More Coronavirus Thoughts or That time Papa and Mama acted up!

Hello friends,

Papa had a birthday last weekend. He’s 81 years young. We celebrated him well. And yes, we had more than ten people in the house. But, if you’ll remember, the limit for gatherings was 50 at the time.

Things are changing quickly aren’t they. I know it can be unsettling. I’m praying for you. I’m also praying for ways to reach more and more people with the love of Jesus during these unprecedented days. Oh, that the gospel could spread as quickly as this virus, amen?  I long for others to know the comfort of doing life with the only One who never changes.

Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I change not.” And Hebrews 13:8 says, “I am the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

I love those words, but I want to camp on another passage today. Right after I tell you a story. You knew I’d have a story…

It came back to me this past weekend, as we lingered around the table telling stories. The parents will need to forgive me for sharing this one since it’s arguably not their best look, but knowing them, once they consider the value to you, they’ll be okay with it.

I’m not exactly sure how old my sisters and I were when this happened, maybe six, seven, and eight? Yeah, there are six days of the year when we are actually that close in age. Stairsteps. That’s me on the end.

What I remember about that night was the fear and uncertainty and our response… and that makes it a pretty appropriate story to tell right about now.

Papa and Mama were arguing that evening. Loudly. It was uncomfortable and scary even before Mama slammed the front door behind herself and peeled out of the driveway in our old Dodge. But then, the door slammed again, and Papa sped after her in his truck! Wait, what?!

As we looked back and laughed on that night story this weekend, my sister and I agreed that Mama probably thought surely Papa would stay with the girls during her dramatic act. But, he didn’t. And we were petrified. Nothing like this had ever happened in our world. Ever.

And so, we did what we knew to do.

We gathered around the piano and began singing hymns to drown out our fear. In the words of a popular praise song, “We raised a hallelujah, louder than the enemy.”

There’s a powerful truth in this story for those who will hear it. Those same parents who probably returned a little sheepishly—truth be told, I don’t remember that part—they had taught us where to find our footing.

Listen to these words from Deuteronomy 11:18-21 (NIV)

Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ²⁰ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, ²¹ so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. 

What are our kids and grandkids hearing us say about this Coronavirus pandemic? Do they hear us camping on fear? Do they see us entertaining uncertainty? It’s our choice. We can model what it looks like to place our feet on the Solid Rock in the middle of this mystery. And if that’s not where you’re putting your faith, and you want to know how, please message me. I’ll do everything I can to help lead you to Jesus.

With a grateful nod to Bethel Music and their beautiful lyrics, “Up from the ashes, hope will arise. Death is defeated, the King is alive!”

Blessings, y’all! God is with us.

Hugs,
Shellie