Spreading the Word Throughout the World

   Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2:13-14, New Living Translation)

This past Thursday night, we celebrated the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Shepherds tending their flocks at night, all those years ago, were the first to hear the news of this miraculous event.

All this month, I’ve been imagining how much different the birth of Jesus would have been during a pandemic. As you all have been aware, the coronavirus has not slowed down the spread of news.

Had Jesus been born in the year 2020, His arrival would have been on everyone’s Facebook page, it would have been tweeted on Twitter and broadcasted on Instagram. Just as at the time of the first Christmas, people would be skeptical. There would be unbelievers. There would be those like King Herod who would even try to kill the baby boy. But no one can deny that we all would have seen the news of what had just taken place in that humble home in Bethlehem.

Here’s the thing – whether Jesus was born over two thousand years ago or just a few days ago, you know about it. Now what are you going to do about? Sing praises to God like the angels did? Spread the word like the shepherds did? Share your belief in God’s Son on your social media?

Thank You, God, Heavenly Father, for sending Your Son into this world to save us from our sins. May Your Holy Spirit grant us the means to spread the word. Amen. 

 

2020 Christmas Letter, Part 3

Since tomorrow is Christmas Eve, I should be posting a blog about that blessed event we celebrate this time of year. Then I realized shortly after finishing up my Christmas letter last Wednesday that I had forgotten something else that happened this year. No big deal. No one cares. Then there was another thing and another and yet another, so I thought I should bite the bullet and backtrack.

I’d written a novella a year or two ago and had sent it to a few places to be published. I didn’t get a nibble, so the first of March, I thought I would try self-publishing it as an e-book only on Amazon.com. It went pretty smoothly, and even though I didn’t sell many, it didn’t cost me a thing and was way less time consuming than slaving away at finding someone to publish it for me. I continue to question the whole publishing business and ponder why I write and who I write for – for a score of paying fans or for myself. I have yet to figure that out, but in the meantime, I continue to write what I can when I can.

I’ve had a vegetable garden ever since moving into this house thirty years ago. Some years more so than others. The last few years, no doubt mostly due to my own neglect, the garden hadn’t been producing much. So early this past spring, we downsized it and put in raised beds. I was pretty pleased with the results.

In June, the kids put up a new garden shed for us. So perhaps my plants just grew so well because they felt they had a big brother watching out for them. Or, more likely, I actually fertilized and put down garden fabric to hold the weeds at bay.

 

The same weekend as the shed construction, my sister and I rented a cabin at a resort just north of here. It didn’t work out as hoped – my sister couldn’t stay as long as she wanted to and I didn’t get done as much writing as I would have liked. But the weather was beautiful and I talked my daughter into joining me one night.  

I think I already wrote about everything else worth mentioning. Except for my most recent overnight trip with my daughter to my son’s the first part of November. The weather was absolutely gorgeous – for that time of year – and we discovered this fascinating place. I haven’t blogged about it yet, so you’ll have to watch for that whole story come the new year.

And now I promise, that’s all, Folks. Chris 

Caring During a Crisis

   I have seen what they have done, but I will heal them. I will guide them and comfort them and those who felt sad for them. (Isaiah 57:18, New Century Version)

We’ve followed Mary and Joseph on their journey to Bethlehem and seen them given safe shelter. We picture Mary and Joseph alone now as she delivers her Son. Of all the scenes of that first Christmas that I have the most trouble with it would be this one. There is no doubt in my mind that Mary was surrounded by loving women, probably relatives of Joseph. In fact, we already know from earlier in the book of Luke that her cousin Elizabeth lived in the area.

   Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the hills of Judea. She came to Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn baby inside her jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:39-41, New Century Version)

Nope, Jesus was not born in the company of only his earthly mother and father and various farm animals. He was welcomed into this world by a bevy of women. But what if he had come into this world during the pandemic of 2020?

I believe most maternity wards are still generally fully staffed, and that fathers are still allowed in the delivery room. But what about the grandmothers and grandfathers and other relatives sitting at home, in isolation, only getting pictures and videos of these newborns. Many of them have still not held their precious grandchildren.

Anyone hospitalized for any reason has been in the same boat all year. When my mother-in-law had her hip surgery in October, resulting in a few hours in ICU before she passed away, only one family member - my husband as he was closest to the hospital at the time - was allowed at her bedside to say good-bye. No one had been allowed to see her before she went into surgery.

The saddest though, I think, are our dear nursing home residents. Even before the pandemic, their daily lives often consisted of hours of staring at a TV screen or the ceiling above their beds. The brightest moments for them were those visits from loved ones, the hugs, the hand-holding, the sneaking in of treats. This year, they can only see their loved ones through their windows or via their cellphones or I-pads, if they have one and are cognizant enough to use one. Very sad times for sure.

Lord, God, be with families and friends who are in need of a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on. Give them strength and hope to get through these times. Amen.

Two of the residents at the nursing home I visited in Ayacucho, Peru in 2009.

 

2020 Christmas Letter, part 2

 Last Friday, I shared with you how the first six months of 2020 went for me. Here’s the rest of the story.

I suppose one of the brightest spots of the year was that the first part of July, I self-published my novel, “The Truth Beyond the River”, on Amazon.com. If you haven’t read it, now’s the time. You can buy it as an e-book or paperback by clicking here. Or shoot me a message and I’ll get one in the mail to you.

The weekend after the Fourth of July, we’ve attended Lifest Christian music festival for many years. This year, as you may have guessed, it was canceled.

Camping in Michigan’s UP, however, was not. Unfortunately, all of the museums and other indoor places of interest were closed. The Upper Peninsula is all about the outdoors, though, and we enjoyed a lot of that. Unfortunately, the morning of our last full day of camping, I woke with a kidney stone. We packed up – okay, Hubby packed up while I writhed in pain and we headed home a day early. After all, this is the year 2020, when very few things are going to go smoothly.

I had another week’s vacation in August. We had a quiet week, working around the house. Then I spent one afternoon with a former co-worker taking a walk around a park in town.

Another day, Hubby and drove to the southern part of the state where we met up with his brother and sister-in-law for lunch, outside, of course.

But the most exciting thing that week was the addition of two fur babies to the family. Emma and Gizmo, who are a whole letter of stories by themselves, but that is for another time.

Then September dawned, as did the reality of the pandemic in my little corner of the world. Though the number of positive cases was going up, school started, with many modifications. With all the changes Hubby had to make just on his bus, I can’t imagine what it’s like for those teachers in their classrooms.

His brother and sister-in-law did come up for one weekend and we visited Timm’s Hill, the highest point in our state.  

For some time, we had planned on a family vacation at a cabin up north for the end of September. We did discuss canceling it but decided that the risk was low as we had mostly outdoor activities planned and very little contact with other people. (I’ve just finished blogging about that here, so I’m sure it’s fresh in your memory.)

One of the reasons we took that family vacation when we did was because I had asked for that week off nearly a year ago. A friend and I had signed up for a volunteer trip to Cambodia this fall, which like so much else, did not happen. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we can go next September.

But all of the bad things which had happened this year up to that point paled with the events of early October. Hubby’s mom fell down her basement stairs on the 8^th and broke her hip. They took her to surgery the next day, but she never recovered from it, passing away later that evening.

What more can I add to that? It’s been a sucky year. The final bright spot I’ll share is that two weeks ago, Hubby and I bought a new (used for us) camping trailer. At least if this pandemic continues to drag on, we can take off and go camping somewhere in comfort.

Wishing you all a safe and healthy Christmas with dreams for a brighter New Year. 

God bless. Chris  

The Great Finale - Blog post #9 from the family vacation

I have finally arrived at my last post from our family vacation up north at the end of September.

 Tuesday, our last day at the cabin, after another day of hiking and driving around and walking the streets of the small towns we visited, the kids and I returned to the cabin for our last night there. My son, daughter, and son-in-law were all ready to call it a day. I had one last place I wanted to explore, and since none of them were up for it, I hiked to the top of Whitecap Mountain on my own, just as the sun came out in the late afternoon. 

 The views! There are no words to describe the views. 360 degrees of views.

 I think the leaves were at their peak color. Or at least, I can barely imagine them being more vibrant. 

 Weber Lake, the lake our cabin was on.

With Lake Superior far in the distance.

 

Unfortunately, it was late in the day. And I still had to climb down off the mountain and find my way back to the cabin. 

 Down one of the ski hills. Not perhaps the safest route. Who knew there would be standing water on the side of a mountain? And how safe is a barbwire fence at the side of the bottom of a ski run?

 I made it back in plenty of time for supper. Can’t wait for the next adventure!

Housing During Hard Times

   Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. (Isaiah 58:7, New Living Translation)

As you all know, when Joseph and Mary finally arrived in Bethlehem, shortly before she was due to deliver, there was “no room at the inn”. I think – I hope – many of us realize that doesn’t mean what we used to think it means. That “inn” was probably the inner room or guest room, which was already occupied by guests. So, the owner of the home put Mary and Joseph up in the just-as-comfortable lower level where the animals were usually kept. I just read an article that hypothesized that when the pregnant Mary was ready to deliver, that the animals were probably removed. I hadn’t thought of that until now, but it makes sense.

   And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:7, New King James Version)

But here we are in 2020 and other than this being the Christmas story, how do these events relate to where we are right now.

Have you invited anyone over lately? Other than maybe your closest and most trusted friends and relatives? Did you have a bunch of people over for Thanksgiving? Planning on having a house party over the Christmas holiday? No, I hope not. We are still in the midst of a pandemic, so you better not have guests in your house.

Hospitality was a vital part of the Middle Eastern culture during Jesus’s life, and it still is. Here in America, I don’t know that we have ever been as welcoming to strangers, but if we have the room, we invite people over to spend the night, don’t we? Not right now we don’t.

Which is so sad. We need human contact. It’s one of our most vital needs, after food, water and oxygen.

So what are we supposed to do when a pandemic keeps us apart? Call, e-mail, text, mail out Christmas cards – I know, people have been cutting back on sending cards in recent years, but maybe this year it would be a good idea. No matter what you do, don’t feel that you have been turned out in the cold, with no place to lay your head. Reach out. There is room in someone’s home, if not physically, then emotionally.

Lord, God, just like you got Mary and Joseph to a place of warmth and safety, get us through this pandemic and back to times when we can gather together in love. Amen.  

Outside of the nursing home we visited in Ayacucho, Peru in 2009. 

 

2020 Christmas Letter, part 1

      I had planned on spending Fridays in December composing and posting my annual Christmas letter. Then suddenly here we are, two weeks until Christmas and I haven’t really started this thing. Instead of a rambling rendition of my year, you’ll get it crammed into two issues now.

The first of January began with our family Christmas gathering at our house. How could we have ever guessed that it would be the last time we’d all ever be together.

Of course, January was taken up with the first rumors of this new virus which had ravaged a city in China. You know the stories, the facts, the spread, so I won’t repeat any of it here. Except to say that we effectively shut down around my state towards the beginning, and then – well, here we are, today, with some of the highest rates in the country. I wish I could leave the whole pandemic here and not mention it in this letter again, but I’m afraid that the coronavirus did consume our year.

On February 5, Hubby called me at the clinic to say he had fallen on the ice at work and thought he broke his arm, could I get him in for an x-ray. I thought he was being dramatic, until I saw that x-ray. Yikes! He had surgery two days later.

The weekend of February 22, with Hubby’s arm in a sling, we drove down for an overnight at our son’s. For the middle of winter, the weather was stellar and we had a nice visit.

When Hubby went back to his surgeon for a repeat x-ray on March 23, instead of being turned lose with a healed arm, he was told he needed another surgery, the screw they put in hadn’t held and they needed to put in a metal plate. Needless to say, he was devasted.

As would turn out with all holidays this year, Easter came and went, without seeing the family. Good thing there were no travel plans, because nine inches of snow fell throughout that day. Winter hadn’t been too bad up to that point, but it suddenly seemed to want to hang on.

The next day, April 13, we bought a new truck. Ok, hardly new as it is a 2011 with close to 100,00 miles on it. But a solid four-wheel drive in great condition. We’ve been looking for quite a while, and this bad boy was exactly what we were looking for.

Thanks to the pandemic, we had to cancel our spring vacation which had been planned for later in April. We decided that was all for the best, as Hubby’s arm was still in a sling and the weather was still pretty cold out.

We did take a drive to Spirit Falls the end of that week.

And another ride to Manitowish Waters the following week. I remember that day clearly as we heard on the radio that we had the first reported case of COVID19 in our county. It had felt up to that point like we would be able to hold the whole pandemic at bay where we live in the sheltered Northwoods, but we could only imagine what we were in store for.

The end of May, Hubby finally got the all clear from his surgeon to return to work. He drives school bus, and since school had been closed for months due to the pandemic, he didn’t have any work to return to. His checks just flipped from work comp to a much heftier unemployment.

The second weekend of June, we took the new truck (and old camper, of course) camping to Lake of the Falls. Beautiful area which I’ve visited a lot, but never camped at. Nice weekend, but cold sleeping in a popup trailer with no heat. Oh, but if only I knew then that it would be the last time we’d have to deal with cold June nights while camping!

But that’s it for this week. A few teasers in this post to bring you back next Friday to see what the second half of 2020 brought our way.

The Best of Bessemer and Hurley – Blog post #9 from the family vacation

     I think I only have two more posts to share from our family vacation this past fall. The first one covers two of the towns we briefly visited on our last full day up north.

     Bessemer, Michigan is probably best known for being the home of Big Powderhorn ski resort. I know it best for being where the road to Black River Harbor starts out. That last Tuesday in September, we didn’t have time for either one. We did take a side trip to the Black River, though.    

    Then, while my kids were visiting with someone, I snapped a few random shots of the streets of Bessemer 

 

     Every town has its own little places of interest.  

    And fascinating old buildings.

    

     Next stop was back in Hurley, Wisconsin. Once a booming mining town, Hurley’s claim to fame, back in the day, had always been its houses of ill-repute.  

     I couldn’t say that I passed any of those establishments on my brief walk along its brief streets.    

     But I bet these walls do have stories to tell.  

     And no matter where a person goes in this part of the country, you can find beauty.

  Whether in nature. 

   Or man-made.