I Feel Sadness In The Air

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you... If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."   --- James 4:8, Galations 5:23

Difficult times do not weaken God's power, but instead, make a way to increase it if we'll do as He asks.


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When Tom lost his job in August of 2010? Wow. Gut-Punch City. Three other guys were laid-off: the company downsized.

The first two days? Tom and I could barely breathe. Shock is like that.

But soon we felt God saying, "I'll get you through this! But you must listen. Remain determined. View Life through a positive slant of light."

And now when I recall those 20 jobless months, I remember miracles. The odd ways bills got paid, how Life went on with joy and how we even bought this little house in our unemployment.

But yeah, at first, a wonderful future looked impossible. I remember that, also.

And these coronavirus days? Oh. My. Goodness. What unemployed folks must be feeling! This makes Tom's sudden 2010 joblessness look like a birthday party. Things are 1,000 times worse, but thank-goodness, God is a kazillion times mightier. Whew.

But still, this sudden lack of employment for millions of people is like a bad dream from which they cannot awake. It is not their fault, it's highly fraught with questions, and America--

Doesn't, as a whole, know what it's doing.
Changes its mind daily as to what to try next.
Can't give us any real answers about the future.
Has state officials gone mad with control.
And has suspended the rights our Country was founded on.


And since this is my blog, let me rant here: 

If you are one of my friends who's been social-media-yelling, "JUST STAY HOME! Your rights do not matter now! The government knows best.", well, your gullibility and over-whelming fear is not welcome in my world. And especially if you would deny people their God-given right to protest mistreatment? I will be ignoring you until this is over. Well, it will never be totally over so, hey, this is most likely, good-bye. Be well.


I personally am searching for more. 

As in, strong folks who speak out bravely against injustice, over-reaction, fear-spreading and lunacy. Ones who know God never created us to live under house arrest. (A sampling of their links will be at the bottom of this post.)

Anyway. I feel sadness in the air. Chaos, also, but that's another post.

Often since a teenager, I've felt heavy disturbances in the air around me and woah, Nelly! It hardly gets any heavier than these present days.

So even though my life isn't greatly changed--still--I can feel some of the pain wafting around from the millions whose lives will never be the same, ever. And it keeps me from complacency, love-gone-cold and that dreadful it's-all-about-me disease.

And I'll end this post with this: In these times of deep trouble, may each of us also hear God declaring:

"I'll get you through this! But you must listen. Remain determined. View Life through a positive slant of light."

May we truly reflect the God who strengthens us and in so-uncertain times remain open to newness as directed by Him:


New ideas.
New ways of thinking. Creating.
New ways of working.
New ways of being.
New ways of thriving in a new normal.


And may we hang on tightly to Jesus on this new wild ride adventure and never, ever let go. No matter what.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness... He will guide you into all the truth ... whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."   --- Romans 8:26, John 16:13



"We know all things work together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose....you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy..." --- Romans 8:28, 1 Peter 1:8


Whatever your calling/gift from God? Now's the time to go full-force with it. Mega-help and encouragement is needed like never before. People everywhere need to know our God delights in bringing good out of bad.

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"How can you look around this country right now and say we are 'the land of the free, the home of the brave'? Where are we seeing that, exactly?

If our commitment to freedom can be suspended, is only up until the point we are afraid of something, then our commitment to freedom is not any different. It's only about on par with the rest of the world. There's nothing special about us in that regard." --- Matt Walsh


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The links I mentioned from my new friends:

Your Rights Are Suspended

Time For Civil Disobedience

Shutting Down Meat Plants, The Wake-Up Call

LA Closed Into May: When Does This End? (Forward to 3:00)

Another Week of Waiting

Coronavirus Crisis Is Teaching Us A Lot About So-Called Experts

Citizens Begin To Stand Up Against Tyranny

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Doubting overreaching of governmental control?

In Beverly Hills you can't step outside your front door without a mask. You will be fined $1000 after a first warning. There is no science to back-up you'll be safer outside with a mask.

In Michigan? You cannot go out and buy seeds or plants in okay, okay, big box stores. Does that make some of you happier? Does that make better sense to you that it's fine to walk into a big box store and buy paper towels, but heaven forbid that you buy seeds or plants there? Frankly? It only makes it worse. Now you must drive someplace else and interact with more people in order to buy seeds or gardening supplies--if you can find those places. You can't tell me one single reason that this promotes safety. Not one. Only a far deeper dependence upon the government for food.

And don't get me started about the drive-through church in MS where 15 patrol cars(!) showed up to give out $500 fines to folks sitting inside their cars with their windows rolled up.

While researching prepping for disasters years ago I seldom came across virus-related information, but often saw government-leaders-will-take-over-our-lives posts.

And wow. It's happening. Everywhere.

But here's the great news! --

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"Be not afraid of them [their faces], for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord."   --- Jeremiah 1:8

"Liberty once lost is lost forever." (Spied outside of the huge vehicle protest in Lansing Michigan.)


"Old ways won't open new doors!! Don't be afraid to do something different than what you have known before.. God is with you!" --- Paula White Cain

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

So Will I Come Out of Self-Isolation Bitter or Better?

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."   ... Colossians 3:23. 24

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Way back (less than a month ago, eegads) when the powers-that-be first ordered us to burrow at home, I sat at the dining room table putting on my make-up. I called over to Tom in his recliner, "I'll apologize right now for just slapping on my make-up during the duration of all this."

He chuckled. I smiled. 

But the Holy Spirit? He rolled His eyes. "Really?" He asked. "You're aiming for mediocrity already?"

Gulp. He got me there. 

Hey. I know how mediocrity works. You start small, say, let the laundry slide a couple weeks, skip sweeping the floors, eat only carbs and chocolate and bam! Suddenly you're in stained, too-tight clothes stepping around sticky kitchen floors, searching messy cupboards for chocolate bars long ago scarfed down.

ツ

Sloppiness always starts with tiny compromises.

So yeah. Next day I put on my make-up with care so I'll look pleasant for my husband who's locked-up spending his quarantine time with me. And for myself, actually. Daily I wear make-up so I'll look presentable for me during my one and only life upon Earth.

(I know, I know. You don't wear make-up. I get it. And if I had your scar-free, smooth, sweet skin I might not either. But I don't so I do, ok?) シ

Moving on.

I'm determined these coronavirus days will make me better, not bitter. That someday I'll step out our red door, not just free, but more educated, creative, skilled and compassionate.

That I'll have spent the majority of my hours focused on learning how to better keep --


our food pantry supplied
trying new recipes
meals cheap, but varied and interesting
the house running efficiently
the garden growing well
informed, but not overwhelmed (nor frustrated)
exercising when I'd, ugh, rather not
encouraging everyone I know.


And also? Keeping the Holy Spirit, my for-everything healer(including a lousy, it's-all-a-conspiracy attitude), so close. May He need only whisper--not shout--when I even think of becoming a sloth till summer.

I have my excuses to be a slacker, of course. We all do. But there comes a time--and this is certainly one--when God expects us to practice what He spent decades teaching us.

And wow, what He's taught us. And taught us. And taught us.

"If you focus more on your joys you'll have fewer sorrows." -- Bruce Van Horn

Yes, we've lost much control over our lives and perhaps it will only partially return. But what I'm trying to do? Besides remembering God's still in control, I also remind myself there's much I can still control within myself, my home, my yard. And that's where self-discipline becomes more important than ever. In other words, I can stay mad or I can remain busy with good things.


"Whatever you are facing--- worship your way through it!" --- Paula White-Cain



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I'm loving all those inspirational Youtube videos about how to make 370 meals for $40 (well......). Here's a good video with lots of use-what-you-have recipes.

 And as I shared at Facebook:


Well, I'm feeling more Grace when it comes to cooking (thank-goodness), but still, some extra inspiration never hurts and hey! I found lots of free Kindle cookbooks this morning. Here you go (just make sure your choice is truly free before you click to buy). Have fun!

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Oh, and over the weekend via Amazon, Tom and I watched Dark Waters. Wow. Very informative and another reminder that heroes don't always appear as we imagine.


(Rated PG-13. Based on a true story. There was just a smattering of language, otherwise everything else, to me anyway, was fine.)

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

Your Inner Super Hero? Or Your Inner Wimp?

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me... The joy of the Lord is my strength."   ... Philippians 4:13, Nehemiah 8:10

(These days are designed to snatch our joy and thus replace that strength with fear. Please don't let this happen to you.)


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This weekend Tom and I Netflixed a movie, The Core, and boy, was that world scenario frightening! Made this current pandemic seem the size of, say, a traffic jam.

Then we watched Captain America where brave folks galore fought enemies lest they be conquered by them.

Seriously, I recommend movies of this type if you need some courage swirled-up. By Monday Tom and I were all, we-can-do-this! And Life-isn't-so-bad!-ish again. Plus, good gracious, we've got almighty God so hey, we can do anything He asks of us.

Anything.
With joy, even.

And think about it. Haven't we all had whole decades of 'Life Boot Camp' so to prepare for hard, uncomfortable weeks? Seriously, consider all those--


tragedies,
challenges,
illnesses,
self-sacrifices,
pains,
struggles,
Life lessons


-- you've faced, learned from and burst through with God's help! Each past experience provides lessons, stamina and stick-to-itiveness. The knowledge that if we quit early someone will suffer, we or those who count on us.

What I'm doing these stay-home-or-else days? 


I'm revisiting Clara for Depression Era cooking. Discovering other women (like her) who make cooking appear fun (Gee, I need those.)  シ

Preparing my gardens, turning compost and repotting cold-weather plants. Ordering new sets of green onions from Aldi and browsing online articles, videos , about 'replanting things from the supermarket'.

Brushing up on prepper skills/videos. (Boy, are those years-old videos suddenly popular!) Inventorying what's on our shelves and listing what we need (this is my part-time job now).

Finding happiness in creating something from nothing. From making supplies last longer than normal.

Watching Great Depression videos to learn how they survived. 

Taking notes from that Proverbs 31 lady. 

Consulting my Master Task List daily so the house won't crumble.

Learning new information. Finding new recipes, helpful hacks and movies, tv shows and videos.

Giving items away to our neighbor.

Sharing encouraging and humorous stories at Facebook. 

Holding myself responsible for praying, listening and locating inspiration and Grace-- 


--and frankly? Marveling that folks are saying they're bored at home(?!?)


Afterward. I'm so considering the afterward of all this. 

Why? Because someday I'll gaze backward at The Big Covid-19 Shut-Down of 2020 and ask--

Did my inner super hero burst through?
Or did my inner wimp crawl out to whine a lot?


Normally I'm not huge on looking ahead, preferring to consider Today, instead. But then, these are not normal times.

Determination: never lose it. It matters more now than ever.

And as I alluded to, above, often we must fight lest we be conquered by our enemy.

"But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the lifter of my head." ... Psalm 3:3

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Oh my! Remember those Jimmy Fallon hashtag videos I've shared? Well, I'd wondered why he wore a wedding ring in the older videos, but not the newer ones. I even did research and found he's still married to the same woman.

But uh-oh! Now I get it. Ouch!!!

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I shared this at Facebook--

They're baaaaack. Victory Gardens! Love this and am thankful that gardening long ago became a habit. My perennial plants are already greening and growing and seedtime is soon, also.

Go here.

P.S. Today I loved using fresh-from-my-garden chives and green onions (the greens) in our pan-style enchiladas. Yum and don't you just love Springtime?

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15