After watering my flowers this morning I saw my ‘WELCOME’ mat outside my front door and it made me sad.  No one is coming to our door anymore.  I’m not seeing sweet little squished faces smudging up the glass peeking through the sidelights patiently waiting for someone to answer the door.  I even saw a commercial that said our greatest line of defense from this illness is our front doors closing.  It just doesn’t seem right!?  I always say that the greatest sound in the world is my back screen door slamming.  I never know who it is…it could be any one of the many neighborhood kiddos coming in for a juice box, a popsicle or to use the powder room.  They make themselves at home and I love it.  But lately, that isn’t happening.  The blessing of living in our neighborhood is still there through texts, waves and shouting to one another from the driveways.  But I miss ‘normal’…when the ‘WELCOME’ mat is truly an invitation to come in and share.  It is so easy in times like this to look inward.  The isolation that this pandemic has caused is stifling.  I am almost claustrophobic.  It’s comforting to even have the windows open.

As many of you know I am super passionate about organizations that promote life and families given my story.  I was given an amazing life thanks to my mother choosing not to have an abortion and our family growing thanks to the blessing of adoption.  Giving Tuesday is usually in late November/Early December after Black Friday but given the COVID-19 pandemic many non-profits are falling behind in funding due to fundraising events being cancelled.  So Alpha Family Services is having a virtual party this evening from 6-8 p.m.  You can enter to win lots of prizes by donating to this wonderful organization and continue the work we are doing in distributing essential needs like diapers, formula, wipes and baby food to the community.  At Alpha, we are still welcoming people even with this pandemic via drive-up ‘Grab & Go’ appointments so that physical needs can be met.  Will you consider giving now to this wonderful organization?

This pandemic is a reminder that God did not create us to be isolated…we need one another.  We have so many greater needs than just the physical…something chronic illness has taught me all too well.  In Genesis 1-3 we see even God is a Triune God…God the Father, God the Spirit and God the Son…in which the great Three-in-One created Adam and realized it was not good for him to be alone and therefore created his helper, Eve.  In Ecclesiastes 4:12 is says:

Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

When I teach Junior Achievement (which I a doing virtually this year) I have always told my students quoting Junior Asparagus from Veggie Tales…If you have enough to spare, you have enough to share.  So until we can safely welcome people into our homes, I challenge you today to reach out and do something for someone else however you feel led.  It could be virtually, it could be by sending a note, message or text of encouragement.  It could be giving to Alpha.  You never know how that act of love can be multiplied when God is in it.  So please, lay out your virtual or socially distanced ‘welcome’ mat and give God your five loaves and 2 fish and trust Him for what He will miraculously do with it.  Much love and many blessings, friends!

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples”  ~Mother Theresa