Good morning…
As I walked our golden retriever mix to and from the horse farm, on my way back I noticed a young girl. Slender build. Brown hair. About ten or twelve years old. Walking in the opposite direction on the other side of the street. She was holding a large basket in the crook on one arm. With her other hand, I saw her reach into her basket, pick up a small item, and put it down on the grass beside the road we were silently sharing from a distance.
Her unusual gesture piqued my interest. A small girl. A big basket. Something placed very intentionally on our common ground.
As Tate and I walked back home, taking our normal route, she sniffed out the tiny treasure pictured above. A hand-painted rock with a colorful rainbow and, in bold black letters, the single word “LIVE.” What a sweet simple gift left by one creative child doing her puny part to lighten a heart. We walked a little further, my dog and I, before another generous gem caught my eye. A polka dotted rock painted with the happy word “HOPE.” I began to recognize that all along the path this clever kid was leaving homemade symbols of encouragement. As my soul smiled, a joyful memory was sparked.
I thought to myself, “She is like me.” When I was a young girl, about six or eight, I would spend hours hand-making fun figurines out of marbles and glue, felt and cloth, colorful markers and googly-eyes. Then I would carefully load these small critters into my brother’s red wagon, and I would travel through our small town neighborhood, knocking on doors, giving away my precious creations. The memory warmed by this young stranger’s generosity sparked a smile on my face, much like the smiles spread through the recipients of my crafty creatures way back when.
More powerful than any virus, God’s life-giving Spirit spreads joy and peace, love and HOPE, as we LIVE hemmed in together across the globe. What creative gifts might God handcraft through you as we shelter in place with neighbors near and far?
And in fact, you do love all of God’s family… Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12, NIV).
Dependent upon God alone, we love with the LORD’s limitless love, spreading the contagious, creative light of LIVE HOPE.
…Sue…
P.S. If you live in the Atlanta area, here are some of the service opportunities being organized through Northside Church. Please contact these leaders directly for additional details.
– Are you interested in making masks needed at Piedmont Hospital out of medical grade fabric? Contact Monica James or buckheadmaskproject@gmail.com for details, fabric, and drop off instructions. Here are the instructions to make much needed masks.
— Our Student Ministries Director Nate Juvinall is collecting masks for a respiratory therapist he knows.
— Pam Betz, an active volunteer in our church family, is organizing sewers to make needed gowns for the Wesley Woods Senior Center.
— Atlanta Public Schools is asking for grocery store gift cards and nonperishable food be delivered to Morris Brandon Elementary School on Friday morning 10AM – noon.
— Associate Pastor Rev. Catherine Boothe Olson is collecting video baby monitors. They can be dropped off at the circular drive on Tuesdays only – do not come in the building. They can also be ordered on Amazon. Catherine has the details.
– Sign up with me, Sue Allen, to assemble Super Food Packs for the 7,000 students sheltered at home without their free meal program. This Monday, we still have five open slots to fill. Please let me know if you can serve with me from 10:00 to 12:30 pm on the 6th at the Action Ministries warehouse, 4025 Welcome All Road, Suite 160 East Point, Ga. 30349. On Friday the 17th, our group also has two open slots to fill, let me know if you are available. This volunteer work is considered an “essential service” by the state of Georgia. Sign up here for additional days in groups of nine or less.
