Daze 5: Home Bound or Homebound?

This morning I was going to write about Korona Kids. Maybe tomorrow. But instead, it seems like life with this virus pops its head in and out of so many of my thoughts. So I began thinking about being home bound, here in our quarantined environment, here in our lovely home, here in my aging body, here in my hungry heart for it to be over. I don't really mind that I can't go out. I love the daily schedule with our grandsons coming over from across the street, every morning like clockwork, to play Catan with me. They are so competitive! I'm exhausted when they leave! But it's nice having a solid piece planned in our mishmash of a daily schedule.

Besides, I don't think it's really that I can't go out but rather that I get to stay at home. Think about that--two different lenses through which to view it all. I can either view that I get to stay home and am free from outside obligations, or that I'm restrained from doing what I want and think I should be able to do. So today, I choose the first lens.

I think the same is true of my view of God's goodness in our present circumstances. As my friend Paul Petrie once said--I can either view my circumstances with God as my filter OR I can view God with my circumstances as my filter. I don't want to see all this as my choice. I know God is good and will work this out for more good than I can presently imagine. 

Meanwhile, I'll write about it. So here's today's poem, Homebound, and some important truths from 2 Corinthians 4: 7-9: But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
 

Homebound

My life is feeling home bound—

I can’t leave home or land.

No shopping, meetings, traveling

            No lunches with a friend.

So what will be the outcome,

            Of this waiting without end?

My body too is home bound.

            It’s moving less and less.

Now I can’t bend down and get stuff,

            Even clean up a small mess.

One day it will be over,

            No more pain, no distress.

My heart is home bound hungry

            It needs to be filled up.

What can this virus offer,

            On which to eat and sup?

One day it will be over, and

            He will fill my cup.

One day it will be over,

            This virus will be no more.

One day it will be memory,

            Lived on a faraway shore.

One day it will seem distant,

            Like any other war.

There’s more to life than happiness,

            More than a healed virus can bring.

My heart is Homebound going,

            And then my heart will sing.

My hope is found in Jesus.

            In me death has no sting.

For I’m longing to be Home,

            With bended knee I’ll bow

So it is with all my heart,

I take this solemn vow,

I choose to follow Jesus and,

           Run into His eternal Now.

Daze 4: The Island of Corona

In the midst of our Corona seclusion, we had our small group church meeting via Zoom. It was so good to SEE everyone's face and hear their hearts, even if we are still "confined" to our homes, and small walks in the sunshine and warmer weather (when we have some--not today). Our group of about 20 discussed what it meant to be prisoners and what we are prisoners to. We said our desire is to be prisoners of hope. We shared what that meant for each of us ... and what was the hardest part.

My prison boundaries include dealing with pain. The hard part is not so much the pain itself but feeling like an invalid. I dislike that word, strongly. I'm not bed bound or unable to move. I am in pain constantly, but that is not stopping me from all I can do. In fact I've been playing Catan with our grandsons every weekday morning (gets their brains moving before they have to do their school work!) It's a great strategy game, situated on the imaginary island of Catan. Also, I help Bill plan, prepare and cook meals and take care of household chores.. Then almost every night we share meals together with our small family that lives across the street. Isn't it amazing that God provided that house at just the right time for when they returned from China? I'm so grateful for each of them and how they help keep me from being an invalid and keep me "on my toes."

So, back to the islands of confinements. I’ve been thinking about how St. John was confined on the very real island of Patmos for the last years of his life. It was a rocky island, 4 by 8 miles and very rocky in the Agean Sea. St. Paul was confined in prison during the last years of his life in Rome.

So what their confinement all about and what happened during those times? For both Paul and John it was a time of hearing God and writing and sharing their hearts and revelations. They found that their borders and walls were not confinements, but the edges of Father’s ways. Indeed Psalm 16:6 says, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Their heritage? Look at what they wrote during those years!

So much has changed, so quickly. So much will never be the same again. But Jesus is the one constant--He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He's the only constant in the universe or in our world. So now I am relying on him as I pick up writing again ... something I've left off for many years. I'm confined to the Island of Corona, but I choose to see it as the Island of His Love.

The Island of His Love: Psalm 16:6: 
 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.

Borders are Your gift for me,

            They don’t restrain or confine.

They are meant to keep me close,

            In Your will good plan divine.

St. John was sent to Patmos,

            To see, and hear and write,

Of revelations of our future.

Something he saw in the light.

St. Paul was sent to prison, at

            The apex of his life.

There people saw his love for God,

In spite of all the strife.

So now I’m in Your prison, Lord,

            With limits only from above.

I rest content while waiting

            On the island of Your love.

Daze 3: Two Sons Who Share Character Traits

OK, so you probably know I also have and love a son. Actually, I love two sons. One came from birth and one from rebirth. To know them both is to love them. Let me tell you about them.

So you already know that my first love in life is the Son of God. I met Him through rebirth when I was 16. Since those early days I have followed Him and decided He would always be my first love. My husband is my second love and models the love of Jesus to me every day. I'd be lost without either of them. The first Son I am writing about today is the One who took on human skin to find out what it was like to live like we do. He lived through the pandemic of our sin as it covered the earth and took His own life. It was and is a pandemic far worse than the corona daze. He died to end the sin pandemic and demonstrate the never-ending love of God the Father.

Then there's the other son I love. I was so delighted when they told me that my firstborn child was a boy. I awoke on the gurney returning from the operating room (a C-section after 52 hours labor). He was such a joy to my heart and his father's. Jonathan Milo Leal, was middle-named after his dad, grandpa, and many other relatives. From the beginning we knew he was special. He was quick to learn, talk, and walk (at 7 months!)--one month before we left to live in Nepal! He spent his first six years growing up there. And then he grew up too quickly, completed two masters degrees while I was teaching at Ohio University, and now he owns his own company, Milo's Whole World Gourmet. His products are delicious and recommended highly.

My firstborn shares many good character traits with Son of God. He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger (usually), abounding in love and faithfulness and has a deep rooted sense of loyalty. He has watched over us and stood by us in some rough spots, as we have stood by him. He and his partner Barry still live and work in Athens. We deeply hope this firstborn son will return to his first love of the Son of our Heavenly Father, whose heart birthed and demonstrated these character traits.

As this Easter remembrance approaches, I'm so very grateful for these two sons and to remember all they have done for me. I am especially grateful for what Jesus has done for all of us, to end the sin pandemic and offer everlasting life. I've written poems for this season, and will include those too in the posts ahead beginning on Palm Sunday.

Exodus 34:6-7: "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin."

 

Psalm 4: "How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him."

Dazzled

Lord, take away the false jewels,

            The ones impure, untrue,

So all my hopes and dreams

            Be dazzled just by You.

Shine forth Your light and cleanse me,

            From impurity and sin.

I give it all to you, Lord,

            Cleanse my heart within.

Help me not seek false gods,

            Or love delusions and lies.

Protect me from my own heart,

            Hear only the true cries.

You are kind and merciful,

            You sing into my heart.

Open the doors and windows,

            Let all weariness depart.

Confusing thoughts will cease then,

            Gone will be the strife.

Then I’ll sleep in safety, and

            Peace will fill my life.