Am I My Brother's COVID-Keeper?

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Am I My Brother's COVID-Keeper?

Do you reach out to those in need? Feed the hungry? Clothe the “naked”? Help the homeless?

Do you pray for the sick? Bring meals to families during health crises? Comfort the bereaved and check up on the lonely?

Do you believe that these acts of service are examples of Jesus’ call to “love one another as I have loved you”… to “love your neighbor as yourself” … to “do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider[ing] one another as more important than yourselves; … not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others”? (Philippians 2:3-4)

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A Socially Distanced Christmas

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A Socially Distanced Christmas

…Well, rather than nixing our family Christmas Eve tradition of “Poppi’s Christmas devotions,” my darling husband John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, used what has been happening in our COVID world to share with the grands and their parents (in our hybrid celebration) the glory of the Incarnation.

So here is my favorite “Guest Branch” John, revisiting his message to our family this past Christmas Eve . . .

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Behind the Mask to the Real . . . Pressing into 1 John 4

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Behind the Mask to the Real . . . Pressing into 1 John 4

Each of us is a real person behind the masks we wear. Some of those masks are self-imposed to protect us from “being exposed” for who we are. They portray a false self.

But then there are other “masks” that are “good” in the sense they are rightful or necessary or “just are.” I say “masks” because they still can, in a sense, hide the real person inside. I’m thinking of the roles we have in life: mother, teacher, athlete, sister, wife, pastor, etc.

And I just realized something — our bodies can serve as masks…physical beauty or lack thereof, aging, physical handicaps etc. And here is a shocker. . .

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"Removing our Masks" in this Pandemic . . . Pressing into Psalm 139

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"Removing our Masks" in this Pandemic . . . Pressing into Psalm 139

“Masks or no masks” has become a big controversial deal these days. But there are masks that have been a bigger deal than we have realized all along in most of our lives. They are the metaphorical “masks” that we humans tend to don, to hide who we really are from others….

But I have been thinking now of “masks” of a different sort… these "good “masks” can also tend to keep others from discovering the real me deep down inside. They are the masks of the “roles” I rightfully have in life. We are most often seen by others in our roles and maybe in no other way….

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