"WON'T BE" to HOPEFUL!

A Message from Christmas - its a message for today!

Written in December 2020. Posted on February 3, 2021. Perhaps the ideas are even more important, as we reflect on the past year.

You could say 2020 was the year that..... won't be happening.  There are graduations, weddings, many, many personal occasions, as well as public, community, events that happen every.single.year no matter what. But not in 2020. They "won't be" happening. Canceling is the sign of precaution. or protection. or uncertainty. 

Did you ever think that not doing all the preparations and all the planning would be causing us to be hopeful? Nope. We have been given a lot to handle, a lot more than we feel we deserve, a lot more than we ever dared to think about or plan for. If you take a few moments, you can also name many blessings and answers that have been revealed because of the lack of events, planning, personal and community. 

Here's a view from Carole. 

"Little by little I am adding seasonal decor without going all out since putting it all away is the hard part, and we will not be gathering this Christmas. So low key is my plan this year."

"This year I am not putting up a big tree or taking out the many boxes of decorations I have amassed over a lifetime of Christmas collecting. The antique ornaments are staying snugly wrapped in tissue bundling, all the Raggedy Ann and Andy ornaments won't see the light of day, nor will any of curated baubles from Bronners in Frankenmuth hang from a tree this year.

Two smaller trees are up, the mantle is merry, and my radio is crooning carols, but it has been a hard year. Our family won't be gathering, and I'm praying that 2021 is a better year." That is HOPE!

                                 

Did we ever stop to think that saying "Won't Be" is HOPEFUL? We are blessed with time to consider what matters. Its not that our family or family holiday events don't matter, because of course, they do. Its the lack of activities, its one time of not getting together. What matters isn't the Won't Be but the IS and the WILL BE. The fact that we are saying Won't Be is giving us HOPE. Yes, we've had a bad year, but we can reflect and HOPE for a better year ahead!

Thank you, Carole, for sharing your perspective. While viewing your Christmas collectibles, I could see the season from your perspective, and that in turn has helped me to stop looking at the "WON'T BE" moments, and in spite of the many sad times, I feel HOPEFUL, for today, for tomorrow, for the next year coming!

You can visit Carole's antique shop:

Antiques, uniques, collectibles and new items are available at Tickled Pink Antiques in Lowenstein's Antique Mall. Open 11-5, Negaunee, Michigan.

Love Who?

    "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.  LUKE 6:35
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." LUKE 6:37
These are two sentences we hear often and quote often.  They were part of the Back to the Bible scripture for the daily readings of "Our Daily Bread" on a day in May 2020.
     In the beginning of the virus precautions we heard that wearing a mask was to protect others from your germs - virus germs you could be carrying and not even know you had. As time went on and varying information was presented, often on a daily basis, some people began to respond by choosing their own type of precautions which mostly was evident by not wearing a mask.  

Several people have pointed out to me that they had a strong faith in God and that His will was going to prevail in their lives regardless of any disease, especially the virus.    They also questioned my faith and asked me if I truly believed that God had a plan for my life. I do. I believe God gave us a brain to think with, so I'll continue to pray that the virus will be stopped; that medical professionals will be protected and strengthened; that elderly family will be kept safe and that God will help us to remember to be kind and love one another, especially during these stressful, troublesome times, even others we encounter that don't want to protect me from the virus they might be carrying.

The rainbow is a sign of Hope. 

(Photo by Jill Meadows - used by permission)

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others
37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

    I wrote this post in May. Its now February 2021.  So much has changed and yet so much is the same. The virus is still among us, still infecting people who wear masks and who don't. For me, I continue to be cautious and I wear a mask, as required in my state, when indoors at a large public event such as a store.  I have my moments of questioning, wondering if it matters. And I hope that by getting the vaccine, I will be protected.  Perhaps you are questioning the mask and the vaccine too. Let's just remember to love one another which includes being respectful of another's choices.

Make smart choices remembering you live in a community.  Take care of yourself and those around you. 

Thanks for stopping by! Be Blessed!  SB