Good morning, it has been a beautiful fall weekend. Admittedly, the days are blurring together now. Jacob was tested positive for coronavirus last week, along with his two friends who were at the house visiting us recently. After calling the schools, we were encouraged to take the family to be tested so we did that on Friday (3 days ago). So far we have learned that Brittnee and Rich are both negative, and we are awaiting results for the rest of us. The test was a simple throat swab, done in a drive-through. We couldn’t help laughing through it, despite the strange stress of “finally” being exposed by direct contact through a family member and friends. And, Jacob is already feeling better.

So the days are spent at home, all of us are here. Rich works from the office in the garage and the four public school children work in the house with their school-borrowed laptops. They will be home until this personal quarantine is over, and we don’t know how long that will be, since there are so many of us here in the house who haven’t gotten it yet, but might. Jacob, Ethan, Brittnee, and David aren’t able to work, either. They can’t be around anyone until this sickness within the family is over and quarantine is up.

It’s all rather up in the air.

So I don’t spend much time thinking about tomorrow.

I take each day as it comes.

trusting.

I’m not upset or stressed or freaking out. Why? The grace of God, really. For this experience, He has given me a calmness. Whether calm or anxious, I know He loves me just as I am.

And I think this is what I am learning most. To let myself be, to stop “picking” on myself, my faults and bad habits, my thorns in the flesh, my besetting sins. Despite the flesh, despite that it is weak, my spirit is oh so very willing. I long and want to please my heavenly Father. I feel His love so delightfully, and His gracious and merciful relationship with me gets me through each moment. I see Him everywhere, and I revel in the eyes He gave me; eyes that see, eyes that search, eyes that feast on his showers of blessings. Blessings for me, and blessings for all who love Him. “What a joy divine, leaning on the ever lasting arms.”

Come boldly, believer, for despite the whisperings of Satan and the doubting of your own heart, you are greatly loved. CS Lewis

I went out to toss the garbage in the bin and I was stopped in my tracks by a singing bird. It didn’t stop making music, even though he was in the midst of fluffing and arranging his feathers and looking all around on high alert. He was a busy bird, but sang all the while, for minutes at a time.

He can’t help it. He must let loose with music.

All of God’s good creatures are the same. As we go about our days, do you see the friend nearby, smiling to herself? Or giving a small gift to another? Neighbors visiting with sincere care and concern for each other? That stranger in the distance, dancing to music only the can hear? That man, tenderly helping someone not as strong? Teachers patiently taking on the challenges of the day, with understanding and example? flowers, phone calls, healthy foods, pets, music of all kinds, wise words in books and online, curiosity, ideas, love……..

All of these good things are from God.

Seeing and experiencing His love makes the path to Heaven tolerable, no not tolerable, more than that…….the path to Heaven is rich and fragrant, just think; we start out as spiritual babies and enter the gates strong and fat and mature, on his grace and care. The path to Heaven is life-giving and we are the partakers of this life. Abundant and free.

There is so much freedom in a simple life, and simple thoughts, like a trusting, content child.

Now and then the wind blows, the fire burns, the water drowns, and yet those are beautiful times as well, because they make the child stronger, and increase faith and trust.

Serenity under the roar and rush of unexpected evils is a precious gift of divine love. CS Lewis

You will never know the fullness of Christ until you know the emptiness of everything else. CS Lewis

The God
who has been
sufficient until now
can be trusted
to the end.
CS Lewis

To my dear friends; you are loved.