Month: April 2020

The Call to Extend Grace

Posted on by Wendy

Our words can spread darkness or light. We have a choice.

Last week, we ordered groceries from Walmart. We often ordered groceries before the pandemic hit because I really don’t like going to Walmart. I often end up getting frustrated while I’m there for a number of reasons ranging from them being out of the items I went for, to them blocking the aisle for the online shoppers, to there never being enough cash registers open, to all of the screaming kids.

But, I’ll have to admit in my everyday quest to watch for God in the world around me, I’ve seen Him there more than once. I’ve encountered Him in a child singing, “Jesus Loves Me,” and an elderly person on a scooter who couldn’t reach an item, and in a cashier who I’ve discussed prayer with while checking out.

I’ve been given the opportunity to extend grace while shopping there; I suspect most of us have. But, sometimes that can be a tough call to answer.

This time when I ordered our groceries, I was trying to follow the stay-at-home rules which had me waiting all the way til Saturday for groceries ordered on Tuesday night. They also had a very limited selection on items that I normally buy there and some things weren’t available at all. I was determined to take it all in stride. We had plenty to eat, maybe not exactly what we wanted, but plenty.

On Saturday, I got a text that my groceries were ready for pick up. My hubby and I got in the car and headed to pick them up, but the app to inform them we were on the way wouldn’t work. It has always worked in the past. I knew that was not a good omen of things to come and I could feel some frustration begin to seep in. When we arrived, I called the posted number to tell them we had arrived. The woman on the phoned informed me our order was not ready.

“But, you texted me that it was,” I protested.
“We can get it ready,” she replied.

Now, I was really frustrated, but another lady came out into the parking lot and we decided to talk to her. She was very young and wearing a mask. She asked me three times what my ten digit order number was as other cars began to fill the spaces around us and my heart went out to her. There appeared to be only two people working bringing the groceries out. She looked exhausted.

She went back inside and returned with our groceries. My hubby commented how busy they were and she told him that he had no idea. I let her words sink in. She was absolutely right. I imagine she had a lot of frustrated customers who weren’t very kind to her over a situation completely out of her control.

When she finished unloading, she hurried back to the building, but I yelled out a thank you to her and she turned around and acknowledged it. It seemed like it meant a lot to her and I felt incredibly humbled. Had she been thanked all day?

This pandemic has us all on edge and bone weary, but that doesn’t give us an excuse to be unkind. We can choose how we use our words both spoken and written, and yes, social media counts. Are we using words that show patience, kindness, love and peace as the Holy Spirit would direct us or are we giving into fear and anger? Are we spreading light or stirring the pot?

As Christians, we are called to extend grace because amazing grace has been extended to us. Now more than ever, we have the opportunity to be the Church. A trip to Walmart reminded me. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

A Reminder to Celebrate

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes we must choose to celebrate in spite of the chaos.

When my kids were little, I often marveled at how God used them to speak to me. Sometimes the most profound wisdom would come from their little mouths and I was always amazed. Now they are college students and I sometimes forget that He can still use them.

This year, due to Covid-19, there would be no attending Easter church services. I planned for us to just watch one on television in our pajamas with a cup of coffee, like we have been doing for the past few weeks. But, my college age daughter had different ideas.

She said that Easter is a big deal. She felt like we should get dressed up just like we were attending a church service and she felt like we should have a big Easter meal like we always do with deviled eggs and the good dishes. I had to admit she caught me by surprise, but I felt like she was right.

Why do we dress up on Easter and who do we dress up for? Why do we celebrate? While it’s definitely wonderful to worship and fellowship with other Christians, they shouldn’t be the motivation why we do what we do. Easter is a big feast day for Christians. It’s our holiest of days. Shouldn’t we have our feast even if it was just with our family?

We planned our menu and in the process were able to support some local restaurants that are desperately trying to keep afloat right now. We cooked some dishes and ordered some dishes and got to work together on our meal as a family.

When my daughter suggested that we watch the live stream of the church she has been attending, we agreed. We believe in the Church Universal and we don’t believe that one denomination is superior to another. We got up and got dressed and were blessed by the sermon. The pastor was young and energetic and we could see why she liked him.

We took family pictures after the service, like we always have. I wanted to remember this year where everything was so different in many ways, yet the same in others. I wanted to document our blessings amidst chaos.

Long after our meal, I thought about this year’s Easter celebration. I thought about how God has always used my children to speak to me. I saw it so often when they were little and I guess I thought maybe since they are no longer little, He would no longer use them. I can’t imagine why I would think that.

This year, He used my grown up daughter to remind me that when we have a reason to celebrate, we should pull out all the stops and celebrate. It doesn’t really matter what our circumstances are and Easter is a huge reason to celebrate, for Christians, it’s the biggest.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Finding His Provision

Posted on by Wendy
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

We have a place in our yard where we have talked about putting in a fish pond for years. We had one at our last house and really enjoyed it, but we never got around to taking the time and doing the work it took to put one in when we moved. We’ve been here for fifteen years now and it seemed like one of those projects that was simply never going to happen. The kids grew up and went off to school and we all just had better things to do.

That was until Covid-19 put us under a mandatory quarantine. The kids came home from college in March instead of May. Internships and part-time jobs were off the table. All of a sudden, we had time on our hands and the desire to add a spot where we could sit in the shade, watch goldfish swim and hear the soothing gurgle of a waterfall.

My daughter and my hubby dug the hole together and ordered the items needed and Saturday morning, my daughter and I went to gather some rocks from the edge of our property. When we got ready to go outside, I found myself grumbling aloud about the overcast skies. I wondered why we couldn’t have a sunny day to do our work.

As we began to use our shovels to dig around, we found some really big rocks. Some of them took both of us to lift and we had to call my hubby to help us with a couple. We worked up quite a sweat. As we dug and pulled and lifted, a soft breeze blew. Before I could stop myself, I found myself commenting to my daughter, how hot it would have been if the sun had been out.

The moment I said the words, I felt both humbled and convicted. I wanted the sun to be out. I was tired of clouds and rain. As is often the case, I thought I knew what was best for me and equally as often, I was wrong. God had provided as He always does in His way, not mine and His way as always, was infinitely better.

I’ve helped roof houses before when I knew the clouds were a gift and gave thanks immediately for them. But, sometimes in valley seasons, we miss those gifts, God’s provision, even though it’s always there.

Covid-19 has us all walking in a valley season. Everyone is affected, old and young, rich and poor, all races, genders and nationalities. It’s easy to miss the gifts and provision when we listen to the news and become filled with despair and panic.

But, when we focus on Jesus and trust in His love and grace, no matter the season, we will see His provision. An overcast Saturday reminded me. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

A Mandatory Season of Lent

Posted on by Wendy
“Such love has no fear, because perfect love drives out fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” 1 John 4:18 NLT

Last week I began to take a daily walk during my lunch break. Covid-19 has me working from home, so I really have no excuse not to get out and walk. The people I work with all encourage us to get outside and take brain breaks away from all of the technology that pings, dings and vibrates all day long vying for my constant attention. Everyone seems to intrinsically know that nature is good for the soul.

Since this crisis has hit us at the same time spring has, there has literally been new discoveries everyday. I have been amazed at how pink buds appear seemingly overnight on a tree that was barren the day before and then wowed again at the blossoms that burst forth so quickly after. I’ve seen wisteria vines go from dormant, to a few blossoms, to dozens of clusters in days and the fragrance they release is a small wonder all its own.

As I was praying and giving thanks for the beauty, I found myself almost overwhelmed at God’s timing. If Covid-19 would have shown itself during the winter, most of us would have had to remain locked up indoors and for those of us in the Deep South, our winter included an unprecedented amount of rain. It was a miserable winter. We all grumbled about it. I even blogged about it.

But, those showers, as incessant as they were, have led to a beautiful spring. Would we have appreciated our beautiful and warm weather if we hadn’t endured that rain?

It also struck me that we are in the midst of Lent, a period of time when Christians are called to draw closer to Jesus by asking ourselves what it is that keeps us away from Him. It’s a time of self-reflection when we are supposed to put down those idols that we put before our relationship with Jesus.

If I’m honest, there are years when I have wholeheartedly participated in Lent and there are years when I have not. But, this year, it seems that Lent has been forcibly thrust upon us. We are living in a time of fear, chaos, panic and uncertainty. Our economy is in a free fall. We are confined to our homes with our families and isolated from other people and just about everything worldly. We are barraged with hourly messages of doom from the media.

Maybe now is the time for us to prayerfully ask, what has kept us from God and what He wants to teach us. Since we have had to put down just about everything we have held tightly in our hands, maybe now is the time to refocus and rededicate our lives to the higher purpose to which we have been called. Maybe in doing that, we can become part of a revival that our nation and even our world, has never seen before.

A walk reminded me that people who keep their focus fixed on Jesus can’t help, but become people of love and light and people of love and light, spread hope faster than any virus can ever spread desolation and fear. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂