I sat in the break room after the going away party the staff threw in my honor before I moved to my new home in the Central Valley, reading my bon-voyage cards and having another cupcake. Debbie, from the billing department, came in to chat. She said, “You are so bubbly. Where does your joy come from?”
It was a perfect time to share where my joy comes from, but the craziest words came out of my mouth! I said something like, “I’m just lucky, I guess! It must be in my genes. My mother is pretty upbeat!” What was THAT?
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Long ago, a friend explained to me that a negative situation needs to have a skeleton to make sense. No, my friend wasn't talking about the skeleton in my closet. He meant that people will grab onto whatever information is available, whether true or false, to make sense of something they don't understand.
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One evening I was quietly considering the news concerning Covid-19 when a still small voice asked, "Are you ready to die in two weeks?" I was startled and puzzled by the question and checked off some crucial things in my life:
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, who died a sacrificial death to redeem me from my sins. He was crucified, resurrected on the third day, revealed himself to over 500, ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of God. Through faith in Christ, Heaven is my destination when this life ceases.
I have a will, a trust, and a long list of who gets what.
We filed our taxes.
When the kids clean out the garage, they will often say, "What was Mother thinking when she bought this?" That is the summer task that I may or may not get to finish.
So, yes, I guess I'm ready to die if the Lord calls me.
Considering that I am "of the age" not to survive this new scourge hitting the world, it is a good question for the Holy Spirit to ask. How about you? Are you ready to die in two weeks? What does your list cover?
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"Love is a word that can hold so much hope and so much pain" writes Betsy Cockrell. "Our perception of love impacts our thoughts, feelings, and actions. When we are confident we are loved, our lives reflect courage, security, kindness, and generosity. Feeling unloved, however, makes us respond differently—quick to anger, bitter, withdrawn, insecure, and stingy. Are you feeling loved or unloved? God has been helping me take a closer look at my heart. I want my life to reflect someone who not only is confident she is loved, but can confidently love others...To live like this, my understanding of the incomprehensible love of God needs to grow."
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Ninety-five days till Christmas the newscaster said. Inwardly I groaned. Unlike Hobby Lobby who starts Christmas after the Fourth of July, it's hard for me to get motivated when Halloween (sorry, the Autumn Festival) has yet to arrive. Working in a large church has rearranged my priorities for holidays. START EARLY, OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.
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