Limp and Lifeless

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1-2 WEB)

As the beginning of isolation, cool temperatures and low humidity greeted me for my daily walks and bike rides. By 8 am, I would be on my way and enjoyed meeting people around the neighborhood. 

            As the shutdown continued into late spring and summer, things changed. I left my house earlier to escape the intense heat and high humidity. Few people ventured out at dawn so I often had the streets and sidewalks to myself. 

            On my excursions, I dropped off pages from daily devotionals at my friends’ homes. A few widows were regulars on my route. Other friends received them occasionally. On special holidays like Mother’s Day and Easter, my outreach grew to include more neighbors and even some residents I didn’t know. 

            As I read devotionals each morning, I decided who would benefit from each one. On other days, I prayed for the best one for each friend and left it up to God and. Often, friends told me they really needed the writings I left for them. 

            During the heat and high humidity of summer, I left home with crisp papers in my hand. At the first couple of stops, the pages remained firm and dry. Minutes later, my hand clutched limp, damp devotionals which looked like they had been left in the rain. 

            Likewise, lives during the pandemic have become limp and lifeless. Isolation, illness and uncertainty have sapped energy and decreased motivation. 

            Even though isolation has kept me home for months, I don’t want to become limp and lethargic. My solution was to find creative ways to interact with people. My daily deliveries of uplifting readings encourage friends and give me happiness. When I reach out to other people, I find joy in sharing about Jesus. 

Lord, give us strength, peace and joy as we navigate through the pandemic. Amen

An Urgent, Monotonous Din

Sunlight poked through the trees and illuminated the lake and my garden. Bees buzzed around my orange flowers. Calmness enveloped me during my morning devotional time. A symphony of birds sang delightful melodies. 

            Then a bird hidden in a tree near my patio produced a loud noise. From across the lake, another bird answered with the same tone and rhythm. As soon as one finished, the other one repeated the urgent, monotonous din and disturbed my serenity. No longer could I enjoy the music of the songbirds. 

            The racket reminded me of the constant clamor on TV, radio and the Internet. People decide which ones to parrot and keep repeating what they hear. Back and forth they go. Louder and louder. Each side trying to overtake the opposing views while overtaking pleasant conversations and peaceful situations. 

            The continual blasting wears me out. I now only watch a small amount of the news and bypass much of what is posted online. 

            Instead of getting caught up in the battles, I try to focus on Jesus and follow His teachings. Love God and love others. 

            I can pray for our leaders from local to national whether I like them or not. Jesus loves them. I can pray for those in the media to speak the truth. I can pray that our country heals and comes together. I can pray for revival. 

            God answers prayers but not always the way I want or in the time I desire. I can’t personally reach everyone I pray for but God can. 

            As a Christian, my purpose is to show His love and glorify Him. Each day, I can look for opportunities to make a difference in someone’s life. Often it is something small that has a huge impact. 

            One thing I did today was to give a bottle of cold water to the young man mowing my lawn. We didn’t speak the same language but his smile told me thank you. 

            I wonder what opportunity I will have tomorrow? How about you?

And anyone who has given so much as a cup of cold water to one of the little ones, because he is My disciple, I tell you, that person will be well rewarded.

 (Matthew 10:42 KJV)

Loving Father, help me to ignore the conflicts and embrace your love. Open my eyes to opportunities each day. Amen

Pressing Toward the Goal

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3: 12-14 NIV)

Perched on my bright, pink bike, I pulled out of my garage for an early morning ride. A slightly cooler temperature than normal welcomed me as rode in the sunshine. 

            A tiny breeze ruffled my hair while I went up and down vacant streets around the neighborhood. In my area trees shaded the street. 

            But in the newer sections, spindly oaks offered little cover. Only a few empty lots remained in the vast region. When we moved into our home, a forest of towering trees filled with wildlife occupied that space. 

            Frequently, I looked down at my Apple watch to see my distance and time. Two miles and then three miles. Watching the mileage motivated me to try completing four miles. 

            My legs pumped with renewed strength. I surpassed my goal of four miles and made it to four and a half. My heart rate increased but I kept pedaling past my home. I circled a lake beyond my house a few times to get to five miles. 

            When I pulled into my driveway, I checked the mileage and stopped the watch at five and three tenths miles. 

            For me, that was a huge accomplishment. As the pandemic began, bronchitis kept me down for two weeks. Gradually, strength returned little by little. Walks and bike rides brought on extreme shortness of breath. Going one half mile wore me out. 

            The doctor prescribed an inhaler. The first one did little to alleviate my difficult breathing. The second one helped but didn’t eliminate the problem. I persisted and alternated walking and biking almost every day. 

            Early exercise brought cooler temperatures. I talked to neighbors who passed by. On walks, I listened to podcasts of sermons which propelled me to continue. Improvements in distance and time motivated me to not quit. 

            Daily exercises produced more energy and awakened my sense of thankfulness for God’s creation as I noticed it around my neighborhood. Podcasts of Christian speakers fed my soul and kept me moving spiritually and physically. 

            In the midst of the pandemic with all of its horrible consequences, positive outcomes occur too. 

Father, thank you for meeting us during tough times. You appear in unexpected circumstances and strengthen us despite our trials. Amen