadow of death” more closely and more often than we realize.

Many near miss or divine intervention stories emerged from the events of 9/11. People overslept, missed the bus, or had traffic tie-ups that kept them from being at the office on time, resulting in escaping the horrific tragedies at the Pentagon and the Twin Towers in New York. Unplanned circumstances saved the lives of quite a few that day. They too narrowly passed by the “shadow of death.”

I faced the Corona dilemma early on when a new student from an affected region transferred into my school. At the time, school officials had no enforced policies in place. Our principal gave us only vague assurances from the school district. I contacted a friend who works in the international enrollment office and she confirmed that the county had no regulations for them to implement. Those of us who were to work closely with the new student had concern but we accepted the risk. We too were “in the shadow.”

I love Golden Books. We often read this depiction of the 23rd Psalm.

The Corona virus pandemic brings a seemingly tangible danger to our world. Although there is a wide continuum in how folks perceive their personal risk, the virus and its potency are real. The daily stats, new policies and lifestyle changes indicate a threat. Risk has moved from the cloudy shadows into clear view and many are shaken by the fear that they could get sick or that loved ones could die.

The phrase “valley of the shadow of death” is taken from the Twenty-third Psalm. Verse 4 of the short chapter states, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” For centuries this passage has comforted its readers with promises of God’s protection and provision. Believing that God leads us results in calm and rest. David, the shepherdboy turned king who was inspired by God to write these words, explains a conditional peace. These promises are given to those who call the Lord their Shepherd, who are in God’s flock. Times of crisis remind us to check our status. Are you truly one of God’s sheep, living safely in the boundaries of His Fold? Now is the time to make sure that your life and soul belong to the Light of the world, Jesus (John 8:12).

Illustrator Tasha Tudor produced versions of both the 23rd Psalm and The Lord’s Prayer. She always included Corgis and floral borders in her artwork.

It’s Fixed

I am happy to report that many of our previous problems have been fixed!! The septic system was overhauled, and new grass is growing. An extra blessing from the Lord was that our insurance company covered much of the repair cost. The cars are working fine, we said good-bye to a kitty, and usually our technology cooperates, except for tonight when I am trying to work on this blog. A recent flood of the washing machine indicates that the 18-year-old appliance needs to be replaced but I think we got our money’s worth.

This is not the picture I intended to feature but photos wouldn’t download this time. I do like the candy cane vine.

I update this short blog to assure you that we press on even when things go wrong. And as I said before, we dealt with some nuisances but some of you are experiencing serious relationship, health, job or financial crises. Whether we are facing a series of setbacks or a season of blessing, there is a reality check. Romans 8 describes frustration in creation, a waiting for liberation, and a groaning for future hope. You can read the whole interesting passage in Romans 8:18-27. Put encouragingly, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16) That is the renewal of walking daily with Jesus.

It’s Broken

I can’t tell you how many things have broken recently. My lovely kitchen faucet handle isn’t working after installing all new parts. A week ago today, my car battery died. One of our kitties is living its very last days but the mother of all hassles for me is computer issues! Much of last weekend my husband was on the phone or at the store trying to solve problems that surfaced as email problems. If you talk to the internet provider, they blame the software. When you call for tech software support, they tell you to fix the router. On and on it goes! I spoke to them again this morning.

An encouraging note from a prisoner today.

Pictured with this blog is a photo of our side yard. Last Sunday night we discovered an issue with our septic system. Again, my dear husband altered his plans, working from home for two days to be there as workers came out to determine what’s wrong. Our property is aging so repair for a septic system is not unexpected but it sure will be expensive to fix. And as I went outside to take the photo today, I noticed that our small pond had lost a lot of water. I turned off the pump, refilled the water for the goldfish and added ‘leak’ to the to do list!

So why do I write this short blog about these inconveniences? A couple of thoughts cross my mind. It is good to share concerns with others; it brings some relief. Also, I know that many of you have problems too. My little annoyances pester me but some of you are experiencing serious relationship, health or financial crises. Whether our problems are minor or overwhelming, comfort and strength can be found in God. A verse that I have gone back to many times this summer is, “You are my God, the Rock my Savior” (Psalm 89:14) and for those experiencing true calamity, my favorite Scripture is Hebrews 4:16.