3/30/2020

Dear family,

                You are not alone.  This devotional series by Pastor Marcus has helped me.  I feel crazy.  Perceived as naughty for leaving my house is sad.  The homeless are telling me to, “Have a nice day.”  Seriously, three separate people smiled and said something nice to me at the park this week.  Maybe we all look homeless right now.  I almost feel like signing up to work in daycare because that’s where the hugs are.  I am not taking social distancing well.

                Seth, on the other hand, said, “I have been practicing for this my whole life.”  He is enjoying this.  Seth did go out twice this week; once to pet the cat, the second time he went to help online Sunday service.  I am glad Seth is OK.  Contentment is a beautiful thing.

                Adriel is glad to be an essential service.  She goes to work yet faces distancing and restriction.  I am glad she is willing to chat after work. 

                Bobby is bending over backward to meet with youth online.  Youth group was done through zoom this week.  It was chaotic but we read God’s word and understood.  Bobby is playing several online games.  One was a board game. 

                All of us have been cooking.  Friday we had dinner together and that was nice.  Being together has not felt too close.  We all have different spots and don’t get in each other’s way.  Sometimes I’ll cuddle up to Bobby, that is nice.  Bobby and I took a walk that included social distancing.  It was not fun but I did get a cute picture of Bobby.

                I feel like life is on hold.  We have stopped breathing – we are waiting – we want it to be over and are dreading that social isolation might last longer.  Even if laws change will people go back to normal?  Will we ever hug acquaintances again?  Will people be offended by “Where’s Waldo” situations?  How dare everyone be outside!

                Will trips be canceled?  Will camp happen this year?  Will seniors graduate?  Will some people die of boredom?  Or depression?  Or domestic abuse? 

                Will God sweep in and save the day?  Will people fall on their knees and pray?  Will there be a revival?  Will stories come out – stories about this being the best thing that ever happened?  Will we be stronger after this?  Will we be purposefully thankful?  Will we be glad to go outside?

                Lord, please rescue us.  Please bring your healing power to our world.  Look upon us with favor, hear our cry for help and heal our land.  Lord, you are all-powerful.  We need you. 

Much love,

Cristy

PS in hard times the blessing is that we can cry out to our lord.

ALSO, Adriel's Birthday is on Friday.  I would love for people to sing to her at noon 4/3/2020 through zoom.  If anyone is available and willing please e-mail or text me your contact information.  cvankleek@yahoo.com 971-239-8166.  Thank you!!!

3/23/2020 Covid is affecting everyone!

Dear family,

                In these crazy times, I feel compelled to share the sad, raw us to start with.  I am doing this simply as a remembrance of how the COVID scare is affecting our family. 

I am working from home more.  As I listened to my regional managers give a pep talk I was making lunch in the kitchen.  Adriel was trying to talk to me but I did not look.  Finally, I registered that Adriel was talking to me when I heard, “You’re mean.”  I asked, “What?”  She then said, “You weren’t listening and I said I love you.”  Oh dear – apologies weren’t enough and I felt sad.  I had missed an opportunity to show my 18-year-old love.  That she felt hurt tore me up deep inside.

We are seeing a lot more of Adriel because she is going in to work early to cover for the sick.  I enjoy her company and bright spirit.  She also spent some time on Sunday afternoon with us. 

I enjoy teaching Adriel’s boyfriend to drive.  I have to relate a story simply because it epitomizes our times.  He mentioned that he did find toilet paper for sale at $2.65 for one roll.  He wistfully said, “I almost bought it but it was one ply.”  We had to laugh because being overpriced was one thing.  Being overpriced and HORRIBLE quality – well, that was going too far.

My job is to help businesses grow.  I truly believe in what I do and know I can help.  Right now I face many distraught business owners.  “Why would I sign up for your help when I don’t know if I will be open next month?”  “I just fired people.”  “All of our offices are closing next week.”  Their pain is real it hit me hard Thursday.  Thank goodness my job is amazingly innovative.  Getting businesses online with free set up and three months free is our newest way to help.  I am so glad to work for an ethical, upright, good company.

Seth and I were talking about my concern for my parents in Kirkland.  He asked, “Well, what do they do?”  When I told him my mother works in a daycare and my dad drives Uber Seth was resigned.  “Oh, they’re gone.”  I was incredulous and tried to downplay.  He insisted, “A daycare is the fastest way to spread germs.”  Ugh, and the kids wonder why I cry. 

I did have to tell my dad Seth’s prediction of their early demise.  He laughed and thinks Seth is hilarious.  The irony and bluntness are too much not to laugh at.  Better to laugh then cry right?  Last time I called my dad I started with, “Oh, good, you are alive.”

Seth was accepted into the C-Tech Drone program!  We are excited and this is the only thing holding me back from enrolling him in an online school. Seth mowed the lawn and has been doing dishes.  He was the only one home last week for the most part.

Seth is not impressed that Bobby and I go outside to play Pokémon Go.  “You don’t have to catch them all!”

Bobby had some people over last Tuesday and canceled Youth Group because of the 10 people or fewer rules.  He is bending over backward trying to figure out how to meet the needs of students while obeying the law.  He can’t have youth group or Sunday School for a while this is very hard.  I enjoyed playing a board game with a church family, that was one way to be with people.  Please pray for us as we all may find the future of staying in place, not going out, very hard to bear.

I enjoy walking with Bobby.  I am leaning on him for support.  May we grow stronger as the days grow harder.

I was spraying Koppor on my trees and noticed how easy it was to spray my pruned tree.  It hit me that pruning is what God does to us and is doing to us now.  The feeling of loss and pain is real.  The future growth and beauty will be more real, wonderful and amazing.  May we weather the storm.  May we grow stronger.  May we be resilient and may we find strength in each other and our Lord.

Much love,

Cristy

3/16/2020

Dear family,

                What a crazy time we are living in.  I believe God is bigger than a Pandemic.  I believe we will all die sometime – the earth does have a 100% mortality rate.  I am not scared right now but sometimes I am sad.  People at Walmart were subdued Saturday.  People at Cash and Carry were ANGRY on Friday!  Emotions must be controlled.  Thoughts must be held captive.  He is my hope, He is my redeemer, and heaven is my final destination.  Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

                Seth, on the other hand, will be enjoying his extra week of spring break.  As we talked about world events somehow we came to the analogy of power going out.  Bobby asked what Seth would do and Seth answered that he would play regular games.  I became excited that maybe he would play board games with us until Seth finished his sentence with, “Like solitaire.” 

                Seth was not upset the other day when he had to unlock the front door of the house without the porch light on.  I apologized anyway.  He said, “It’s OK Mom.  I am low maintenance.”

                Bobby, Seth and I were watching a show where the parents were insisting their teens needed to attend Prom to socialize.  Seth was saying how glad he was that Bobby and I are not like that.  Bobby said, “I think we might make you though.”  Seth’s response, “If you make me go to prom I’ll go back to throwing fits.” (We will not make him suffer Prom.)

                Bobby and I had a lovely evening out at Chira’s restaurant.  We had several great walks this week.  Bobby made some amazing dinners.  I enjoyed singing with our home group and am glad Bobby is willing to lead.

                At youth group, the youth fill out a prayer request card and hand it in.  Bobby then passes them out and youth pray for each other.  Sometimes the writing is cryptic.  Sometimes the message is legible but not the meaning.  This Tuesday a youth was praying, “It says here someone is excited for ‘two weeks’ but I don’t know what is in two weeks.  I’m guessing it’s about the Corona Virus.” 

                Adriel remains sweet, loving and barely present.  She did agree to go out with me for lunch.  I enjoyed her conversation and presence.  She is my daughter; independent, lovely and gracious.

                As we enjoy (or don’t) purposeful isolation may we find comfort in God’s arms.  May our feelings find rest in God’s truth.  May our hearts be full of love for those we know and may we reach out in appropriate ways.  I would say, Hugs – but for now – elbow bumps,

Cristy

3/9/2020

Dear Family,

                Hugs, love, holding hands;  You don’t know how much you miss these things until they are gone.  I held off on cuddling when my kids were little.  I believed they should not need to be rocked to go to sleep.  I certainly didn’t have time every nap or bedtime.  Now my kids are grown.  My Bobby and cat are helpful.  I’ll tell you what brought all this up.  My favorite cuddle baby has graduated from the nursery.  She is three years old last week and I will miss her.  How fast little ones grow!

                Seth’s ever-presence is a comfort to me.  He is sweet, quiet and laughs randomly at whatever video he is watching.  Seth helped out with the slides at church.  I love it when he does that J.  What fun conversations we have.  This one on Friday afternoon tickled me:

Bobby: Guess who’s excited about Daylight savings!

Me: No one?

Bobby: Seth is.

Seth: No, I am not.

Bobby: He already set his clock forward.

Seth: Well, I might as well get it out of the way.

                Bobby cooked several meals this week and walked with the Saturday group and I.  His presence is a joy to me.  I love Bobby and am glad to spend my life with him.

                Adriel is my cameo appearance girl.  I had several hugs and one short chat.  I love her so much.  It’s a blessing to see her even for ten minutes.

                May you find joy in loving God.  May your joy fill others and spread to the whole world.  Much Love,

Cristy

3/2/2020

Dear Family,

 “Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU for your prayers.”  God brought me on a roller coaster ride and I am so grateful for your intervention and care.

            I have accepted a job as a “Relationship Manager” with Heartland Payment Systems.  It is outside sales, and I love it.

            Here is what I love most about my new job.  I am making friends everywhere.  Last week I met the owner of a gold and rare coin shop.  He remains cash only because he doesn’t make much markup.  He mentioned that he bought $10,000 worth of gold and will only make $200 on the sale.  A credit card will suck that and more from any transaction.  This makes sense to me.  Besides, I said, “That sounds really heavy.”  From my past food service experience, I know $10,000 of food would break my back throwing the freight.  I was imagining oceans 11 work.  He put a couple of gold coins in my hand and said, “You are now holding $10,000.”   Agh!  It was too much – I gave it back quickly.

            God has blessed me with a job that does not hurt my body.  I love walking, meeting new people and helping them.  I love the business to business networking.  I love learning something new, growing as a person and, as a new friend said, “Sharing your testimony.” 

            Today Pastor Marcus said, “Don’t just do good things that there may be more good in the world.  Do God things that there may be more God in the world.”  Because God has given me this job I plan on honoring Him by following His lead as I go.

            Now on to this week's blessings!  Bobby continues to cook amazing meals and love it.  I am so glad he enjoys serving our family this way.  Bobby also thanked me for helping at youth group and I am glad to bless him.

            How fun to have a friend over for board games.  I enjoy God’s blessing of friends.

            Bobby and Seth are happily safe home from the High School retreat.  I am glad to hear Jane loves Seth enough to ask him to work at Tapawingo.  I will pray he accepts.

            Seth continues to be sweet in prayers and hugs.  He also had a creepy phone stalker.  He finally stopped the texts by saying, “I am underage.”

            Earlier this month Seth asked, “Where are you going?”  When I said, “To work.”  He replied, “Oh, you really do have a job.” 

            When Adriel found out Bobby and Seth were gone she made time to be with me.  I am blessed by Adriel’s love and attention.  She spent time with me on purpose.  How sweet!

            May you find God’s leading brings you wonderful places.  May you “Believe he exists and He rewards those who seek him.”  Hebrews 11:6.  Much Love,

Cristy