THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

June 24, 2020

LIFE IN THE FOLD:

I believe that many of us have learned a lot about ourselves during the past three months of dealing with COVID-19. The changes that came about had an impact on each of us, in many different ways. It brought about some major changes, whether we wanted them or not.

We experienced event cancellations, empty grocery shelves and hard to find items, restaurants being closed, schools closing, church doors being locked and having online services only, job losses or people being put on furloughs, others working from home instead of going into an office each day, people wearing face masks when going out, doctors recommending that you do online visits and hospitals not doing minor procedures.... or family members not being able to go in with their loved ones who had to be hospitalized. It rocked our world in a way that none of us had ever experienced.

Opinions and theories began circulating, to the point of me basically ignoring social media. It was a conspiracy, a government take-over, fake news and not really real..... everyone had their own ideas and opinions of what was taking place. Fear caused some to lash out, while others failed to believe that they could be affected in any way so refused to take any precautions. Some christians who chose to be cautious and shelter at home were seen as weak and faithless; while others who didn't follow guidelines were seen as selfish and stupid. It was a stinking mess!!

I heard one minister say that everyone had an opinion, but really, no one but God truly knew the truth of what was happening. Everyone else was just guessing.

Honestly, I had ordered a case of toilet paper at the very beginning of this, because I keep a stocked pantry all the time; not because I was scared. I had no idea at the time that there would be a shortage. So we never lacked for toilet paper.

But one thing that I learned, and I've heard others say for themselves, is that there are a lot of things that I was used to buying whenever I desired, that I found out that I could live without.

We've used online shopping, with grocery pick-up, through all of this; which I love and plan on continuing doing. When I couldn't get items that I ordered, I found that it was okay and I'd just cook something else or make do with what I had.

My sister mentioned that now she may see something that would be nice to have and will think, "Nah.... I don't need that!"

I think many have learned that we can survive and make do with a whole lot less than what we were used to having.

Many people have learned how to simplify their lives and lead a slower lifestyle. Many have commented on how much they have enjoyed not being so busy and having more time at home with their families. They've enjoyed not always running here and there, from one appointment or activity to another.

Jon and I loved him working from home, having lunch together every day, getting to stay home without people thinking we were rude for not wanting to go places (we are both homebodies!), and leading a quiet lifestyle. It suited us both!

People learned that they could survive without restaurants, movie theaters, ballgames and sporting events, concerts, shopping sprees at the mall, and other activities. I find it a bit humorous that the biggest complaint that most seemed to have had was not getting their hair cut and/or colored! That seemed to have been more important than many other events or activities that were cancelled or closed.

My opinion.... we are a very spoiled nation! We are used to having conveniences and immediate gratification and everything at our fingertips and not having to wait. We are used to coming and going as we please, without anyone telling us otherwise. We are independent and don't need anyone to tell us what to do! So suddenly having the rug jerked out from underneath us was eye-opening. It made us realize that changes can happen very suddenly and there's very little we can do about it when it comes. We either adapt and make the best of the situation, or we become bitter and angry and defiant. Our reaction choice determines how much peace we will have in the midst of chaos.

We either choose to trust God and keep our eyes firmly fixed on Him; or we allow our circumstances and what others are saying to influence us and determine our level of peace and joy. We choose to believe that God is with us, in green pastures or in the valley of the shadow of death, and everywhere in between. We choose to believe that God is bigger than any virus or attack upon our family, community, church, or nation. When reality is that life is tough and changes are taking place that affect us and everything around us, we choose the joy of the Lord and allow the peace that surpasses all understanding to fill our heart and mind. What we focus on most is what will be biggest in our minds! We magnify the Lord and see Him become bigger than our situation; or we magnify our situation and see it become bigger than God, in our heart and mind.

I read a quote by Daniel Kolenda (Christ For All Nations): "The truth is, many quickly found that it's not a matter of life or death if we don't go out to dinner, see the latest blockbuster movie, or spring for that epic new jacket -- it won't make or break us. However, there is one thing we cannot live without under any circumstances and that is.... HOPE!"

As long as we rest in the hope that comes from Christ, then everything else will fall into place. It's when a person loses hope that they lose perspective and zest for life.

Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT says, "This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary."

In the midst of uncertainty, we can remain anchored in God's love, in His Word, and in Him. We don't have to be tossed to and fro by the winds that life brings against us, fearing the outcome of the storm. But we can be anchored in hope... anchored in knowing that God is the pilot of our life and always has us held securely in His arms.

I encourage you to read and study Philippians chapter 4. Here are just some truths that will make our lives stronger and better if we could truly understand and tenaciously hold onto them:

"Stand firm in the Lord!"

"Rejoice in the Lord always -- again I will say, 'Rejoice!'"

"Let your gentleness be known to all people. The Lord is near."

"Do not be anxious about anything -- but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ."

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable -- if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

"For whatever circumstances I am in, I have learned to be content. I know what it is to live with humble means, and I know what it is to live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment -- both to be filled and to go hungry, to have abundance and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

"My God will fulfill every need of yours according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus."

Hide the Word of God in your heart! Read it, study it, meditate on it. Know what God's Word says and apply it to your life personally. Let God's Word triumph over every situation. Whatever you are going through or feeling, find scriptures that will give you hope! Make God bigger than anything or anyone in your life!!

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

We truly are spoiled in the U.S. We see a situation where restaurants, bars, concerts, and churches are all told to close, and to prevent large gatherings of people in close quarters. And some people label it as persecution.

Seriously? Paul, Silas, and the other disciples were persecuted. They were imprisoned, beaten, and ultimately killed because they believed in Jesus.

And we label a situation where we miss out on all gatherings (including bars, concerts, conferences, and restaurants) as "persecution", even though it doesn't single out any group. That's spoiled.

We can hear about persecution today in the Middle East, India, China, and other countries. We feel sad, and feel bad for those who were tortured or killed. And for a few days we are thankful that we live in America, where we aren't being beaten or killed for our beliefs. Then we go back to relaxing, and put it out of our minds. That's spoiled.

We should be thankful every day that we live where we can openly use the word "Lord" on facebook without first making sure our account can't be traced back to ourselves. We should pray that The Lord keeps us safe, and keeps us focused on Him. We should pray we learn to praise Him in all situations without having to actually go through all of them. We need to be grateful all the time.

ON THE MENEWE:

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

Mix all of the sauces in a small bowl. Lightly salt chicken as you put it in the crock pot. Dump all of the other ingredients on top of the chicken. Cover and cook all day on low (6-8 hours) or on high (3-4 hours). Remove chicken and shred, then return to crock pot to coat well with sauce.

Serve on Hawaiian rolls for BBQ sliders, or on hamburger buns as sandwiches. Or -- just eat alone!

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

Last week I was mowing and as I was finishing up the front yard, I had this thought, "Mow your neighbor's front yard." These neighbors are in their mid to late 80s and their health has declined in the last couple years. She is bent over and has to use a walker. He has had some health issues and surgeries. But mowing is his thing! He takes great pride on his lawn looking nice and has always enjoyed mowing. Jon and I have joked (although it is mostly true!) throughout the years that he mows twice a week. So I wasn't sure if he would appreciate me mowing his front yard for him, or if he would prefer to do it himself and not want me doing it. Jon came outside to mow the ditches for me, and when he was finished, I told him what had come to mind and asked if he would want to run over and ask if they would want me to mow their front yard.

Unbeknown to us, this man has been having problems with his shoulder and can't drive for a while and is supposed to be taking it easy. When Jon asked about me mowing, he was absolutely thrilled! They don't have a lot to mow in front, and it really didn't take me very long.

Here's the thing: I didn't know that this man had hurt his shoulder and needed someone to mow for him; but God did! So God gave me this nudge and whispered in my ear, to go lend a helping hand. It blessed both me and this couple!

So when you feel those "God-nudges", don't ignore them! Respond and see how God blesses others through you. And there will be times when God may nudge someone to help you, and you are the receivers and benefit from someone's obedience to lend a helping hand.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Faith is not hoping that God can. It is knowing that He will. - TobyMac

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org