The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same

This is not your everything is changing, COVID-19 blog. No, things really do stay the same. Yes, you are still you and I am still me. Our names have not changed, our birthdays are still the same, and you probably still have a favorite ice cream. My favorites are butter pecan, mint chocolate chip, and cookie dough. I know I said favorite but it's hard to just have one favorite ice cream!

So, back to change and things staying the same. I know that COVID is causing radical change, but it doesn't mean everything has permanently changed.

Christmas is December 25 just like it has always been. Christmas Eve is December 24. You love your family and so do I. Grass goes dormant in the wintertime. The sky is still blue. Mondays are still tough days to get moving into. Time still works as it has worked and there are 60 minutes in an hour. This is beginning to sound ridiculous, but truth can be that way. Simplicity can be rather mundane, and it is.

So, the world is changing all around you and me, every day. But the things that last are eternal. Let me mention the most unchanging thing in life: It is love. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Cor. 13:7). I pray that the unchanging power of love will continue to empower you to be who you were created to be. I hope that same love will empower you to care and love those in your circles. I wish you the unchanging deep love of God will fill your greatest void and your deepest yearnings. Finally, I hope that this blog will remind you that you are unique, gifted, and sometimes you don't need to change. Just keep being the good, loving, and kind person that you choose to be.

Home Base: Peace, Comfort, Serenity

I wish I had a dollar for every time I have been asked the following question: Do you mean that you drive back and forth from Columbia to Charleston? Simple answer: Yes. More complex answer, I love HOME. Home is where the heart is. So trite yet so true. I love going home. It's home base. It's where my people live and where my loved ones need me and I need them.

I am writing about HOME. It's a physical space and a spiritual space. Home in the Midlands has been such a blessing these past 22 years . Hard to believe I moved, with my family, to Columbia in 1999. There is Lake Murray, there is open space. There is deep tradition and community. There is less transitional movement of residents than some places I have lived. There are interstates; lots of them: I-26 and I-20 and I-77 and I-95 not far away.. Access to the mountains and the beach is 2 hours each way. It's the hub of the Palmetto State.

So, going home after work has been my want and my desire. It gets me away. It takes me to a place of comfort and grace. It almost feels like church. You know, that feeling of peace, fellowship, stillness that is priceless. That sense of contentment that can't be bought.

The sunny and warm to hot weather doesn't hurt either. I believe the number of sunny days each calendar year is calculated on the high side. It's seasonal: beautiful falls and springs, short moderate winters, and hot summers; famously hot as the slogan goes. Most importantly home is that destination where I can slow down, dial back life's RPMs, and catch my breath. Home is a place but it is also a state of mind. May you and I have that special place called home, even amidst the challenges of work, parenting, grandparenting, raking leaves and cutting grass, and doing chores around the house. Home is where God dwells. May God's goodness fill your home with all that you need. So, going home is a good thing. Home. It's right here. Amen.

The Long Way Home

Supertramp’s 1979 album titled, “Breakfast in America” was a smashing success. I saw them in concert. One of the singles from the album is titled, “Long Way Home.” Both the album and this song are beyond good. Give them a listen if you are not familiar with them. I promise you won’t be let down.

Today is my 40th high school reunion, being held in Wayne, PA, not far from King of Prussia where Upper Merion HS is located. Forty years. Hard to believe. I won’t be there but you can bet that my fellow students are on my mind.

Two days ago, I took the long way home to Columbia from Charleston. I took the back roads. They were less congested on Thanksgiving Eve. Plus, the farmland filled with post-harvested cotton, pecans, and peanuts are brilliantly colorful and grand. I am never disappointed.

On my way home and since, I pondered the term, “long way home.” Isn’t that a good summary of life? For me, finding my faith in God has been the most profound journey. I found my way to the LORD and have never turned back. Even so, life has a way of making days and weeks and months of what should be shorter and briefer experiences. Instead, through the “will of God,” “human free will,” and good and bad choices it is not hard to get off the right path. Sometimes it takes awhile to find a better, more level, easier path. The backroads can be bumpy and more dangerous, especially the two-lane ones where trucks are traveling with cut lumber carefully tied to the flatbed.

So, slowing down to ponder the “long way home” may be worth one’s time and my time. I think so. I think of what if’s, what could be, what should have been, what might be, etc. The list could go on and on. Yet, life is a journey. It is the long way home.

The long way can be filled with great joy and devastating heartbreak. The long way home may be the arduous journey of finishing high school, a graduate degree, or waiting on a much-needed trip overseas. The long way home can be the death of a dearly loved one, job loss, home loss, or even death of a beloved pet. The long way home may be long, but I know firsthand, that the road is never monochrome. For me the colors of life are bright, full of life, even in the darkest of days. For the human being, you and me, is so full of creativity, goodness, love, and mercy. Humans help humans on the long road home. We offer a meal, a friendly email, a long-needed phone call, or even a word of apology.

So, Supertramp says, “take the long way home.” For me, I would not want it any other way.

"COVID-19, Grief, and Golden Leaves"

Reds, Yellows, Golden leaves fall from tree limbs, ever so delicately, moved by the light wind in a South Carolina fall morning.

Grief. Loss. Yes, so real.

COVID has happened and continues.

People have died.

Lives have changed. Churches have changed. Work has changed.

Leaves shined upon by the bright morning eastern sun.

Light from God, even in the darkest of times. Times of loss, change, major interruptions. Plans diverted.

Family and children are in spin cycle. Masks. Vaccines. Who says so?

Light bursts through the garnet and orange leaves. Light breaks forth. The grass knows that growth will halt for a time and a season. Halt.

Lives stopped. Plane flights cancelled. Loved ones critically ill.

Golden. Yes, Golden. Color as bright as ever possible. Bright.

Hope. Hope is there. In my soul. In your soul. Even as loss is all around.

Hope is Golden. May it shine ever so brightly and golden today for you and me.

Corona Chronicles VIII: "It's Not Over: Facing a New Round of COVID-19"

I wish it were not so. I really hoped and believed that the numbers of COVID positives and deaths would be declining and not increasing, but that is not so. I was like many who hoped a “must wear a mask” policy would be gone--soon! I was hoping that innocent and good people were no longer dying from the effects of COVID-19. I can still hope. But, before that hope becomes reality there appears to be another challenge and phase of the pandemic that is squarely facing all of us, in the USA and around the world.

In the book of Isaiah 40:31, the prophet talks about walking and not fainting. He was talking about going onward even as we face challenges in life. Some are battling cancer. Some are battling COVID-19. Some have had stroke happen. Some need knee surgery. Some have children who need daily medical care due to chronic illness. We all have our paths and walks. We each have a journey. Yours is yours. Mine in mine. Yet, we all need each other. 

Sometimes we need help from a friend, physician, counselor, lawyer, painter, car mechanic and the list goes on. It’s a community. Communities and countries suffer. Just look at what is happening in Haiti and Afghanistan. Just look in the mirror and across the street. We all have needs. Sometimes we need an extra push, more inspiration, more energy to face a task or challenge we didn’t see coming. What can we do to go onward and upward to a life of joy, satisfaction, peace, and wholeness. I have three fast ideas. Number 1: Be good to yourself. Take inventory of your needs, wishes, and hopes. Take time to follow your dreams and hopes. Be mindful that grief is normal for all, including the loss caused by COVID-19. Feel the losses. Grieve. Feel. Look inward and find ways to flesh out the feelings and thoughts. Sometimes, a counselor can help us do that. Number 2: Let this time of great challenge be a time to grow spiritually and religiously. Use your faith to grow, change, find comfort, and find peace. Make plans for spiritual growth. Talk to those who are spiritual and religious. Find a group that will help you live thoughtfully, peacefully, on purpose and on mission. Number 3: Think about your season of life. Are you in a growing season? A fallow-ground season? A rainy season? A joyful season? A bountiful season? There are times in life when we transition and grow. What is your season? It is good to pay attention to growth transitions. For me those seasons happened at varying times. Some seasons for me included: Leaving home at 18; having my first child; graduating from seminary; getting laid off as a prison chaplain in 2001; my parents dying; and the list goes on. 

A closing prayer: Gracious God, be with all of us in this unexpected and seemingly unending season of COVID-19. Help us to walk and not faint. May your will be done. Amen.

Corona Chronicles VII

I was hanging out with four of the coolest Millennials last night and they let me share some of my best work and life advice for them. So, as the news of declining pandemic deaths continues, there is the desire for many to let go of what is unneeded and live boldly and fully into the present and future. COVID-19 restrictions are being lifted and it's summertime. It's a new normal and hopefully we have all learned some valuable lessons for life going forward. As such, I wanted to share 10 ideas for Millennials (and others) who may be looking for simple, yet helpful suggestions for daily life and work:

1. Put God first.

2. Don't worry about what others are doing. Keep your eyes on yourself and your goals and your life. Don't worry about what others may or may not be doing.

3. Learn about your gifts, DNA, makeup, and personality. They will help you find your passion. Work will be a joy when it is matched with passion and giftedness.

4. Never forget your family. You need them and they need you.

5. Be humble.

6. When fishing, don't use shad to catch bream. Life requires the right tackle, fishing spot, time of day, tide, and moon phase.

7. Be true to yourself.

8. Live within your means and your income.

9. Seek professional counsel when needed. Everyone needs a good physician, pastor, plumber, attorney, and painter.

10. Carpe Diem. Live every day to the fullest. Live in the moment. Write your goals down. Live today. It's all you ever have.

My eBook of 31 Daily Prayers: Written for First Responders

 First Responders: EMS, Police, Fire, Law Enforcement Officers

My eBook "31 Daily Prayers for Health Care Workers: Comfort and Inspiration During COVID-19" was written for you, too. Each day there is a prayer and an accompanying picture, that I took, to inspire, comfort, and spiritually encourage you in your daily work. This eBook had you in mind as you provide emergent, sacrificial, and timely care for those needing immediate care services.

It is available via Kindle and Amazon. Bless you in the work that you do for others. I hope this eBook of 31 daily prayers provides you with some much deserved brief, self-care for your professional and personal life.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091J8R11Y

Corona Chronicles VI: Hope Is Rising

Good Friday, April 2, 2021

Columbia, South Carolina

It has been a long year. I started my daily prayers for health care workers and first responders on March 23, 2020. That is the day I mark as the beginning of my own Covid-19 experience. Of course, the virus was already active and had begun to really impact New York City and other areas of the USA well before then. As we passed the one-year anniversary of Covid-19 in late March 2021 I was becoming more hopeful as the vaccine had begun to be rolled out in the USA. I felt hopeful even as I was fortunate to take the Pfizer vaccine, double shot, one in December 2020 and the follow up in January 2021. Yes, hope was rising and continues to rise.

It is Easter weekend. Today is Good Friday. Thankfully, I have some time off from work and I have time to pen this sixth edition of the Corona Chronicles. Here are some reflections of my own experience and struggle through the daily grind of the pandemic.

1. I have not liked having to wear a mask each day, at work, in the community when shopping, etc. It has been a great adjustment keeping one handy as I travel about. Yet, the mask is a lifesaver and has probably been one of the keys to sustained health for me. So, I press on with its use, hoping that one day I can get back to a place where I do not wear it. On a side note, I believe the mask has helped me and others stay safe from other respiratory viruses too. Wearing the mask naturally keeps airborne germs from being passed from one to another. All these precautions are not fail-safe, nor 100% effective, but I do believe they have kept many of us safe.

2. One day at a time. Yes, I am learning to live one day at a time. Staying with the daily tasks. Enjoying each day. Knowing that God is with me and I am with God in my daily work, grind, life.

3. One brick at a time. One task builds on another task. Life has been simplified for me, even more than in the past. One day’s accomplishment leads to another day and then another day, and then goal accomplishment.

4. People have died. I know many, many people who have died from Covid-19. Some were known from my work experiences and some from my personal life. All lives matter. It has been very, very sad to see. Grief is real. This past month, March 2021, my own mother died, and my aunt died in 2020. I do not believe that either one died from the effects of Covid-19, yet it has been a tough year. You know people who have died from Covid-19. All of us are grieving in our own way. I am trying to find ways to let myself actually “feel” and fully experience the losses. It means slowing down and letting all the feelings and experiences settle into my mind and soul. I hope you will do the same. We all grieve in our own ways and we also cope in our own ways. May God’s grace be with you as you go through your grief. I know I need God’s grace, now more than ever.

5. Hope is rising. The vaccine is helping communities to move toward herd immunity, one day at a time. School districts are talking about students getting more fully active in the classrooms again. Parents are hopefully feeling some sense of hope that the worst could be over. Businesses and owners and workers have endured great loss and suffering, and they are seeing signs that life may come back to a new normal, sooner than later. Families are gathering more. Grandparents are maybe seeing the grandkids more. Fear is declining and hope is rising, for the most part. These are my perceptions. I hope you are feeling hopeful, too.

Finally, Easter is upon us. For some Passover is too. Some are not religious. Some are spiritual. Some are neither spiritual nor religious. I pray that all who read this will find hope in their lives. For me, hope is rooted in my faith, in my loving family and friend connections, and in my purpose and mission on this earth. I am grateful for health and wellness, too. Without physical wellness we can experience pain, suffering, and losses. I am also thankful for emotional wellness and spiritual wellness. Of course, I have room to grow in all areas, but I believe hope is rising in my soul. I hope it is rising in yours. Let us keep an eye out for those who may be losing hope or even lost hope due to the pandemic. Needs are everywhere. May we see ourselves in the “least of these” on this fragile, fertile earth that we inhabit. May we realize that health and wellness can be lost and gained ever so easily and unexpectedly. May hope rise in your heart, now and going forward. For all these things, I hope and I pray, amen.

Corona Chronicles - Part V

The year's end cries out for at least some brief thoughts about 2020 in part V of the Corona Chronicles. Here it goes.

I have loved the group texts that my most immediate family has been having the past 10 months as the pandemic began and progressed. In my opinion, these group conversations about the virus, the general election, holidays, COVID tests, and work conversations have drawn me closer to my kids, grandkids, and extended family, now more than ever. So, I am thankful for the closeness that the virus has generated. It's a silver lining of a grey cloud.

I miss attending church in person but the live and taped services from my church have been quite a blessing. It has helped me and the larger church remember that the people are the living Church, and conversely, the building is not the living Church. I have been able to watch the services live, taped, 5 days later, etc. It has pushed the gospel more outward and less inward. This has been a silver lining during the grey cloud of the pandemic.

My faith got tested during this pandemic. The test is not over but my faith is stronger than ever. The pandemic took the air out of most of us at some point. Yet, God's Spirit walks and inspires and encourages me. I go into 2021 stronger even as the pandemic continues the test it has for me. A stronger faith is a silver lining of the grey cloud of the pandemic.

From John Milton's "Comus: A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634:"

I see ye visibly, and now believe

That he, the Supreme Good, to whom all things ill

Are but as slavish officers of vengeance,

Would send a glistening guardian, if need were

To keep my life and honor unassailed.

Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud

Turn forth her silver lining on the night?

I did not err; there does a sable cloud

Turn forth her silver lining on the night,

And casts a gleam over this tufted grove.

And, finally, from the Gospel of John 1:5: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Amen.