A Community of Hope

"It was the worst of times, and the best of times." The quote makes me wonder if this person was a Christian who had quantum leaped forward into 2020! Without question, this can be viewed as the worst of times as Covid-19 rages on cutting wide swathes through all the nations of the world.
Add joblessness , fear, depression,  and the  burden of chronic illnesses that have paled in the glare of this pandemic,  and we are apt to say it is the pits, the worst of times.
On the other hand, its the best of times as we discern the significance of all these occurrences taken as a whole. Jesus did not deny their presence in the world, even in his day. What he stressed was the escalation of trouble, calamity and distress are to be taken as positive markers for his return.
How should we respond? Let us be a community of hope. Acknowledge the brutality of the situations around us but don't let that be the end of the conversation.  Say what Jesus said; and let someone know better is just up ahead for those who follow Christ.
Then gently invite them to "taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed are those who trust in him."

Gratitude

This week I am sharing the compelling story of gratitude told by Acevedo Homestead on Pastors Vega 's page.

A female humpback whale had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth. This is her story of giving gratitude.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Faralon Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so badly off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her…. a very dangerous proposition. One slap of the tail could kill a rescuer.

They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, nudged them, and pushed gently, thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth says her eye was following him the whole time, and he will never be the same. May you be so fortunate …To be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.
"For God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Breathe...

Weekly Word from the Wisdom Walk

How ironic that the words, "I can't breathe" continues to echo globally.
No, not politics. Here, let me show you:
I can't breathe tragically whispers from those on ventilators whose bodies have lost the ability to breathe for themselves;
It wheezes from those lying face down attached to a machine tasked with pushing air into occluded air spaces and not quite making it happen;
I can't breathe is a gasp from tired Frontline Workers meaning everyone who bravely suits up to bag groceries,  stock shelves, deliver mail, clean facilities, treat patients, and hold the hand of the dying;
I can't breathe is a tearful whisper on the phone of anxious family members who cannot be at the bedside of someone they love;
I can't breathe is the resigned sigh of a senior, struggling with crooked fingers, falling glasses and the fear of going without it, putting on a mask that just won't stay in place...
Its not a game; its not propaganda; its the reality if where we are.
Don't be the one to be careless or nonchalant or it-can't-happen-to-me
Why make "I can't breathe" the last words you ever say?
"Breath of heaven hold [us] together be forever near [us]; breath of heaven..."

What About Now?

Weekly Word from the Wisdom Walk
Harry Chapin's unforgettable hit song "Cats in the Cradle" chronicles the life of a man from the prime of life as a young father to decades later as a retired grandfather.  One plaintive refrain echoes through the song "We'll get together then ...and we'll have a good time then." What is unsaid speaks even more poignantly because the hearer knows the shadowy time in the future never comes.
We cannot live in the future even when we are certain heaven is our home. Jesus says redeem the time "buy up the tme" use it wisely NOW, because we are in evil times. Are we living, serving, worshipping, reconciling, forgiving, working, witnessing...
Or are we saying to Jesus (and the people we care about) we'll get it together soon, well get together soon, "and we'll have a good time then (?) "
What about the 24 hours in today? How are we spending them?
https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/1s05szlz_&hl=en-US&q=harry+chapin+cat%27s+in+the+cradle&kgs=cca43c1bec9ad04e&shndl=0&source=sh/x/kp/osrp&entrypoint=sh/x/kp/osrp

https://www.amazon.ca/MOMENTS-JESUS-Investments-Time-Eternity/dp/197368585X

Your Words Matter

Weekly Word from the Wisdom Walk
Have you ever stop to consider that only God is All-powerful, Ever-present, and All-knowing? This is an attribute he,  in Sovereign wisdom, has retained for himself.
So, where does the devil get the information he uses to harass us? From eavesdropping. We speak defeat, we speak stress, we speak anxiety, and carry our uncertainties like a shield before us. What we speak, imply, and demonstrate, the enemy acts upon.
Its bad enough for the enemy to attack us but it's madness to provide him with the weapons!
Let's guard our words and responses. Speak faith instead of feelings; life instead of hopelessness; and courage even when our knees are knocking. There can be no tug-of-war unless someone is determined not to let go. Let us be that person who will decide God has this and let go ...
You would be surprised how those seemingly simple actions will turn the tide in your favor.
We walk in wisdom. 

Thankful

Weekly Word from the Wisdom Walk
My thoughts turn today to thankfulness.
Like many today, I have my moments when I get sucked into the quagmire of uncertainty brought about by current events. I get down and I see more clouds than sunshine.
Well, today I choose to focus on thankfulness for all the blessings God has given me. The list is long, far longer than the challenges. As the song says:
I've a roof up above me and a hood place to sleep
I've got food on my table and shoes on my feet
You gave me your Love Lord and a fine family
Thank you Lord for your blessings on me."
May I invite you to take a moment just to say thanks? First to God, and quite possibly to someone who has been a source of blessing or inspiration to you.

(Shari

Someone Bigger

For the past several days I have struggled with what to post. And what's more, I think many of you are finding yourself out of words and in an emotional tangle.

David, whatever his reason for penning  these words hundreds of years ago says it best: From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I (Psalm 62:1).

There is a prevaling sensory overload; more is happening than we can process let alone understand. Emotions are raw making even conversations at home guarded or downright difficult. 

What to do?

Run to the only one who has it together. Run to the Rock. Pray for the right words, attitude, and response. Remember if we had loved God with all our being and our neighbor or people as we do ourselves,  we would not be in this pickle. So  though we are in pain and our hearts are grieved, if we do not operate from a place of supernatural love, the situation will continue to get worse.

Pray from your heart,  pray the Scriptures and sometimes just sit in silence and let God speak to your spirit.

I pray for all of us. And I pray God will raise up leaders with the fortitude to make the hard choices and do the unpopular tasks in order to achieve meaningful change.