3 February 2021

It started out as a normal day. Having breakfast, doing the dishes, putting on the washing, mopping the house……Then “it” started.

Someone close to us was living in the close vicinity of a positive Covid test and the whole housing complex was put into isolation. Actually the whole street has to be tested and then stay in isolation. Then the area of impact of possible infection got expanded.

The phone calls started. The discussions of who has enough food, essentials. Who needs extra help? Any neighbours in need? Have you had your covid-test yet? All the questions.

So it ended up two members of my family came to stay so as to be safe and not be by themselves.

So the double bed was checked for clean sheets. Clean towels put in the back bathroom. All good.

Then on the news we hear of a fire in the hills. As the afternoon wore on the fire was raging and started changing direction.  At midnight we could see the glow of the fire on the horizon. By 1 am we were watching the Emergency Fire App with the designated red danger areas, the yellow watch and act areas expand and move and evolve like a worm moving over the earth. At 3am in the morning one of my children called to say they are getting out and on their way to my house.

So lights on. Up and checking the spare room. Getting out the spare blankets, towels…..

As I was moving a few things around to accommodate 3 more people I thought to myself – What is normal anymore?

You hear of the fires that raged in California, Sydney, The Amazon rainforest. The earthquakes that shatter homes and people’s lives in Greece, Brazil, Chile. The terrorist attacks in Nigeria, Philippines, Baghdad.

Oh what is the world coming to?

But has not this type of trouble always been upon the earth, in different ways, different intensities?

Then I was reminded of this scripture.

Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:32-33 NIV

And in the Amplified Version- this gives me so much peace.

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have perfect peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous, be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy, I have overcome the world.

John 16:33 AMP

So let us keep our eyes ever on Jesus and be at Peace.

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Where are your eyes focused?

Are you trusting and living in peace?