Faithful, Not Fearful

"Look at the flowers.....they do not worry or toil." Matthew 6:28

I called my sister this morning to check on her. She told me she was getting tired of social distancing but was filling her days with writing notes, telephoning relatives and friends, and disinfecting her house. She reminded me that I used to make note cards and asked if I could send her more. She said writing to others was a way for her to process our world in this 2020 COVID 19 crisis. She said she was trying to be faithful in what she could do and not fearful about what she had little control over. I love my sister. 

The conversation not only motivated me to do something productive with my day, but also made me think of  things I used to do as I processed a great loss. Indeed, note cards were a craft therapy and I cranked out quite a few. Daffodil cards mostly - giving them away gave me a focus and purpose when the world had been pulled out from under my feet. "Do something with your pain," the grief experts advise.

And while at present the pandemic has not touched my tiny corner of the world, I know it is real and scary. I watch the first responders on the news and my heart breaks for the many who are affected. To date 35,000 people have died worldwide. Those are mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. The grief and sorrow is palpable. It weighs heavy on my heart.  And when I allow myself to fear, I wonder if my family will be safe. Secretly, we all do.

Over morning coffee, I shared with my husband and son my need to DO something to help this crisis. I told them I was seriously considering making face masks. That got a sideways laugh from both. My son suggested I put some cooking lessons online. That got a laugh from me. Then he said, "Mom, you should  write."

Write about what? 

My editor told me years ago to write what I know and then let others decide what they will do with it. I thought I had written everything I know ten years ago. Working through death, grief, sorrow, finding hope, remaining faithful are all subjects familiar to me. And now as our world faces medical, economical, and financial challenges there seems, once again, to be a need for doing something with our pain. The beauty of this is we can all respond in different ways. Doctors, cooks, babysitters, drivers, financial advisors, government officials, ministers, teachers, volunteers, you, me. Paul Young, in his book The Shack, calls it "the many colors and facets of God's grace". There seems to be provision for every need if each one of us will just  DO something. Big or small. My sister writes notes. My friend delivers bread to homeless youth. My husband reassures clients from daylight to dark. Each one doing what they can to make a difference.

What will you do today?