Ponderings

I love wind, especially a cooling breeze when I'm doing yard work or taking a walk at the end of a warm day.  The way the wind sets water in motion, causing waves to splash along the shoreline or the pine trees to sway, is nothing short of wondrous to me.  But a strong breeze is not always welcome, especially if I am cleaning up leaves or walking up a steep hill. The coronavirus is the storm we didn't see coming -- the BIG one that has blown us all off course and resulted in death, destruction, and a virtual shutdown of our lives, our economy, and our world.  It has forced many of us to change the way we work, worship, and interact with others. There are several references to wind in the Bible but the one that sticks out to me in this season of upheaval is found in the story of Elijah's encounter with God in 1 Kings chapter 19.  In verses 1-8 we read that after learning from Ahab that Elijah had killed all the prophets, Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah threatening to

I'm not one to cry easily, except at happy endings or when I am angry about something. However, I have had a couple of moments recently when tears just came out of nowhere -- no particular stress trigger or depression, just intense momentary sadness. As I prayed this morning for God to reveal why, I realized that like so many of you, I am GRIEVING. As blessed as I am -- as we all are -- we are each grieving, on some level, the loss of our lives and the reality that our "normal" is forever changed. Some of us have lost jobs, loved ones, and the sense of identity that comes from being employed or in the company of those whose presence we can no longer enjoy due to social distancing and stay-at-home orders. ALL of us have lost the freedom to come and go and do as we please without fear of becoming infected or infecting others. We have seen the best and worst of humanity during this crisis and learned hard, hard lessons. Many of us have risen to serve, some making th

As I wrap up my fourth week of working remotely, knowing that there are possibly several more weeks of isolation ahead of us all, I pause today to give thanks for the unexpected blessings of the pandemic that has affected so many of us.  Not only has COVID-19 adversely affected most of the world, but it has also caused many of us to reassess the things we value and to focus on the simple joys that we overlooked before this plague descended upon us. Among the simple joys for which I'm thankful: The technology and ability to work remotely and continue my ministry to the church. The joy of riding out this season of social distancing in our new home, where we have a little more room to distance ourselves from each other and a lovely, usable yard to work in and enjoy when the walls begin to close in. The view outside my sliding glass door, which affords me the opportunity to enjoy bird watching and seeing the beauty of spring while in lockdown. Additional time with family and my