Day Nineteen - April 19, 2020

Today I awoke in my comfy bed at home to a little four-legged bundle of love wrapped around my legs and sharing my pillow! So grateful to Kia and Leah for staying with my mom! 

Nellie had an extended walk along the river while the sun erased the early morning frost ...

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I’m not quite sure I can write something altogether inspiring tonight…

I could tell you about our morning walk and how we sat by the side of the river for over 45 waiting patiently for our dog who had treed a squirrel. 

I could tell you about how beautiful and warm the sun’s rays were today compared with yesterday’s chill. 

I could tell you about how wonderful my kids were in taking care of their grandmother today. 

I could tell you about a devotional I read under my cherry tree mid-afternoon. 

Or about how Andrei cooked supper for us at my mom’s, while the kids jumped on the trampoline, and the dog sat frozen in place waiting for the chipmunk to come out of hiding in the rain spout. 

I could tell you how I got teary-eyed as I waved goodbye to my kids as they left my mom’s to go home - while I stayed for the night shift on this lumpy guest room bed. 

I could tell you about beautiful friendships that sustain us when we’re overly tired and just need to cry. How dear friends listen and force us to find the cross… the silver thread in the storyline that connects our hearts to heaven. 

But to be honest, I think I’m just tired. Physically. But emotionally as well…

Weekends seem to creep up on us and our regular rhythm of Monday through Friday is not in place to regulate and contain. 

Both Saturday and Sunday seem to loom largely now… Like some giant white open space. Filled by a mere drop of color that eventually fades to the edges - and sometimes frays nerve edges. 

We dig deep here on the weekends, trying to find our footing and place. Where we would normally have a full house and all sorts of activities - now is cut off and dry. We seek community and relationship. 

We are so very blessed to have one another as a family, beautiful neighbors, zoom studies and school. We are blessed to have phone calls, Skype calls, FaceTime and texting. 

But all humanity cries out for community… a place to belong. A place to build one another up in all things. A place to bring needs one day and be the provider the next day. 

A place to dream and grow strong... a place to worship in corporate unity. A place to see the windows of other’s souls and offer love and comfort. 

To corporately kneel at the cross and be once again reminded of Grace. 

Hebrews 10:23-25 reads:

“Let us hold unswervingly to the HOPE we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us CONSIDER how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching…”

Yes. Yes. Yes! No matter how tired, how weak, how drained… we keep going! Together. 

On screen. Off screen. On zoom. On the phone. On the road… In the store. 

We keep going! We do not stop! We press on - together. 

So above those masks we see every time we enter and exit a store - may we look for the soul of another and may we find our opportunity to encourage! 

Thank you for being a piece of my world … my community.