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It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

10/26/2020

2 Comments

 
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It isn't even Halloween yet, but parts of the west look a lot like Christmas today.  I am personally not a fan of winter weather, but I try to enjoy the beauty of it at least for a little while.  Okay. That's enough.

​Here is my preference for winter weather.

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Daufuskie Island looking towards Hilton Head Island
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The view from Spanish Wells Plantation on Hilton Head Island
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The southwest tip of Hilton Head Island

I struggle with winter for a variety of reasons.  I don't like cold weather first of all.  Secondly, the days are short and the nights are long.  It results in less exercise, less time soaking in Vitamin D, and an overall lack of desire to do things.  The challenge to just work up the willpower to get out of bed on some mornings can be a real struggle.  Is it a physical issue?  Is it a mental or emotional issue?  Is it a spiritual issue?  Do I lack discipline in my life?  Am I just lazy? Could it be a combination of all of these things?  Let me just answer "yes" to all of the questions so that I have it adequately covered.

I realize that this admission is coming from the guy whose website is titled, "Articulating Hope."  I assure you, it's not hypocritical. I personally understand the struggle, and subsequently, I know deep down the real need for maintaining hope.  Can you even begin to imagine how difficult it would be to function on a daily basis if you had no faith or hope in God?  How does such a person confront illness, death, and all the calamities that enter our lives from time to time?  Our hope in Christ does not disappoint.


I have been reading more and more about the mental health struggles that people have been facing during 2020.  These challenges have certainly been exacerbated by the pandemic and the social isolation connected to it.  (The election isn't helping matters either.)  Locking down our churches and other institutions of support made the situation even more dire.  Domestic violence, addictions, and suicides, are part of the equation that seem to be getting shoved under the rug.  Anxiety, depression, and loneliness can be devastating.  I can only imagine the level of heartbreak that our senior citizens in nursing homes have experienced over these last seven months.  The loneliness, the isolation, and the lack of human touch has been as awful as the virus in many cases.  The psychological, sociological, and spiritual consequences of this human experiment will result in more casualties than the medical charts will ever demonstrate (even with a disproportionate number of deaths being attributed to COVID-19).

The economic impact of shutting down society was evident.  Businesses closed.  People lost jobs.  Financial hardship ensued.  These factors are readily visible.  We frequently don't see many of the other social ills until they strike close to home.  Just because we do not see them does not mean that the problems do not exist.

My dear people of faith, please keep praying and being an ambassador for Christ.  The world needs our faithful witness.  We are each wounded in our own way.  Let us use our pain and our struggle to comfort someone else.  Even in our brokenness we can be a beacon of light to someone else.  Join me in ARTICULATING HOPE to our world!
2 Comments
Linda Boenisch
10/26/2020 01:53:41 pm

Thank you for this reminder. I just found out a dear friend passed on from cancer. She was a bright light at our school. We all loved her precious smile. Sunday I read of young men who had taken their lives in despair. My human heart is heavy for them. My soul knows they are with God. He cherishes each one of us. I am grateful for my soulmate. We are together during this time and comfort one another. I thank God for you, for all you are and all you do.

Reply
Deacon Vernon
10/26/2020 03:05:57 pm

Linda,

Thank you for your kind feedback.

My heart is also heavy for all those who are struggling. The pain is deep in many cases. There have been too many times that families have been deprived of seeing their loved ones in the hospital or in nursing homes. I understand taking precautions. I don't understand taking it to extremes. A friend of mine was in the hospital for ten days in a Catholic hospital. He had a heart procedure done while there. His wife of more than 50 years got to see him for one hour before he went into surgery. They had probably never been apart for ten days in their 50 years of marriage, but now they were.

How many of us understand medical terminology on a good day? Try understanding it when you are still droggy following a procedure. Who grasps the message if a second person is not allowed in the room to listen to the doctor?

Physical health is important. Mental and spiritual health is also important. I think we have missed some big opportunities to serve God's people in these difficult times. May this experience be an opportunity for growth in our understanding of the spiritual and mental health needs of those in our community.

Blessings to you and your soulmate!

Deacon Vernon

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    This is my personal blog.  The opinions expressed are those of Deacon Vernon and the blog's readers.  This site operates independently and is not affiliated with any other entity. The information I provide is on an "as-is" basis. I make no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any information on this blog. I will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information. Furthermore, I will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its use.

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