by Sharon O | Jul 6, 2020 | Uncategorized
The world seems to be changing right in front of us.
Things are so very different these days, with masks on almost every face and sometimes gloves.
Social distancing is a common way to communicate now.
It is expected. It is necessary and needed but it has been hard on many levels.
Not seeing friends and family members for fear of either sharing the virus or picking the virus up.
I have been cutting my own hair. Yes it’s brave of me but I may not want to expose myself to a small salon air.
It has not been bad to stay close to home and stay pretty much away from people.
We went to a restaurant a few weeks ago after my fasting lab and it felt weird and strange.
I was not fully comfortable.
I think with all the being careful; the hand washing and the scrubbing our homes we have moved into a different world.
It feels so much more foreign and not free.
Then when you add in the chaos and violence it feels like there is a lack of safety.
I don’t feel like it’s ok to just go somewhere. You have to be careful.
There was an old guy who was attacked just because he was carrying a flag.
An American flag. He might have been a veteran and just expressing his gratitude for the country he served.
There are too many of these stories. Innocent people being in the way of violence.
Then there are those who feel the police are in the wrong now and it is a real mess.
They are getting attacked and assaulted on so many levels it is heartbreaking.
It’s hard to watch the world change around us.
Respect is no longer a normal reaction. Common courtesy is missing too.
The world is changing right in front of us and I am not sure what it’s going to take; to get us back to where we need to be.
Lord I pray for healing for our land, we know it’s needed.
by Sharon O | Jul 2, 2020 | Uncategorized
“Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
Colossians 3:12
A few years ago I was thinking about this verse and wrote a few thoughts about it.
The writer starts out with ‘therefore’.
Most pastors say, whenever this word is written, it means, now listen, pay attention, this is very important.
So we are not to miss the fact that we are God’s chosen people.
That is a wonderful promise and thought.
Not only did he choose us, he admonishes us to put on spiritual clothing so others can see Him through us.
Then the writer goes on to say, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, you are to clothe yourselves.
For me that means we have a choice to present ourselves in a way for others to see; it is purposeful.
It is an action word such as putting on a sweater or zipping up a hoodie or throwing a blanket on yourself when you are feeling cold on the couch.
So what does this really mean for us?
It is about attributes that we represent and share.
Dictionary.com says: Attribute is quality or characteristic of something (something we believe in).
SO as we get up in the morning and get ready for our day.
We can ask ourselves.
Do I want to wear the red sweater and black pants,
or do I put on compassion.
Do I want to wear the denim shirt with the denim pants,
or do I put on kindness.
Do I want to wear the soft flannel shirt with flannel pants,
or do I put on humility.
Do I want to wear the frumpy pants with the frumpy shirt,
or do I put on gentleness.
Do I want to have a dress up day and wear something fancy,
or do I put on patience.
Just as we wrap the love of the Lord around us we also choose
to wrap around ourselves his attributes.
The characteristic and quality of who He is.
It is not often natural for us to be compassionate or kind, humble or gentle; and it is not natural for us to be patient either.
It must be a choice for us.
Just as we get up in the morning and decide how we are going to look and dress for the day,
we also choose how we are going to present ourselves.
It is a heavy thought to know that what we choose; is what others see and believe about us.
I think for today, it is something for us to think about.
(this is a revision of one written in 2010 taken from the old books)
by Sharon O | Jun 20, 2020 | Uncategorized
Today is Fathers day, a day to remember our dads and what they mean to us.
It’s always been hard for me since most of my life my dad was not around.
This day, was an empty day on the calendar.
I would walk past the card section of the store and see the assorted cards with warm and fuzzy sayings.
Seemed odd for me since I could not relate to most of them.
Later in my life my dad did become part of ‘our’ life but I still didn’t spend a lot of time with him.
His absence impacted me more than his ‘presence’ and even as he was older in age; it was a different kind of relationship.
I will always miss what I never had or experienced, but I do believe in his own way he loved me.
I always loved him from a distance.
My husband had an amazing dad, who was known as pop or grandpa or grandpa O.
He was there for his six kids and even till the day he died; he was sharing with them and very active in their lives.
We had an adopted grandpa that our kids had, he wasn’t a relative but he was grandpa and he was very present in their lives.
My husband is a very active and present dad to our two grown children and our six grand children.
He is grandpa, he is a prayer warrior over them, he is advisor, he is advocate. He is dad.
Then our son has grown into a wonderful amazing dad to his three sons.
The baton of fatherhood passed down, the responsibility and honor given to him as the generations continue.
Today is Fathers day, a day to remember our dads and what they mean to us.
I will always know in my heart not only did I have a physical earthly dad; I also have a heavenly dad.
My God is a good Father, and His love is forever no matter what I do.
Happy Fathers day to all the dads who so deserve the words.
by Sharon O | Jun 18, 2020 | Uncategorized
It’s hard to imagine the year is half over. Soon it will be July 1st, and heading into the fall season.
We might have a few more days of warmer weather but the rules have changed and the enjoyment is a little stifled.
I don’t like to wear a mask and I really don’t like to go out in public much anymore.
It’s is an angry world right now and I just like our peaceful cozy spot.
Away from chaos and people and worry and oh my, the rules change every day.
I can’t imagine going on a vacation and sight seeing with a mask on.
It is not my option to go to church either with a mask on.
The doctor told my husband it is safe to go out but be aware that a second wave of this pandemic is supposed to arrive.
This is really a weird year for sure.
I miss family, and friends and fellowship with others.
I try not to watch the news since it’s so angry and so full of violence.
It is good to know what is going on but I can’t take the intense anger.
Oh and I am in deep prayer for our police and fire workers.
It is a war and they are not safe anymore.
I cannot imagine doing their job and having to deal with the intense issues surrounding them.
Don’t forget it’s election year too so all that politic stuff is blended into the news too.
I think what is really needed is a fresh reboot of the year.
It’s been hard.
It’s been really heartbreaking on many levels and it’s hard to imagine the year is half over.
They announced there will be no crowds on the fourth of July.
No parades, no rodeos, no fairs, nothing to do but think about this pandemic issue.
I am so ready for a change.
Lord can we just start over and begin again?
by Sharon O | Jun 7, 2020 | Uncategorized
On this day last year I lost my sister. (June 8th 2019) 
She had been ill for a while and had struggled for a long time with breathing and other health issues.
It’s probably good she never got near this covid crisis, she never would have survived it.
She was older than me by about a year and a half, the middle sister with one above her and me below her.
It has been hard to not be able to talk to her.
I used to call pretty often or she would call me.
I can still hear her voice saying, “Hi Shary, how are you?”
For years we were very close and for years as she was growing up she was gone and on the streets.
Survival was her way of coping.
She was not like the average she was herself in a very unique way.
In 2006 my other sister and I and our husbands, detoxed her from an intense alcohol addiction.
That was extremely hard and we were definitely not trained to do it.
We managed with the help from hospice and her great doctors advise.
It was quite miraculous to see her assigned to hospice care dying; then six weeks later be well enough to move into a care setting.
I would never put us through that again it was a rough and intense time.
Perhaps that is what it means to be family? You do the hard because it’s what you do.
She lived in an assisted living care center for many years; which was a safe and good place for her.
The last six months of her life we were not able to see her.
That was really hard for me since we were sisters; but I always prayed for her and always knew she knew I cared.
There was no service and no special ‘remembering.’
She passed away as if she never lived here.
On this day last year I lost my sister and it will always be hard for me to never tell her good bye.
(This is not a recent picture but it does look like her.)
