Good morning my very special friends. Do you know how much you mean to me? I've been praying for you, thinking of you, and asking God what I can do in these troubled times. Are you asking yourselves that too?
Aside from having lots of lovely time to stitch, (isn't it great), there actually are things we can do.
In times of stress, our environments can reflect our mind-set. How is your home? Is it calm, peaceful, clean? Have you let housework slack while the news plays 24/7? I know to me, housework just doesn't seem important at the moment - but it is!
God has laid on my heart to keep my home a place of rest, of sanctuary if you will. My husband and son are still working, although they may shut down my son's place of employment soon. The least I can do is make sure "home" is normal, cook them healthy food, keep an air of joy here. If they have to be home, let's make it a place where they want to be.
The lady of the house tends to set the tone of the house. Let us make our homes a place of prayer, a place of joy, a place where our family members can find rest.
With all of the social distancing going on right now, how do we keep our sense of community? Well, something our city is doing is having a Shamrock Hunt for the children. No gatherings, just folks putting shamrocks in their windows, so when the kids go walking around they can count them and see how many they can find. If you have a neighborhood app, can you try to start something like that? And possibly do Easter eggs in windows, although I'll never understand what eggs have to do with it, lol.
Another thing people are doing is standing in their driveways at the same time every evening, just to shout hello, wave, and ask neighbors if they need anything.
I think that's brilliant.
I read a story, when the virus first broke in Wuhan, China, that Christians were running to the epicenter with face masks to give away to people.
(John 15:13) "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
How does that compare to the hoarding going on around us - the mad rush to buy out everything at the stores - let us instead have the mind of Christ.
(Luke 9:23-24) "¶ And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. {24} For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."
My friends, let us do all in Christ. Let us prayerfully seek His will, and do it. Our joy comes not from the world around us, but from Him. Call your friends and family - maybe we can't spend time with them in person, but we can take the time to call. Especially the elderly, who already deal with isolation in daily life.
Pray for those on the front lines (nurses, doctors, paramedics), and pray for our nation. Pray with your family. May God give us wisdom and strength and love for our neighbor. I love you all so much - be well, be joyful in Christ.
Love,
Allie
My son recently started working the morning shift - WHAT a difference. I've been getting up at 6am every single morning, back to my own early shift, I love it! Today, I had to go shopping for mum, left her home so she wouldn't get sick - and got to Kroger just before 8am.
The lines were up the aisles for the check-out. All I needed was milk - so I left.
Went to Walmart to get her insulin, the store didn't have too many people but the shelves were bare. At least they had her insulin.
Then I went to Aldi - not a single parking spot or cart. I didn't even get out of the car.
The first case here in Michigan was in my city. Apparently my city has lost its collective mind. Toilet paper won't keep you from getting sick. The schools are now closed state-wide, all venues over 250 people have been shut down, and now they've closed the senior center and the libraries. I had a book on hold, so I took a trip up there -
The pile on the left is from the free books cart, the pile on the right is what I checked out. Nothing due back til April 7, when they reopen. I think I have enough to read, but can always check out books on the Kindle app as well.
I understand completely why they're closing everything - to flatten the curve and keep from overwhelming the health care system - but people, turn off the tv. I also understand now what Florida and other southern states go through when there's a hurricane coming.
Outside, the crocuses are coming up. Yay! Spring will be here soon! I had to laugh the other day, a very silly squirrel kept me entertained for two hours. He found a peanut butter jar, and kept trying to bury it!
He wasn't even watching for hawks - just other squirrels that might steal his treasure.
He tried to bury it by my shed. Silly squirrel.
I had mum over the other day, she's the perfect poster child for what we women of a certain age look like when we're trying to read our phones.
I honestly have no idea why it is that when you look through the bottom of your bifocals, your mouth comes open. I've tried to stop it myself and just can't. Someone should research that.
I showed you a frame I bought in my last post, well, this is the design that will go into it.
And I can tell this one will be a bear to get a good picture of. The colors just won't come out right. I'll have to try the good camera, or maybe my son's.
So that's all that's new in Allie-land, looks like I'll have plenty of time to read your blogs as well as all my books. I'm going to try shopping next week, hopefully the panic will have subsided a bit since everyone in the city should be well stocked by then. I've been hearing horror stories on the neighborhood app about Costco - I'm avoiding that place at all costs. We really don't need much since we normally shop in bulk, but milk and bread are the two things that we go through a lot of, as does everyone else.
I hope and pray you all stay well, please look out for your neighbor, and if you're all stocked up make sure you share with folks who need it. Wash your hands, don't touch your face, and turn off the tv! God has this in His hands, there's no need to listen to all the hype from the media.
(2 Timothy 1:7) "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
See you soon!
Love,
Allie
