Tradition

No, this is not a musical parody on COVID-19. This is just a reflection on what I did this morning when I made my Aunt Lalah's banana bread ~ and have done every time I have made it for years.

If you look closely around the edges of the loaf, you can see the white smattering of flour. Her recipe calls for greasing and flouring the pans. Now she wrote out that recipe for me long before we had ever heard of non-stick sprays even ones with flour in them or non-stick pans which aren't supposed to need grease and flour at all. So there it is: grease and flour the pans. And so I do. 

Even after all these years, I do what she told me to do when I was barely out of my teens. Of course today I do use a non-stick spray but I still flour the pan as well. I do break tradition occasionally and add blueberries to the batter. Radical!

Quarantine Quartets

Off and on and especially during the Easter Season, FB and YouTube posted choirs, choruses and symphonies playing and singing wonderful seasonal music. The Hallelujah Chorus filled my ears and souls over and over again. There they were, faces in boxes, playing and singing their parts, physically isolated from each other but together in spirit and harmony. Beautiful.

This weekend we had two family birthdays, one a grandson on Dean's side of the family, one a daughter on mine. While we Zoomed happy birthday to our grandson, his father suggested we sing Happy Birthday. We did but all we had going for us was our love and energy. Oh my. As singing goes we were pretty terrible.

The next day, having taken a hint from the Zoom birthday, my side of the family were on WhatsApp for birthday wishes. Part of our tradition for years has been to call the birthday person and sing to her. We are a singing family. Daughters and granddaughter are sopranos and grandsons have been  baritones since they were 14. Everyone can carry a tune and most can harmonize at the drop of a note. So almost immediately upon settling in on line, we sang Happy Birthday. We were horrible. Laughter followed upon laughter. All we had going for us was our energy and our love.

We had a nice long conversation and as we were winding down, my daughter asked that we sing it once more so we could really be ready and together. Her sister counted us down and we started ~ and we were only terrible this time. I do think we may have all been in the same key although I won't vouch for that. We certainly weren't coming in on the same words at the same time. My suggestion was that as theatre people we should know the value of rehearsal.

And truthfully, all the singing had all the love and care that the carefully crafted choruses did. It didn't matter a whit to either celebrant that we weren't perfect. We sang from our hearts and souls with the energy of love. And we were together even though apart.

Reflections on Protesting

My early adult years were lived during the Civil Rights movement. Protesters were marching with Martin Luther King against racism and segregation. If I wasn't on the street, I knew those who were and I sympathized and prayed with and for and supported in many different ways. Protest was a noble  and non-violent way of standing for what was right and good.

I marched in front of the South African embassy against apartheid. I stood with thousands of other (mainly) women with a peace ribbon that circled Washington DC. We stood, marched, sang, wrote, for all sorts of causes that mattered.

Today's cause matters too. We are being asked to stay inside or at least go out as little as possible and support those whose work is essential to the running of civilization. And the protesters are marching against that directive, gathering in large groups, saying it is their right to gather, and willingly ignoring those of us who are elderly or sick or now any healthy age.

I have a strange feeling because this time I am not on the side of the protesters. I am insulted and even threatened by them. Of course they have a right to protest, just as we did. Only this time, by the very act of protesting, they are possibly harming themselves or others by spreading COVID-19. Sigh.

It is sort of like watching an old movie and having that weird feeling when a crowd arrives or there is no social distance and no masks. I watch and have a dislocated feeling because that is not how it is supposed to be. I'm supposed to be with them not against them. Please, go home. Keep your distance from others. Wash your hands and let the scientists do their work so we can soon be back to the gatherings that you want so badly.

Panda Wisdom

A friend whom I have known since he was a toddler, has been severely ill with COVID-19. The good news is, he is getting better. Two weeks ago though, he was quite ill and quarantined in his basement with his older child learning quickly how to manage. A friend of his owns a T-shirt business and said that if we bought a shirt, all the profits would go to help our friend. And so I bought a T-Shirt.

He had other colors and styles and I really liked the masked panda. Unfortunately if I wear it out where people can see the message, I am disobeying its wisdom. And so I send it to you this way. Stay Inside! 

And while you do say grateful thanks to those who can't and who keep our lives running at risk to themselves. Do all you can to clean and sterilize. Please, wear masks when out and about. Wash you hands. 

What we are doing, no matter how uncomfortable, is keeping us safe and slowing down the virus until hard-working scientists can find a vaccine or other medicine to bring this horror to a halt. 

Meanwhile, smile and try to turn your frustration into fascination. Blessings to all of you. 

Christ is Risen!

How the Virus Stole Easter
By Kristi 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 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 through 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.

Sign of the Times

We have a granddaughter living and working in Germany. The other day she sent the family a picture of this sign. With her permission I share it with you along with her translation and narration. As she pointed out, the Germans are very straight forward with their directives.

Your Hangout - (Deine Treffen) 

Corona can kill your loved ones. Stay Home. 

Words on the Tombstone: 'Your Father' 

These are official signs that have been posted by the city of Offenbach. They have set these up along the river because unfortunately too many people have been breaking the social distancing rules and are having picnics and meeting up in large groups. Quite frustrating, but it has gotten better this past week, now that you can get fined for hanging out in groups of more than 2. 

Masks

Well, here we are. We are not heading out so the masks are not tied particularly tight. We are wearing them for the picture to say Thank You! to daughter Meredith and son-in-law David who made them for us. Dean's has blue ties. Mine are red. And the way we are dressed is shear  coincidence ~ although maybe not so much as we both wear these colors a lot.

Yesterday at the grocery store almost every one had on a mask, customers and clerks alike. People are being very careful here in Tahoe and for that we are grateful. 

I read an article this morning about some mega churches that will be holding Easter services in spite of personal distance warnings. My denomination (The Christian Church, Disciples of Christ) has always talked about "Faith and Reason". My faith is strong and my reason tells me to listen to the CDC and stay home. And when I go out once a week to the grocery, wear my mask! My faith also tells me that Easter will come no matter what my location. 

Count your blessings, wear your masks, and of course continue to wash your hands!

Church Changes

Years ago I was chairing the Worship Committee at my church in Virginia when a woman suggested a Maundy Thursday prayer vigil. She helped organize the first one - someone in the chancel praying every 30 minutes from 9 o'clock Maundy Thursday evening until 3 o'clock Good Friday afternoon. It became and has continued to this day to be one of the highlights of Holy Week for that congregation.

After I had been in California for a few years, I mentioned on Face Book to the pastor that I would be thinking about the church during those hours and he said, "why don't you choose a time and pray with us." So for a number of years now I have lit a candle, chosen some scriptures, a hymn or two, put on some meditative music, and prayed at 9 pm my time, 12 midnight east coast time, and participated in the prayer vigil.

This year, I am not the only one praying from home. The entire vigil is being held from home using resources and suggestions sent out by the church. The woman organizing it was a little afraid they would not get as many people doing it this way. She had a full roster within hours of her post. Not only is everyone praying from home, this year, I noticed several names besides mine who do not live in Lynchburg and would be unable to come to the church.

Several pastors I know have commented that they are having more people sign on to on line services than they normally have attend services in person. A former student spends 30 minutes on Sunday morning playing and singing gospel songs. Choirs are finding ways through Zoom or other sites to sing beautiful harmonies from their individual homes.

I still believe we need the community that church offers and I also believe that the way we do church is changing and going to change even when we can gather again in the same space. One thing this physical distancing has taught us is that the church is much more than a building. We are the church wherever and however we meet.

April Snow

It is a gorgeous, blue bird day in skiers' lingo. No ski slopes are open of course and no one is coming anyway as we are all tucked safely away in our homes trying to keep a social distance from each other. The day is too pretty to keep to myself so I tried to take some pictures to give you a little idea of spring in the mountains. When the sky is blue and the sun shines on fresh snow, the beauty can be spectacular.

Through the pines to the mountain beyond the lake.

Out our front window.

Across the back deck and up the hill. 

It's The Little Things

In the midst of big chaos, big decision, big news, big changes, it is still the little things that can make us happy and feel so grateful for what we have and experience.

I found Burt's Bees Hand Salve at the grocery yesterday.

Dean had a can of it when I moved here 20 years ago and we have just recently finished it. It has been the one thing I found that kept the skin around my nails from cracking in this high, dry altitude. Suddenly we were without it just as hand washing became the thing and using alcohol wipes and sprays all the rage. Ergo - cracks! And there it was tucked down on a lower shelf sort of pushed to the back. Bet this can goes in less than 20 years.

So grateful it is orange season and the grocery store is loaded with delicious California oranges. Our morning juice is quite amazing, a healthy tasty addition to vitamin C supplements.

Dean bought a little UV flashlight to kill virus germs. It doesn't flood a room but it does take care of his gloves and our shoes.

I was pissed off about something yesterday and was heading down the stairs when right in front of me on the family picture wall was the picture of our grandson's wedding with all the family in one smiling line. The bride and groom had the biggest smiles of course but the rest of us were very happy and the picture made me smile. Suddenly I was happy, no longer pissed, and very grateful for my wonderful family.

As I made my way down the stairs I checked in with other pictures, especially those of grands at all stages of their lives. What joy those pictures bring!

Find the little things and be grateful and don't forget to wash your hands ~

So Excited!

Up early this morning, bathed and dressed and ready to go. It was grocery store day!! I have Never been this excited to go to the store. Heheheheheh.

More masks and gloves than were there before. I washed and sprayed and used the wipes on my cart and carried a couple with me. Before leaving home I sterilized (sprayed) my credit card and store card and put them in a small zip lock. My store card hasn't swiped for years so I have had to hand it to the clerk. As I pushed it out of the zip lock I told her it had been sterilized and she was the first one to touch it since. She was very pleased and thanked me.

I said thank you to every clerk I saw, some of which I know by name as this is my store. Grey-haired ladies like me smiled at each other and scooted past in aisles where we couldn't be 6 feet apart. We all obeyed the floor markers telling us to stay 2 carts apart.

And when we got home, we washed our hands thoroughly and wiped and sprayed and did our best before having breakfast.

It's a different life but just a little bit exciting.