From the internet

COVID-19 HUMOR:
My Self-Isolation Diary
Day 1- I Can Do This!! Got enough food and wine to last a month!
Day 2- Opening my 8th bottle of wine. I fear wine supplies might not last!
Day 3- Strawberries: Some have 210 seeds, some have 235 seeds. Who Knew??
Day 4- 8:00 p.m. Removed my Day Pajamas and put on my Night Pajamas.
Day 5- Today, I tried to make Hand Sanitizer. It came out as Jello Shots!!
Day 6- I get to take the Garbage out. I’m so excited I can’t decide what to wear.
Day 7- Laughing way too much at my own jokes!!
Day 8- went to a new restaurant called “The Kitchen”. You have to gather all the ingredients and make your own meal. I have no clue how this place is still in business.
Day 9- I put liquor bottles in every room. Tonight, I’m getting all dressed up and going
Bar hopping.
Day 10- Struck up a conversation with a Spider today. Seems nice. He’s a Web Designer.
Day 11- Isolation is hard. I swear my fridge just said, “What the hell do you want now?”
Day 12- I realized why dogs get so excited about something moving outside, going for walks or car rides. I think I just barked at a squirrel.
Day 13- If you keep a glass of wine in each hand you can’t accidently touch your face.
Day 14- Watched the birds fight over a worm. The Cardinals lead the Blue Jays 3-1.
Day 15- Anybody else feel like they’ve cooked dinner about 395 times this month?

How the Virus Stole Easter

By Kristie Bothur
(with a nod to Dr. Seuss)

Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began.
Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.

People were sick, hospitals full,
doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.

As winter gave way to the promise of spring,
the virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.
They YouTubed and Zoomed,
social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.

“There won’t be church services,
and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.
The world was focused on masks and on tests.

“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed.
“Online and at home it just won’t be the same.”

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the
days came and went.

The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.
The world woke on Sunday and nothing had changed.

The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.
“Pooh pooh to the saints,” the world was grumbling.

They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.”
“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do!

Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
And then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.

“That noise,” said the world “will be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.

And it did hear a sound coming thru all the skies.
It started down low, then it started to rise.

But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!

It couldn't be so! But it grew with abundance!
The world stared around, popping its eyes.
Then it shook!

What it saw was a shocking surprise!

Every saint in every nation, the tall and the
small, was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!

It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in
quarantine, stood puzzling and puzzling.

“Just how can it be?”
“It came without bonnets, it came without
bunnies. It came without egg hunts, cantatas,
or money.”

Then the world thought of something it
hadn’t before. “Maybe Easter,” it thought,
“doesn’t come from a store.

Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

----------
And what happened then? Well ...the story’s
not done. What will YOU do? Will you share
with that one or two or more people needing
hope in this night? Will you share the source
of your life in this fight?

The churches are empty—but so is the tomb,
And Jesus is victor over death, doom, and gloom.
So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer,
as the virus still rages all around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s
people. May the world see the church is not a
building or steeple. May the world find Faith in
Jesus’ death and resurrection.

​May the world find joy in a time of dejection.
May 2020 be known as the year of survival,
But not only that – Let it start a revival.

March 18

​I found very helpful this portion of the March 17 reading in Jesus Always, by Sarah Young: Nothing in all creation can separate you from My Love. Pause and ponder what an astonishing promise this is! You live in a world where separations abound: wives from husbands, children from parents, friends from friends, childhood dreams from adult realities. But there is one terrible separation you will never have to face: isolation from My loving Presence.
 
I want you to cling to Me with tenacious confidence. This gives you strength to cope with the uncertainties of living in such a broken, unstable world. Anxious thoughts can assault your mind and fill you with fear if you forget that My Love will never fail you. When you find yourself feeling afraid, grasp my hand in childlike trust. Rest in the protection of My Presence, and remember that perfect Love drives out fear.
 
Mother Julie+

St. Patrick's Day

Inspiration for Troubled Times

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Did you know that when St. Patrick was 16 years old he was captured off the British coast by Irish slave traders? For six years he worked as a slave taking care of animals before he was able to escape and return home. 

After he became a priest he was called by God to return to Ireland, where he brought Christianity to the Irish people he had come to know well. He became the first Bishop of Ireland. God can bring good out of any situation and is with us always.

God is bigger than COVID-19! 

Mother Julie+