Grateful for another year

My 62nd birthday is coming to a close. Gratitude overflows my heart. I am blessed beyond measure and beyond anything I could ever deserve. It is with awesome wonder that I consider the greatness of God and His love for all His creation, including people, including me, unworthy as I am apart from His grace.

I don't think I realized the extent to March 11, 2020, was the official start of the pandemic for much of the United States, including most of the people I know. This year, March 11 was mentioned over and over as that anniversary date. That's when the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball game's start was delayed and ultimately canceled, sending fans home, because of a positive Covid test by one of the visiting team's players. Before the night was over, all NBA games were canceled, and it wasn't long before cancellations became a way of life that continued for the rest of the year and into 2021.

Today, as Covid vaccines are available and more and more people are getting vaccinated (although I have not, as I'm still not in an eligible category), there is a sense of life returning to normal. We are not there yet. When my husband and I went shopping and then out to dinner this afternoon and evening, we wore masks. The restaurant still had tables not being used, to maintain social distancing. But those are great improvements from much of April through summer last year, when many businesses closed their doors at least temporarily. 

I'm not sure where I'm going with this post. It's one of those where I want to mark the moment, but won't take time to find all the words I would like to express. 

Perhaps what I'm trying to convey a sense of hope and gratitude and faith. 

The Lent photo challenge word for today was #healed. I considered waiting until tomorrow to worry about posting anything with that hashtag, but instead I added it to the birthday thank-you post on social media that included a picture of the dozen yellow roses from my husband, a birthday tradition for which I am grateful. 

The thank-you was for the kind words of more than 100 friends, family members and acquaintances. Those greetings -- along with so much love from my husband and so many hopeful signs a year after this pandemic became real for most of us -- seem to be telling me we don't have to wait until all of the ills and ailments of the world are #healed to experience moments of joy and wholeness. 

Each act of kindness and service, no matter how big or small, makes a difference, especially when it is done as a response to God's great love.

Grateful for the (photo) challenge

God continues to work in wonderful ways through the photo-a-day challenge, this time for Lent.

After writing my "catch-up" blog post Tuesday, which mentioned that I still had not posted a photo for Monday or Tuesday, I did post a photo that worked for both words: #thanks and #endures. When I returned to my computer Wednesday morning, I saw that I didn't save the blog entry, which meant it did not post. 

Yesterday -- Wednesday -- was perhaps the first time on a photo challenge that I knew before the day started what I wanted to post to depict the word, #gathered. It was the group of masked choir members practicing for the first time in more than a year. It felt good to be able to sing and then to share the photo. 

Another blessing related to the photo challenge is the weekly Zoom meeting to discuss the words and images and a Scripture with others. That happened today. I am grateful for this time. 

Today's word is #healed. There are many directions I could go with that word. I'm praying for God's guidance, curious to see where He leads.

Oh my!

 I just noticed I have not posted since Feb. 28. It's March 9. I usually try to post at least once a week.

It's interesting that I knew I was struggling to keep up with the Lent Photo-A-Day Challenge. During the Advent challenge, I used the blog to narrate my struggles to post. I haven't even done that for Lent.

I caught up on three days of the Lent challenge on Sunday, and now I still haven't posted for Monday (thanks) or today (endures). The words are not inspiring visual images for me, even as I read Scripture or pray for guidance. 

And yet, I often feel a sense of satisfaction when I do find something to post. 

That's true even when it seems like quite a stretch to make the image fit the word.

And still it's hard for me to just post something -- anything -- and be done with it. 

Today, I can certainly give #thanks, once again, that morning by morning new mercies I see. Especially after I struggled, for various reasons, to see God's mercies and graces yesterday, even as I knew they were there. 

(And when I came back to my computer, I saw that I did not post this March 9. And now I really need to update it, with positive outcomes!)

 

So much for finishing well

February was full of ups and downs. As usual, the last day of this short month snuck up on me. I feel like I have a ton of unfinished business. 

It’s odd how knowing that tomorrow is the start of a new month makes it harder for me to blow off today’s Lent photo challenge. The word, as it is each Sunday during Lent, is #celebrate. Last week, I was excited to see that #celebrate would be the Sunday word each week. Tonight, the images I think of posting don’t seem spiritual enough. That’s a pretty sure sign I’m not trusting God. 

I went through a version of this yesterday, which my picture for #rise was a puzzle I stayed up until 1:30 a.m. to finish, making it hard to get up the next morning. 

That was along a string of photo posts that “seem” too light-hearted.

As I’ve said, when I don’t think things are “right” or “good enough,” it’s a sign I’m not trusting God. I prayed. Now I need to trust. 

I need to trust God with all my loose ends, unfulfilled intentions and uncharted plans. And now my phone is acting weird, so I’m gonna post this as-is. Maybe I can come back in to edit it. Or not. 

Maybe I’ll fix it when I log on to my computer tomorrow. I’m done with this for now. 

Thank You, God, for mercy, love and grace that reminds me even this is OK. 

Photo challenges

This Lenten photo challenge is really causing me to struggle. Overall, so far,  I’m much less pleased with the images I’ve posted compared to those I posted during the Advent challenge. 

In December, even when I had doubts about the photos I selected to post, I invariably discovered the meaning not long afterward. The result was a sense of wonder at how God was showing me unexpected things. 

As of day 8 of the Lent challenge, I just now finally posted something for Day 7, when the word was #name. I have no idea what or when I will post for today’s word, #everlasting. 

For #name, I went with the illustration Renee did for my card on my last day at work in 2016. The idea I was striving for was connecting name to identity. The artwork includes kitties, a mustang convertible, a Texas A&M flag and a United Methodist cross & flame, among other images and symbols. 

I’m still overthinking some. I’m trying to find inspiration in my Bible reading, which I also am behind on. Even as I feel like I am struggling, I’m glad I haven’t given up. I still think God will be revealing something I need to know through this discipline. 

Last night, I think it was good for me to let the day end without posting. However, I did not like when after 10 tonight it seemed like I might go a second day without posting. I’m grateful an idea finally came that seemed worth posting. 

I also take heart in knowing some in our group haven’t posted at all or haven’t posted much. And some have posted images that truly amaze and inspire me. 

I’m getting to see what it feels like to just do what I can and move on. For tonight, I am grateful.

Soon I hope to share the rest of this story ...

 https://www.bassmaster.com/don-barone/why-we-fish-legacy?fbclid=IwAR2jUtXKTWPFcJIfzPpVD4JmaOzItrSmfSl3IwbAfPGys2AffdZ2H8A76Ak

#living -- Day 2 Lent photo challenge

 Lent photo challenge day 2: #living. #goodrichlent2021 #rethinkchurch

As I commented on my Facebook post, this one felt kinda like cheating, because it's a video I originally recorded and shared in January. But it expresses well the source and the experience of life worth living. 

 

(I'm seeing that the videos I share from my YouTube aren't visible from my iPhone. They show up on my desktop computer. I have no idea whether anyone else can view them. Someday maybe I will figure this out. This would be a video of my singing the first verse and chorus of "Since Jesus Came Into My Heart.")