I’m working in VBS this year, leading the Bible study and it’s been a while since I worked with children. They can be unpredictable and outspoken. What if they ask a question I can’t answer? I was nervous, anxious.

Oddly, I needed the lessons I would teach this week, and as I prepared the lessons, I found the messages filled me with the realization that we won’t always have all the answers. We only need to trust the one who does. As a child, I would ask a lot of questions, as most kids do. I trusted that my parents knew the answers. And when they didn’t know, they would send me to the dictionary or the library or encyclopedia to find it. As I got older, I realized that even knowing to send me to those resources helped me to trust them and so I did the same to my own children. I never minded when they questioned my logic. But I found directing them to my resources increased their trust rather than lessening it. The joke used to be “consider the source” when someone said something ridiculous. Sadly, the sources today, are not as dependable as we’d like. Many of them are ridiculous.

The Bible is a source we can trust.

However, the Bible is a source we can trust. Be sure you have an authentic version and not an AI inspired version that leaves out or adds in various false information.

God doesn’t mind if we question Him.

God doesn’t mind if we question Him or His Bible. He’s confident enough to handle our questions. It’s good to wonder. He wants us to ponder, study. Dig deep into our theology and into His word. He wants us to listen and hear. He wants us to look and see. He wants us to know without doubt that He is sovereign. He is who he says He is. Above all, He wants you to know that your faith is based on trusting Jesus. He is the guide; He is the answer to every question we will ever have. Does that sound hokey? Naïve, maybe? All I can say is that my trust in Jesus brings peace, and joy into my life. I am not afraid of being alone, he gives me courage and strength when I am worried or feel sad and hopeless. Honestly, He is my answer.

What do you worry about? What makes you anxious? How do you feel when you are powerless? Hopeless? Or alone?

The answer to all of life’s questions:

The answer to all of life’s questions is to trust Jesus. When we can’t find the answer, we are looking for, we can trust Jesus. when we feel alone, hopeless, powerless, afraid, we can trust Jesus. He is our compass. He is the True North. A compass can be broken, and sometimes it needs to be recalibrated. But Jesus is always the same. He never changes. He is always dependable. He’s never late or early.

Jesus is my True North! Is he yours?

The post DO YOU EVER WONDER IF IT’S OKAY TO QUESTION GOD? appeared first on Shelia Shook.

It’s that time of year again when I prepare garden beds for flowers, vegetables, and fresh herbs. Unfortunately, I’d allowed the weeds to gather and cover the beautiful soil, and I had a time trying to clear them all out. At first, I ran my gloved hand across the top of the soil and pulled as many as I could by hand, but these roots were so deep I needed a tool.

However, even a tool could only pull the large weeds. It couldn’t pull all the tiny hair-like roots that thickly invaded the soil. I knew anything I planted would be robbed of necessary nutrients, choking out the good roots of flowers, herbs, or vegetables that I wanted. Ugh.

I felt the heartache of hopelessness.

These weeds reminded me of the habits that take over the soil of my life. They were entrenched—firmly established, and the soil in my planters was hopelessly ruined. I could saturate the soil with weed killer and ruin the good soil with chemicals but then, I wouldn’t want to grow anything edible in that kind of soil. I could completely dump the weed-filled dirt, add fresh soil, and start all over with an empty planter. That seemed the easiest answer to the gardening problem.

What about the weeds in my heart?

I couldn’t very well replace my heart with a new one, could I? Can you? Of course not. But Jesus can. When we receive Him as Savior, He gives us a new heart, but we must guard it, protect it from invasive sin, realize we must deal with bad habits the same as we manage weeds and daily inspect our hearts as we do the soil.

Distinguish the good from the bad.

Think about it. Just because a weed has flowers, doesn’t mean it is beneficial, and it could even become out of control. (I Corinthians10:23). Every time a weed pops up or we recognize a bad habit is forming, we must do something about it quickly. We can’t let it linger and take root. Just as we turn the soil in the garden regularly to expose the roots to the sun, we must expose bad habits to the Son of God. Let Him scorch them out, forgive us, and help us start again. His love is the best weedkiller out there!

How do you manage the weeds in your life?

Remember, wherever you are, you are at the right place when you come to my website and read my blog. Come on back and share a slice of life with me.

The post WEEDS OF THE HEART appeared first on Shelia Shook.

Do you struggle with living in the topsy-turvy nature of today’s world?

I’ve read plenty of opinions on social media regarding the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony and its disregard for Christians and their values. It is heartening to witness the overwhelming support for the Christian community following the inappropriate displays at the Opening. The whole subject gives an opportunity for people to speak out about their beliefs.

It is hard to write this blog.

But I feel compelled to share a post to encourage and uplift my fellow Christians as we Learn to Cope during these end times. It has taken me two weeks of thought and prayer. I’m convinced we must keep on keeping on standing up for our LORD and His righteousness. Be the light and salt of the world. Be bold, but like Jesus, we must love the sinner while we hate the sin. Adopt an attitude of love and prayer, not judgement and hate.

Pray for them

“For the god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV.

The Paris 2024 Olympics declared their slogan: “Games wide open” as they committed to providing a Rainbow room. It was always their intention to support these minorities and make them feel welcome. I have people in my life who are in this same minority. I love them, but they are sadly wrong. It has nothing to do with judging someone’s sin, because one sin is no greater than another. Sin is sin. LGBTI sin is no greater than mine or yours. The difference for me is that when I sin, I am ashamed of my behavior while they flaunt theirs.

BUT is what they flaunt a sin? Paul, in Romans 1, says it is.

“26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned from the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.” Romans 1:26-27 NLT

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” Isaiah 5:20-21

The Olympics Board of Directors took a step too far for Christians to accept. It is said to merely reflect the “artistic” Feast of the gods, by Jan Harmensz Muller— instead it is merely a reflection of our times. When the pagan ideas and lifestyle of past centuries grew in popularity, they led to the persecution of Christians. Today, we are not far.

Imagine living in Biblical times.

We are upset now over a visual depiction of mockery, but just imagine living in Biblical times. How difficult would that be? For instance, when the Roman Empire crowded the Colosseum with spectators to watch the famous games where gladiators battled to the death, and Christians were thrown to lions. Today we are only facing the battles of the pagan religions being honored and lifestyles being accepted. No one has died—yet.

Imagine being pulled from your homeland as the Israelites were when they were exiled to Babylon. There they were forced to give up their holy practices and the rulers even disgraced the temples.  

Jesus said trouble would come.

He said there will be division because you follow Him.  “Brothers will turn against their own brothers and hand them over to be killed. Fathers will hand over their own children to be killed. Children will fight against their own parents and have them killed. Everyone will hate you because you follow me. But the one who remains faithful to the end will be saved.”  Matthew 10:21 NIV

He warned us to be ready.

“But be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:36 NIV

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  Ephesians 6:12 NIV

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua1:9 NIV

“And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 NIV

Where do you stand?

God knows. He sees us when no one else does. And loves us anyway. That is why He made a way for us to repent and receive forgiveness.

I would love to hear your comments.

Come on back and share a slice of life with me.

The post BE ENCOURAGED, GOD SEES appeared first on Shelia Shook.

Yesterday, my daughter, Cynthia, would be fifty-eight had she not passed away in an auto accident in 1996. (A SINGLE FLOWER) My comfort is knowing she’s in Heaven and I will see her again. Oh, how my Cindy would hate being over fifty—much less near sixty. A free-spirit, young, wild, and carefree all her young life, yet, in many ways, she was an old soul.

I am visiting my granddaughter in Florida this week and writing from her workplace. It is a joy seeing Sammy Jean’s professional side as regional director over area funeral homes. I watch the transformation from granddaughter to professional as before we get out of her car, she kicks off her flip flops and slips into a pair of strappy heels. Cindy would be proud of her success. And of the success of her sister, Marie, a homeschooling mother of six.

Sammy and I watched an old movie the other night: Grace and Glorie. (https://www.google.com/search?q=grace+and+glorie+hallmark+movie&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#ip=1) Throughout the story, Grace, an elderly hospice patient, is knitting a sweater. Her hospice volunteer, Gloria, becomes close to the grandmotherly woman and asks her how she can find her purpose in life. Grace responded with a meaningful quote: “Like a knitted sweater, each stitch is connected to another, and If one stitch breaks the sweater comes apart. We may not know our purpose, but maybe it’s just like a stitch in the middle holding the stitch before it to the stitch that comes after it.”

Isn’t that so like life? Aren’t our lives knitted together like stitches? Our purpose may seem small and insignificant at times, but all stitches are important. If just one stitch breaks the sweater can unravel. Every life touches other lives and forms a connection between them, between stitches. Each person serves to hold the sweater together.

Your purpose may be profound, or maybe it is simply like a knitted stitch. Each generation has someone who holds the future generation to the past generation. Keeping alive the connections.

Is That You?

Missing stitches can be repaired, but like grief, the new stitches don’t always match or blend in with either side of the missing stitch. However, over time, and with work, the restored sweater can function again. After my daughter died, I found myself to be that mismatched thread trying to repair the hole left by our missing stitch.

The sweet broken lives of my granddaughters are not without scars, but today, they serve as the missing thread in my life’s sweater.

What are your threads connecting to? You are a necessary connection to those around you.

Remember, where ever you are you are in the right place when you come to my website and read my blog. Come on back and share a slice of life with me.

The post We Are The Threads of Life appeared first on Shelia Shook.

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Are you lavished with gifts? Are you the gift giver? Maybe you have “loved and lost” and now dread the season. Let’s take a look at the true meaning of Valentine’s Day. There are several legends associated with the origin of St. Valentine’s Day and at least three Saint’s named Valentine. (http://history.com)

“From your Valentine,”

I’m partial to the legend of St. Valentine being arrested for his attempt to help Christians escape the beating and torture common in Roman prisons. While in prison, he is said to write a letter to his sweetheart before being beheaded. He signed it: “From your Valentine,” and the sentiment is still used today.

A Hero.

Although various legends are a little blurred, they all refer to Valentine as a compassionate and sympathetic hero. And everyone loves a hero. Do you have a hero? Are you a hero to someone else?

Valentine’s Day fills the month of February with a remembrance to love.

Like Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day reminds us to express both gratitude and love for one another throughout the year. Loving one another as we love ourselves involves a little thought.

John 13:34

“A new commandment I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so must you love one another.”

So, even if we don’t like ourselves, we all want the best for ourselves. It is our nature to survive.

Ephesians 5:29

“Afterall, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church.”

We all need food, water, and shelter, and we crave companionship. Suicidal ideation is high this time of year. People need love. Can you show love to someone who needs it? Can you be there for them? sometimes even when we don’t feel loved, or love ourselves, giving love to someone else can boost our self-worth. Make us feel better about ourselves. Try it.

You don’t have to feel alone. You don’t have to feel unloved. Love abounds. And, Jesus loves you.

Hebrews 13:5

Jesus says: “I will never leave thee or forsake thee.” He is with us always. His love carries us through the best and worst of times.

We may feel lonely, but we are never alone. Reach out to Him, He is here, waiting. Turn around, look at HIM. He is a compassionate and sympathetic Hero. You can trust Him.

Remember, wherever you are, you are at the right place when you come to my website and read my blog. Come on back and share a slice of life with me.

The post Valentine Hero appeared first on Shelia Shook.

Have you yet been dealt a handful of health issues to contend with? It’s one thing to be a caregiver for others and help meet their needs, but it is quite a different feeling to need help yourself.

My experience these past months has been a lesson in coping with health issues. It’s not fun being sick. Just taking medication can be tiring, confusing, and stressful.

Medication

If you are dealing with health issues that require a complicated medication regimen, I recommend having a nurse help you set a schedule for when to take your various medications and then follow it. Otherwise, it can be overwhelming:

• Take this medication before any others.
• Take this med two hours apart from other meds
• take this other med three times a day.
• and this med four times a day
• and these meds two times a day

One medication had to be taken five times a day. All in addition to my usual daily medications.

What a schedule! Try to remember all that. Praise God many of them were short term medications and I am finally finished with that regimen, for now. I’m sure many of you can relate. When you are ill, there are doctor appointments, test appointments, follow-up visits, pharmacy trips, and physical therapy exercises to be done; certain foods to eat, or not eat, and it can be stressful when you have other things to do besides being sick.

Editor Appointment

In the middle of all this, I had an editor Zoom appointment to present two of my books in a new novel series. One of the books is complete, the other is still in progress. Funny story, the editor interview was within five minutes of one of my doctor appointments and the doctor allowed me to stay in the exam room to take the call.

Good News

The editor wants to see both books and said to tell the agent to send them to her.

“Woo-hoo!!” I shouted when I hung up. How exciting. But even good news can be stressful. Now I had to finish the second book, and I just couldn’t think. On top of that, my doctor recommended I needed to relieve some stress. Therefore, though I am excited, I’ve had to take some time off from writing to deal with these health issues and tension. I’ve had to adjust my attitude and accept a slowdown in my life.

I read a lot while lying around and have gained knowledge and encouragement. Especially from Allie Pleiter’s book, How to Write When Everything Goes Wrong.

Peace and an Attitude Adjustment

Between the medication and rest, I am feeling better. I still have a few follow up tests and appointments, but with the peace and attitude change, I think I’m ready to get back to the writing I feel God has called me to do.

You would think as much as I love to talk, that I would have no problem writing, but if you think it’s easy, it’s not. Writing requires a lot of thought and daydreaming and can produce anxiety. (Remember high school English papers?) I often think of something I want to write about then after I’ve written it, I second guess the idea and put it off.

Meanwhile, time passes.

Thankfully, Pleiter’s book has practical exercises that helped me get back on track. But it is her acknowledgement that creativity is harder when your mind is cluttered, that I found the most encouraging. I thought, She gets me.

I’d love to hear from you, my readers to know what you’d like me to talk about, and have you share ideas and experiences of your own. Please take this opportunity to leave a comment.

Remember wherever you are you are at the right place when you come to my website and read my blog. Come on back and share a slice of life with me.

The post When Health and Life Collide appeared first on Shelia Shook.

December 14^th marked the 25^th anniversary of my daughter Cindy’s death. (See previous post, A Single Flower.) She unexpectedly died in a car wreck at thirty-years-old. Looking back, I can see God’s hand in it as Cindy got to go on to heaven and we got to raise her two beautiful daughters.

When Cindy was a teenager, my husband told her he hoped she grew up to have two kids just like her. And she did. Only she skipped out on those teen years and his wish came back on us. LOL

I can laugh about it now. The girls are grown, and we are so proud of them. But when Cindy had her wreck, my last vision of her was on a hospital bed with a head injury. I held her hand and cleaned the blood from under her nails.

I have to shake off that sad memory and remember her hands delivering Great Dane puppies or grooming her horse. Or the way her eyes lit up with mischief when placing a thumb-sized beetle on her brother’s ear while he slept on our way home from his bootcamp graduation in Kentucky.

As a hospice nurse, I have a lot of families and patients who don’t want to talk about death and dying. Some don’t know what happens to them after death.

That was not my Moma.

Moma’s hope was in Christ. She had confidence in her belief that trusting in Him brought opportunity to see loved ones again. She knew she was going to heaven to see her Jesus, her parents and siblings, and my Cindy. But she worried about leaving us kids behind. (Moma’s Last Days)

Moma died at eighty-six in the spring of twenty-nineteen. Cindy’s death was unexpected, but Moma knew her death was getting close. She had time to talk about it.

The fall before she died, she and I were sitting in her room watching the squirrels play in the big oak trees in the courtyard outside her window. We laughed. She got so tickled at their antics and I got tickled at her.

Suddenly, she got really quiet and without turning to look at me, she said, “Shelia what will you do when I’m gone. And don’t say not to talk that way either because you know the day is coming.”

Stunned at the sudden change of mood, I didn’t know what to say. I watched her as she sat in her wheelchair rocking back and forth, still looking out the window.

“Well, mom,” I said. “I will probably come to this room and look out this window and remember how we watched the squirrels and laughed.”

She turned to me then. “Would you?” she said with excitement. “Oh Shelia, please remember me.”

“Of course, I will,” I said.  “I’ll sit on the pier and remember how you and I broke Bill’s rule of catch and release and ate his last big catfish.”

“Oh, he was mad, too.” she said. Then she smiled and added, “Thank you, Shelia. I needed to hear that.”

She needed to hear she would be remembered.

I recently had the opportunity to go back to mom’s room and look out at the courtyard. I remembered our conversation and smiled. There were no squirrels that day, but my heart was full of joy. I thought of how tickled she had been and how important it was to her to be remembered.

Everyone wants to be remembered. We all do so differently.

Some people take flowers to the cemetery. The way I handle my loss by remembering my loved ones on purpose. I think of things they’ve done or said; eat the foods they liked, go to places we shared. Make a scrapbook or memory board of fun pictures, even magazine pictures that make me think of them. I listen to or sing their favorite songs. I’d put puppies on my memory board and a horse. A catfish.

And deviled eggs.

Moma loved deviled eggs and one Easter, she had eaten a few when my husband Bill said, “Now mom if you keep eating deviled eggs, you aren’t going to want any of this ham I’m fixing.”

She gave him a “look” and backed her wheelchair away from the eggs. However, it wasn’t long before she was wheeling herself back toward them saying, “Creepin’ around. Just an old woman creepin’ around.” All the while watching Bill out of the corner of her eye. Ever since, someone always brings deviled eggs to our family functions. And inevitably, someone will say “creepin’ around.” It is a fun memory.

Honestly, I cry sometimes, too. It’s okay to cry. To be sad, to miss those who are gone. But above all smile, laugh, and remember them. Remember the good things.

 However you choose to remember your loved ones, do it with Joy.

I want to thank you all for the privilege of sharing my stories with you and hope this post helps you find peace to deal with loss this Christmas.

Remember wherever you are, when you come to my website and read my blog, you are at the right place. Come on back and share a slice of life with me.

Share with us how you manage loss.

The post Dealing with Loss at Christmas appeared first on Shelia Shook.

As director of nursing in long term care facilities, I’ve witnessed many comical and sad situations. For the sake of anonymity, we will call this patient Nurse Mary.

Let me tell you a story.

Mary, a retired nurse with dementia roamed our halls in a wheelchair propelling herself by peddling her feet. She often attended our nurse meetings and thought she worked at the nursing home. Every payday she harassed the business office manager. When staff came to pick up their checks, she wanted hers too. One week, at her wits end, the poor office manager, created a mock check and gave it to Mary on payday and she was ever so happy.

However, then, of course, she wanted to know where to cash it. The office manager also handled patient accounts and when they needed cash, she would have patients sign for it and deduct it from their account. So, they considered her the banker.

Now, Nurse Mary harassed the banker about cashing her check. The office manager didn’t know what to do, so she finally spoke with Mary’s power of attorney who suggested she let her sign for a small amount of cash out of her real account. The small amount decided on was ten dollars. When the banker cashed the mock check, Nurse Mary said that was an insult to her profession. She then began to harass the administrator for a raise.

One ruse led to another.

And then another.

It was hilarious. Yet sad. Mary was serious.

In training to work with dementia patients, staff are taught when patients think something is real not to argue with them or try to convince them otherwise. Instead, staff are to just go along with the patient until they can be distracted.

In today’s new “Cancel Culture,” those who disapprove of the spin on the news, are treated as if our concerns are not real. As if we are demented. When we don’t accept the next ruse, those in charge try to distract us with still another ploy. This keeps the top spinning. Or so they think.

Are you distracted by all the hype in the news today?

Don’t be fooled. You are not demented.

Your concerns are just as valid to you as Nurse Mary’s were to her. If your concerns are real, do your research carefully, and then be prepared to take your stand. Do not be afraid to speak out in this new “Cancel Culture.

The Apostle Paul says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Stand firm in your faith. GOD is still sovereign.

Remember, wherever you are, you are in the right place when you come to my website and read my blog. Come on back and share a slice of life with me.

The post Is What We See and Hear REAL? Truth-vs-Ruse appeared first on Shelia Shook.

Have you heard the old contemporary Christian song “Not of This World”, by Petra? The lyrics immediately strike a chord with me. We are pilgrims in a strange world, we are so far from our homeland. . . We are strangers, we are aliens, we are not of this world.

From the beginning, God had a plan to establish a people for Himself from every tribe and language. (Revelation 7:9-10) and He doesn’t want His people divided. The Church is a multinational multiethnic group who are, as individuals, ambassadors of a Holy loving God, and as a group, an assembly of fellow citizens of the Kingdom of God.

He chose Abram and told him “. . . leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” Genesis 12:1. God called Abram to leave his culture of established cities, markets, and roads to begin a pilgrimage with God to establish a new culture—a better world. Abram willingly left his comfy house to cross a desert and live in a tent on his way to a place he’d never seen. But he trusted God.

As Christians, have we not been called to do the same? Be a separate people? Can we also trust God? If we accept His call to make the journey to the place He will show us, a place we’ve never seen, like Abram, we leave behind the established cultures of the world we’ve come to know and align ourselves with others He has called into this new culture. The culture of Christianity.

In my last blog, Privileged, (July 18, 2021) I talked about the plight of racism in America. Where was the church during these times of racial abuse? What does the culture of Christianity have to say about Race relations?

It says we Christians are to be all one people, loyal to one King, and to a Heavenly Kingdom we’ve not yet seen. We are a society of like-minded believers, holding ultimate loyalty to Christ our King; “rescued from the domain of darkness”. We can’t live in such darkness anymore, nor can we condemn those who live in darkness because we too were once captives of it, and still battle the effects. But Jesus came to set all the captives free. ALL.

We are foreigners

Strangers in this world of upside-down values. A world gone crazy as people seek “pleasure over righteousness”.

Are we to judge? No. We are to warn and let God judge. And judgement does come.

Sodom and Gomorrah were warned of God’s wrath against them, but they ignored the warnings. Still, in love, Abraham asked God to save the cities if at least find ten righteous men could be found, but sadly, not even ten could be found. Those God did find He rescued before raining His wrath on the cities. We are warned too. Rescue is available. I know I am unrighteous, except for the righteousness of Christ that covers me. He rescues me.

Being an alien

—a Christian—in a pagan world makes us an outcast. Strangers in a strange land. At least for the time being, we are free to express our beliefs and have other “aliens” to travel alongside on our journey. I want to live the life I’ve been given as a Kingdom Ambassador on this journey through the desert of life. It is not our role to judge, or fight the government, but to bring hope to unbelievers by adding the salt and light of Jesus into this world. To share the love of God for all people regardless of skin color, gender, sexual orientation.

Jesus never really spoke against the Roman government, but against hypocrites and idolaters. He called God’s people to unite in love for one another, and for the sinners He gave His life to save. Jesus loved the adulteress but warned her to go and sin no more. Let’s be like Him and love fornicators, murderers, LGBT, gossip mongers, liars, and thieves, all who are lost in a dark world of chaos where there are not absolutes.

For we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Warn of the judgement to come and share Christ’s plan for our forgiveness and rescue. Don’t join the crowds, but band together with God’s people. Align yourselves with Kingdom culture.  

Do not be conformed to this world. But be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)

Remember, wherever you are you are at the right place when you come to my website and read my blog. Come on back and share a slice of life with me. Don’t forget to leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.

The post We are Aliens in a Strange Land appeared first on Shelia Shook.

For greater than 72 hours indoor temperatures in homes without heat dropped below 48 degrees. Highways and bridges iced over and were unpassable. People had to cope with nonexistent toilet facilities as seven million lost water supply. Convention centers and churches opened their doors to the homeless, even without power, they provided shelter, beds, blankets, and food. When weather improved, frozen water pipes thawed and busted, spewing water into bedrooms, and living spaces adding falling, soggy ceilings to the relentless cold indoors. Drinking water either had to be boiled or bought. It was a week for the history books. Thankfully, my home had gas heat. But I could identify with those who didn’t. The first weekend of December 2020, I experienced the most miserable, coldest night my 69 years can ever remember.

I had gathered with my sisters for a weekend in the hill country. 

One of my sisters has a cabin with running water and electricity.  A great little getaway furnished with appliances, a card table, and chairs, and heated by an electric fireplace. We unloaded the snacks and bedding, with PJ’s and toiletries tucked into pillowcases with our pillows, deciding we didn’t need the rest of our bags and belongings until morning.  With air mattresses on the floor in front of the fireplace, we stayed up late, talking, snacking, and laughing.

I awoke in the early morning hours shivering.

The fireplace was off and my single blanket and PJs didn’t provide the needed warmth. I stumbled around in the dark and found the nursing scrubs I’d worn the day before, and put them on over my pajamas for another layer. Still cold, I put on my socks, shoes and jacket, and even draped my scarf around my waist. I curled up under the blanket and laid the pillow over me.

I lay there not wanting to wake my sisters and thought of the poor homeless community. Even with every piece of clothing I could find, l shivered until my teeth chattered. Yet, I wasn’t even close to feeling the cold like the homeless who’s only shelter from the wind might be cardboard boxes. And the air mattress I slept on had to be better than the layers of old newspapers spread over the cold, hard concrete, or damp grass they laid on. Tearfully, I prayed for God to forgive my complaining and to comfort those who were worse off than me. It was good for me to feel the reality of hardship.

The next morning, we moved to my sister’s house where it was warm. We cooked, baked, played cards, worked a puzzle, and watched a movie. It turned out to be a great weekend despite the climate. However, it took me several days to warm up even after a hot bath, my bones were still cold. I have a new appreciation for what the homeless community suffers in the winter. And their hardship is not just seasonal.

We take our daily blessings for granted.

The last few years, some courageous youth at our church have attended a summer camp with a ministry to the homeless who live under a bridge. The youth and their sponsors leave their electronics behind, going off the grid to live under the bridge as well. No baths or amenities for a week and the food they eat is from the local shelter (which is ran by the ministry). In preparation, they are given a choice of the limited items they can take.

For example:

Which three items would you choose:  A blanket? Paper? Hairbrush? Socks? Toothpaste? Toothbrush? Pen? Pencil? A pillow? A sweater? Bible? One hair tie? A Crank Flashlight? A Spoon? Cup? Knife? or Fork? Soap? Remember only THREE.

In hard times, we pray for those with busted pipes, no water, heat, or electricity, but let’s keep in prayer the homeless who live year round without these luxuries.

Have you ever experienced a homeless situation?

We’d love to hear about it. Leave your story in the comments section or e-mail me and I will post it for you.

Remember, wherever you are, you are at the right place when you come to my website and read my blog. Come on back and share a slice of life with me.

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