He Will Bring Us Goodness and Light

Said the year's end wind to our 2020 year,

Do you see what I see?

Pandemic, political divide, protests and pain,

Do you see what I see?

God's faithfulness to us, dancing through the months, 

with continued income, health and grateful hearts.

With a tail as big as His generosity. 

With a tail as big as His generosity.

Said our church to the future,

Do you hear what I hear?

Logging on or coming in person,

Do you hear what I hear?

A song, a song, that calls us beyond,

High above current events and current resources,

With God's voice as big as His plans.

With God's voice as big as His plans.

Said the Hochstetlers to you our friends,

Do you know what we know?

Kevin is taking online business classes-what better time

than this when we're spending more time at home?

My hosting business continues, while some usual summer 

family visits were canceled this year. We enjoyed a few 

get togethers with the families in closer distance to us. 

In March we welcomed Josh and family here. 

That month we also went to a niece's wedding in 

St. Petersburg, FL., where I enjoyed time with my 

Showalter siblings. I flew out to CA in February to escort 

Ashley and the kids, back to OH, while Austin drove 

back by car. Those three events feel like they happened 

in another era, in fact, I forgot they were part of 2020 

and have revised this post to include them. 

In November we traveled to Virginia to see

Amanda and family, and my dad (92 and going strong)

and my brother's family. We had three grand kids 

turn double digits this year, two became teenagers,

and one more joined the ranks of the other four who are

driving, and with three kindergartners, we keep celebrating

new horizons.

We try to make frequent jaunts to Kevin's parents, 

who trudge through the loneliness of their retirement home 

quarantine. 

Each family visit seems extra special when socializing 

is a valuable commodity and not taken for granted.

We're enjoying the rhythms of partial retirement,

occasional times with friends, and family connections 

by internet and phone. Grateful beyond words.

Do you know what we know?

In these days of masks, chapped hands and distancing,

we're witnessing God's goodness in the creativity

and resourcefulness of those created in His image.

Let us bring Him precious worship.

Let us bring Him silver and gold.

Said the King to the people everywhere,

Listen to what I say,

Pray for peace, healing, unity, forgiveness

and revival; for my kingdom to come to earth.

Listen to what I say,

The child, the child,

Who came that Christmas night,

He will bring you goodness and light,

He will bring you goodness and light.

So Much Grief Demands Defiant Joy

So much grief in this pandemic! Several people I know are now gone to their heavenly home. We are warned about being involved socially with anyone outside our household. This sadness underlines our holiday preparations and makes our future festivities uncertain. But we open up our hearts to the refreshing of this season anyway. We plough through with defiant joy! 

What other choice brings hope? Defiance is defined as: 

a daring or bold resistance to any opposing force; open disregard; contempt; a challenge to meet in combat or in a contest. 

We will choose to focus on goodness, hope and mercy and in that declaration our joy will increase. Listening to several sermons this weekend lassoed in my focus to these thoughts: God's plan continues in the midst of disruption, our troubles are light and momentary and have an expiration date!, each of our decisions effects future actions, and God initiates his involvement into our lives. Joy is possible if we believe he will never leave us or forget us and that nothing is randomly proportioned or wasted in his economy. We rarely know what he is accomplishing in the disruption, grief and trouble that he has allowed or even brought for us to experience. I'm not of the belief that every adverse circumstance is from God, but he can use each one to transform us into greater glory. 

Our joy also depends on our response to his custom-made, unique purpose for us.

“Some plants die if they have too much sunshine. It may be that you were planted where you get only little, you are put there by the loving Farmer, because only in that situation will you bring forth fruit for perfection.” Charles Spurgeon in Morning and Evening Devotional, Day November 11.

Hosta plants need lots of shade. I've watched them turn brown and wither in their unsuited sunny spot.

Likewise, I've had vegetable plants yield little fruit, or slow ripening fruit, because they lacked the right amount of sunshine. We all vary in our reception of nourishment. I like the thought that the Farmer has created me for a particular climate. I can't compare myself to you, because I may need shade to blossom, while you might flourish better in full sun. If someone's life seems shrouded by hardship and trouble, the Farmer has provided just what they need, and He knows they have the makeup to be enhanced by those surroundings. Each of us was made to "bloom where we are planted". May we not judge and criticize each other, but respond to our Maker's tender care. Then we can offer our blooms and plumes to be joyfully displayed in his colorful bouquet. In the vase, we all drink from the same well of mercy, with his presence shining exactly right upon us.

Show your defiant joy today! Discouragement will not defeat us! The Farmer won't let his crop be unfruitful!

To Catch and Not to be Caught

 I dislike the days I awake with negative thoughts badgering my emotions. This particular day it was disappointment in and worry about some relationship that didn't seem to reciprocate my efforts to connect. I was hastening towards rejection, by-passing the well known fact that this trap only leads to a dead end. I then remembered the training exercise of taking my thoughts captive and handing them to the Holy Spirit. I deliberately said the prayer of submission, asking the Holy Spirit to help me focus on the realities of God's kingdom and his abiding presence. I wanted him to make good on the prayer I've been praying lately, especially this line-

"Make me love you so much that nothing in this life comes close to my joy in you". 

Does my joy come from you above all, or does it depend on whether this other relationship meets my needs? When I'm pining about how or if others show appreciation for what I do or how much I care, I'm probably seeking after an other-than-Jesus source of joy. His love always far outdoes my efforts to stay connected to him; I only love because he first loved me.

Then the Holy Spirit brought to mind Galatians 6:9-10. 

"So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith."

Grateful for an answer so quickly, I stopped the negative rhetoric and humbly thanked the One who knows me so well. I felt the joy of being heard and reminded to not quit reaching out, caring for others, and expressing my love. And what a bonus to know the promise that I will reap a good harvest when the time is right. 

Maybe your challenge to joy isn't tied to petty, self-centered emotions, but maybe to grieving for an activity or income that isn't happening because of these tenuous times. Perhaps it's even darker than that. A loved one has died, your health is compromised, or you literally are alone in your room-like many seniors in retirement homes right now. 

Without negating the importance of grieving sadness and loss, catch any destructive thoughts and take them to the Holy Spirit. Find his perspective on your situation. He will comfort and guide you and bring to mind what Jesus said (often a verse from scripture).

Here's to our peeps in the community of faith!  How we need each other! Let's catch the chances to work for the benefit of all.