Family Life Archives

It was the Christmas season, and Dad and Holly were setting up the nativity scene under the Christmas tree.

Dad thoughtfully held a couple of the figurines in his hands and said to his little girl, “You know, every person involved in the Christmas story was filled with hope.”

“What do you mean,” asked Holly, looking at the figurines in her father’s hands.

“Well, take the shepherds for instance. They had hope that the promised Savior would be coming soon. They liked to talk about it together and pray for Him to come. And then when the angel told them that He had in fact been born, right there in Bethlehem, they had hope for their future and the future of their people.”

“And what about the angel? Did he have hope?” asked Holly, her little eyebrows quizzically furrowed.

“Oh, yes, he had hope too!” Dad began. “I believe all the angels had hope. Hope that the human race would recognize their Commander and believe in Him and follow Him. How hard it must have been for them to see God’s chosen people, the Israelites, continually reject Him and even forget Him and worship false gods.”

“I guess that would be hard,” Holly agreed.

“But then,” Dad continued, holding up the three wise men figurines, “the wise men weren’t even Israelites, and they knew that a King was going to be born soon. And they had hope too! They hoped that they were correct in their reading and studying. And then when they saw the star, I’m sure they hoped that it would actually take them to the newborn King they thought they would see.”

“And it did!” Holly’s eyes lit up at the thought. “Who’s next?”

Dad smiled at Holly’s enthusiasm. “Next we have Mary and Joseph. You know that both Mary and Joseph were visited by the angel Gabriel who explained to each of them their parts in this story and assured them that what was happening was of God. They had hope that what Gabriel said to them would come to pass. I imagine they also had hope that they would be good parents to Jesus. They had a very big responsibility, as every parent does, to care for and raise their child the best they possibly could. Can you imagine being the parents of God?!”

“No, I can’t!” Holly said with a little laugh. Dad laughed, too, at the daunting thought.

“And last but not least…!” Holly announced.

Dad looked surprised. “What do you mean?” he asked Holly.Holly held up the baby Jesus in the manger. “Jesus. You forgot Jesus. How did He have hope?”

Dad smiled and said, “Well, Jesus is just a baby at this point. I’m not sure he had hope as a baby.”

“Of course He did!” Holly beamed. “He hoped that everyone would accept Him as the BEST Christmas present EVER!”

Dad pulled Holly in for a tight hug, “That’s right! That’s right. And how could anyone say no to that?”

Holly placed baby Jesus in the stable in the midst of Mary, Joseph, the angel, the shepherds, and the wise men. It was as if she and Dad were transported back to that moment in time – back when the Hope of the world made His unpretentious appearance – and silently they shared their worship with the very ones represented by the little figurines.

At the end of this quite unusual year, may you have hope:

• Hope like the shepherds for what is to come;
• Hope like the angels that many will believe in Jesus as their Savior;
• Hope like the wise men that your studies will guide you;
• Hope like Mary and Joseph in the veracity of what God has already shown us;
• Hope like Jesus that you will continually receive His perfect gift to you – and then share it with others.

On behalf of the Family Life Committee, we wish you peace, joy, and hope this Christmas and always.

–Diane Helbley

What makes Christmas special? That sounds like an easy question. It sounds so easy it must be a trick question, right? The truth is, it isn’t really a trick question. First and foremost, Christmas is about Jesus coming to be part of the human family in a very literal sense in order to make us part of God’s family in a very literal sense. We are now “joint heirs with Christ,” are we not? God sent us Christ because He loves family and all the things about family that make Christmas special to us. This isn’t rocket science or even something that we really have to think that hard about to figure out. Let’s think about Christmas and what makes it special to us and about what things we know about God and how things operate in His home, with His family if you will.

One of the first things I think about, when I think about Christmas is music. Joyful carols, singing together with family, listening to Christmas songs in church, in special Christmas programs at school or in the community or on TV, on the radio, in stores (yes, I know some of those songs can get annoying after a while, but most of those are the pseudo-Christmas songs if you ask me)… the list goes on and on. Does God’s family in Heaven enjoy and participate in music? Scripture tells us that nature sings, that angels sing, that the stars sing. At the birth of Christ, angels were sent to sing glorious songs of peace and joy and hope. Jesus sang songs/hymns with His disciples while He was here. Numerous Biblical authors describe the glories of Heaven being filled with songs. Angels’ songs. Songs of the redeemed. Special songs that all lift our hearts to glorious heights.

Another thing that makes Christmas special is food. If you ponder the stories in the Bible about food many of them are the times of joyous celebrations. The feasts given to Moses by which people were to be reminded of our relationship with God and Christ’s ministry in our behalf were all tied to shared meals. Jesus made sure hungry people had food enough to spare. He “longed” to share the Passover feast with His disciples. He offers to “come in and sup with us” if we will open our hearts door. He promises us a feast in Heaven is one of the first great celebrations when we get there. Spending time enjoying God’s bounty together is one of the blessings of Christmas.

Spending time together is another huge aspect of what makes Christmas special to us. People travel from all over (please be responsible in that regard this year), to be together with those they love. We have community events that promote the joy of togetherness and bind us to those in our communities. We attend programs and events and being together brings great joy. God sent Jesus/Immanuel to be with us, to create community and connection with us. Jesus gave us an example of spending time with people that were special to Him (disciples, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, the wedding feast in Cana). He longs for us to be together with Him forever. The togetherness we experience here at Christmas time is just a taste of the community of love God invites us to be a part of.

Oh, one other thing about Christmas that we can’t possibly forget is giving and receiving gifts. It’s easy to get selfish about gifts and to turn Christmas into commercial consumption. I know it is something that we have to be careful with, but it is still an integral part of how we relate to Christmas. We see the joy in our children’s eyes as they open gifts and our hearts burst open with delight. We thrill when we get that perfect gift (not necessarily the most expensive or fancy) from our child or loved one that we know comes from being known and deeply loved. We are humbled and filled by opportunities to share gifts with those in need who can never repay us. God led the way in this practice of gift giving. All of creation is a gift from God, a blessing meant to bring delight and joy and belonging and wholeness and beauty into our lives. His ultimate gift of Himself/Jesus restores and enhances all the other gifts He’s given us. His desire and delight at receiving the gifts of our hearts, our love, our praises, our alabaster boxes, our gold, frankincense and myrrh are an indication of things to come.

As we enter into this short time before Christmas, as we do so in ways that will probably be different from the way we usually do things, as we look for a silver lining to what has been a difficult year for so many of us, let us contemplate how we can incorporate these beautiful aspects of Christmas into our lives in the next few days. Let’s find ways to sing even if we don’t get to have the Feast of Lights. Let’s find ways to enjoy the bounties of God’s blessing in the meals we share together and apart. Let’s find creative ways to unite with our families, and with our God seek to enhance the bonds of loving community. Let’s find ways to give from hearts full of love for God, love for our families, love for our communities and our world. Let’s receive the gifts of love from those who are dearest to us. Most of all, let’s open our hearts to receive the greatest gift of love ever given as we contemplate Immanuel, God with us.

–William Helbley

When I saw Heidi Leets posting on Facebook about the fun she is having with her family this December, I was instantly intrigued and inspired. Heidi and her husband, Josh, have masterminded 25 family experiences to do each day leading up to Christmas. She says she was inspired to start doing this eleven years ago from an article she spotted in Family Fun magazine.

When they first started out, she cut out paper doors and glued them to construction paper with a family experience written behind each door. Back then it was easy to come up with ideas that would be fun for small children. As her kids have grown into preteens and teenagers, she and Josh have had to put a little more thought into what would interest and excite bigger kids. They must be doing something right, because Heidi reports that the kids are still giddy to find out what their daily experience is going to be! Except now they have a beautiful set of wooden drawers to hold their experience ideas each day.

Clearly it’s a little late for you and me to start doing a 25 Days of Family Experiences. But I’m intending to do a 12 Days version, and I invite you to join me!

So what kinds of experiences should you do? I’m glad you asked! Here are some of the activities the Leets family has enjoyed:

• Give each child a new Christmas blanket and snuggle up to watch a favorite Christmas movie;
• Make Christmas ornaments;
• Go on a nighttime (battery-operated) candle hunt in the woods (or your yard) and have a candy attached to the bottom of each candle;
• Go on a Christmas scavenger hunt around the area and look for blinking lights, wreaths, candy canes, snowflakes, nativities, etc. (There are lots of hunts on Pinterest to inspire you!);
• Camp in the basement;
• Go on a hike with thermoses filled with hot chocolate;
• Do an Escape Room puzzle;
• Play Spot It! the holiday version;
• Make crafts at Fernwood (back when these sorts of things were happening);
• Engage in three or four service activities, such as stuffing stockings for foster children and handing out treats to neighbors;
• Include an Advent reading each night, such as Ann Voskamp’s Unwrapping the Greatest Gift.

Heidi stresses that the whole point of doing this is to create memories and connections with the kids. She believes, and I agree, that if you are intentional about making connections with your kids, you will be more likely to connect with them at other important times – times when they need your advice or help. Personally I can’t think of a more fun way to make connections, and I’m very much looking forward to sharing these sorts of experiences with my family!

I’d like to add that these ideas can be put into action even if you’re finding yourself alone this year. Think of 12 fun things you’d like to do that are out of the norm for you. Write each down on a piece of paper, put the papers in a nice box or bag, and each day pull out a paper and discover what activity you will be doing that day. Take photos of your experiences, so you can look back on your 2020 COVID Christmas countdown.

Heidi summed up her experience so far this year with these words, “We think we nailed it this year, but we shall see. Either way memories will be made, and that’s really what matters.”

–Diane Helbley

Last week I shared some tradition stand-ins for this season when many of our holiday traditions aren’t happening. Little did I know then that I would be partaking in one of the very suggestions I had written. While at our outdoor Thanksgiving with our best friends, I received a text at 1:56 asking if I would be available to Zoom with family at 2:00. I quickly downloaded Zoom on my phone, and before I knew it, I was Zooming with members of my extended family – seven households across Western New York, Pennsylvania, and my own family here in Michigan. What an awesome surprise! I haven’t seen some of these family members in years. And this is the kind of silver lining I was mentioning last week. Would we have spent that half an hour on Zoom together if we were going about our usual Thanksgiving festivities? Probably not.

This year may be strange and difficult, but there have been some unexpected benefits that have also come with it. Perhaps you’ve seen or experienced this for yourself. I’ve personally experienced an enhanced closeness with my immediate family from having us all together all day every day for the past nine months. We also got to thoroughly witness and enjoy springtime emerging and evolving, because we had the time to walk and explore together during our lunch breaks – time we wouldn’t have had together if we were at our jobs or in school all day. We’ve discovered the range of critters in our own backyard over the course of these months. We’ve learned how to play the ukulele. We’ve had to get creative with our best friends and find many new outdoor places to explore together on Sabbath afternoons. Together we’ve found a favorite beach, enjoyed hours of rock and fossil hunting, discovered new parts of Sarett Nature Preserve, sought after new birds, found cool tidbits of nature, and sat next to each other in parked cars having post-Sabbath snacks.

I’ve also seen many people step up and step out of their comfort zones during this time. Our own worship services and children’s Sabbath schools have showcased much creativity over these months. People have volunteered to buy groceries, deliver supplies, and run errands for those who were isolating. We’ve learned how to use new technologies to connect ourselves and to continue parts of our lives that we couldn’t do in person. Healthcare workers bravely tackled a new paradigm. We all learned what’s most important in our lives. And there’s a rekindled sense of how close we are to the edge of eternity.

Of course, it isn’t all sunshine and roses, even when you’re trying to find the silver linings. There have been some very serious consequences of this time too. And I’ve been moved by the determination, fortitude, and resilience I’ve witnessed. My heart has gone out to all those who have lost loved ones or been unable to visit them in their times of need, as well as those who have found themselves too isolated. I pray you have been the beneficiary of some of the acts of kindness as mentioned above.

As this pandemic continues to weigh down on us, I want to encourage you to look for opportunities to do a new thing. Reach out to an old friend, distant relative, or homebound community member. Explore new parts of your community. Seek out opportunities to be helpful. Learn new things. Involve the kids, too. Show them how to be resilient, to be a good neighbor, to be creative, and to look for the silver linings.

–Diane Helbley

The holidays come with much tradition, whether family tradition, personal tradition, or communal tradition. There is something special and comfortable in the familiar events and activities that we engage in year after year. But, of course, this year has put a monkey wrench in just about every aspect of our lives, so why should our holiday traditions be any different?Tomorrow is Thanksgiving – a day often filled with much family, much fellowship, and much food. The CDC is strongly recommending we don’t gather like we usually do, and if we still decide to gather, they recommend bringing our own food, plates, and utensils. That doesn’t feel very much like Thanksgiving to me.And Christmas is just around the corner. There are so many happy memories and traditions for me and my family. But this year will be so different. No concerts. No carol singing. No community events. No Christmas parties. And I won’t get to see my loved ones in New York State. That definitely doesn’t feel like Christmas to me.

I’m a very sentimental person, and I really like my traditions. But I’m trying to find the silver lining during this unusual holiday season. I’ve been brainstorming new traditional possibilities and different activities that can still be fun and meaningful. Here are some ideas that you may find fun and meaningful too!

• Write notes to your family members thanking them for specific things you appreciate about them (or for specific things they have done for you). Read them out loud on Thanksgiving or Christmas.
• Instead of preparing the traditional Thanksgiving foods, make all your favorite dishes, even if they don’t make sense together.
• Zoom with loved ones while eating your Thanksgiving meal or opening your Christmas gifts.
• Go for a drive to see the lights and see who can find the most nativity scenes (or snowmen or candy canes, etc.).
• Buy or make a mask for each member of the family. Open them on Christmas and take photos of yourselves in them to commemorate the year.
• Put things that remind you of this year in a box or tin (masks, toilet paper, remote learning lessons, hand sanitizer, a 6’ length of string, etc.) and hide the box or tin away to be opened at a much later date. (Hopefully, this will be a time capsule that will merely remind you of this bizarre time and not still be relevant when you open it!)
• Create a photo book that includes photos of the things that you did get to do this year and look through it on Christmas day with your loved ones – either in person or via Zoom.

I know the holidays can be difficult for some even in the best of times. Allow yourself the opportunity to mourn the loss of things held dear. And try to think ahead to the eternity we’ll get to live with Jesus Himself and imagine the traditions we’ll get to experience there. I can only imagine that the Sabbaths in heaven will be a tradition that will blow away any manmade tradition we cherish here on earth.

–Diane Helbley

In just over a week Thanksgiving will be here again, except this will be a Thanksgiving celebration like never before. Past years have seen us in large groups with family and friends, talking, laughing, hugging, eating, and having a good time. A year ago the words “coronavirus” or “COVID” were not even part of our vocabulary, and face masks was something only occasionally seen and generally worn by someone from Asia. What a difference a year makes!

Can we still be thankful amid a resurgence of the pandemic and when political differences threaten to further divide us, both in our relationships and in society at large? My answer not only is that we can, but that we must. From Genesis through Revelation the Bible exhorts us to be thankful. Psalm 106:1 sums it up nicely when it says, “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.”

To be sure, life is harder now than before and I am not saying that all is well because the Psalmist tells us to be thankful. The coronavirus has affected every part of our lives, from pursuing academic goals, to maintaining a job in the middle of an economic downturn, to travel, and to relationships. Mental health professionals are telling us that there is a significant increase in stress, anxiety, and depression. The lockdowns also appear to be behind a spike in domestic abuse cases.

If you are not affected by any of these negative results of the pandemic, then you truly do have a lot to be thankful for. And if you can help anyone who is suffering by directing them to the proper agencies for assistance, then you have given them a reason to be thankful too. Let us each try to be more aware of the needs of friends, family, neighbors, and acquaintances, and respond with appropriate help when we can. If you feel that you are not able to function as well as normal during this time, or need help due to other circumstances or challenges, please reach out to a friend, family member, or health care professional. People care about you and love you, and help is available.

Whether you can celebrate Thanksgiving around a table laden with yummy treats and loving family members, or if you are alone in your small room or apartment, I hope that the words of Psalm 106:1 are meaningful to you. The story isn’t over yet, and we know that the Lord is good, His love for us will last forever.

–Judy Nay

As I looked around my house the other day and saw all the work that I had been neglecting, it struck me that after all these months, the fallout from the pandemic was getting to me. You may be surprised that it has taken eight months, but normally, I am an optimist. However, the novelty of working from home has worn off. When I am in the office, the peace and quiet I always longed for in order to get work done has lost its appeal. The lack of a routine and missing the comfort of what I’ve been accustomed to have started to take its toll. I enjoy change, but total upheaval? Not so much.

So what does an optimist do when the circumstances of life chip away at that optimism? The same things all of us can do to beat back the enemy of our souls. Change the focus.

It can be very difficult to build up the motivation, energy, and desire to make a change, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, loving family and Christian friends, we can make a change. We have more control over our responses and reactions to our present world than we often think we do. For me, I realized my thinking was being sabotaged, but at the same time, I also realized I had the power and ability to fight back simply by changing my focus and thinking differently than I have been lately. Remembering that the glass is half full, not half empty.

My first step was coming up with something that would encourage me and lift my spirits. Aha! Accomplishing something! That could be finishing a project, getting all of my laundry washed and ironed, getting all of the leaves cleared out of my yard (or better yet, getting all of the leaves cleared out of someone else’s yard who can’t do it themselves), or something as simple as getting things ready for the next day. For you, it could be learning something new like a skill or a language, reconnecting with a friend with whom you’ve lost touch, spending quality time in prayer, finishing the book you’ve had on your nightstand for weeks, making a big batch of soup to share with neighbors, or checking something off your bucket list. Find that something that you know would lift your spirits and get your mind off anything negative Satan has planted.

Laugh. Or even just smile. What brings you joy? Some people are uplifted by looking at pictures of puppies, kittens, or baby anything…bears, deer, or humans. For others, it could be music. I love walking in the woods this time of year, especially when the sun is warm, and smelling the fall leaves and fallen pine needles. It reminds me of home. Invite a friend to join you because joy is multiplied when it’s shared.

Don’t listen to the news too much. Stay informed, but don’t let it consume you. Enough said.

A sense of routine can be comforting. A day that is overly chaotic or without any type of structure can feel like a wasted day and can add to discouragement. I’ve had days that at the end of them, with all the hectic running, I couldn’t find anything productive I’d accomplished. This was especially true for me when I found myself unemployed many years ago. Without routine and structure, I quickly fell into a slump. Exercise is a great mood booster, even if it’s just a walk around your neighborhood. Take advantage of any sunny days and go outside to soak up a little sun. Call a friend to talk about their day and what’s going on in their lives.

What are you thankful for? It could be something large like your health, friends and family, or something as simple as the smell of fall leaves. Grab a journal, a pad of paper, or put a list on your cell phone (I use the Evernote app for all kinds of lists). Don’t wrack your brain to think of every little thing all at once. Just jot down one or two things a day that you’re grateful for. And remember to thank God for those blessings…and for bringing them to your mind. It will be a wonderful list to look back on.

Practice positive thinking to discover what a significant difference it can make, even in these uncertain times.

–Deb Montcalm

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” Ephesians 4:32.

We’ve all heard that verse before, but what does that mean within the family context. When our loved ones hurt us, intentionally or unintentionally, it is natural to respond in anger or hold on to resentment. It is a way for us to protect ourselves from further hurt, but does it help us in the long run? Holding on to anger and resentment harms us physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually. Just like the verse says, forgiveness begins with having compassion for the offending party. Try to understand why that person acted or said what they did. There are lots of reasons we commit sins towards one another, or the offense could have been a misunderstanding. The way to begin building compassion is through reaching out in kindness and understanding. This doesn’t mean to continue in abusive and harmful relationships, but what this verse teaches goes a long way in helping the healing process.

With so much tension in society from the pandemic and the recent election, we are bound to hurt one another with our opinions on how to address these problems. Don’t forget to be kind and compassionate towards one another and forgive each other for the harm we have caused. Think of all the harm we as humans have committed towards God’s creation, yet God forgave us through the blood of his only son Jesus Christ. Let us follow God’s example and do as the verse says; be kind, have compassion, and forgive.

–Alina Baltazar

One of the things my family has been enjoying this season is milkweed pods. Are you familiar with them? You might walk past a field of them and not think anything of them. You would see gray, horn-shaped, dried-out, spiky pods on the end of tall, skinny stems. They look uninviting and perhaps even uninteresting. But the truth is so much better than that!

When you look more closely, you’ll see that these pods hold a beautiful secret! If you flip the pods over, you may notice that they have a crack in their hard, outer shell. You may even see some fluffiness sticking out. Crack them open further, you’ll see dozens and dozens of seeds with silk attached to them. And this is when the real fun begins!

If you pull out the seeds and release them, they float like beautiful, little parachutes to the ground. If there is even the slightest bit of wind, they will drift on the breeze in a lovely dance, filling the air around you. As we released the little parachutes, we couldn’t help but smile and laugh at how fun they were and how they got stuck in our hair and on our clothes! The scene was quite enchanting. And not at all what you might have expected from the rather dull-looking pods.

God designed this plant to perfectly propagate itself. And as is usually the case with the things God has created, if we take the time to notice them, we will discover fascinating things about them and may even enjoy them.

Have you ever seen something or someone and thought that they were unremarkable, boring, or useless? Those milkweed seed pods looked dried out and dull. But the reality was that they held beautiful seeds inside them that not only enchanted us, but will eventually create new milkweed plants. I would venture to say that there is beauty, an interesting story, or usefulness in most everything – and certainly every person. Sometimes we just may need to spend a little more time with a person, look at them through a different lens, or sincerely seek to know them. Even those with a hard, outer shell often have a softer, gentler inside, especially when someone shows them kindness and interest.

Sometimes we need to show ourselves some kindness, too. The next time we’re tempted to think that there is nothing good about us – nothing that would attract us to others, nothing that is worthwhile or useful, or nothing but a boring story – let’s remember the milkweed pod and all the beauty, usefulness, and interest it holds inside. God perfectly designed it, and although we may have scars, brokenness, or flaws, He perfectly designed us, too! And we, too, have beauty, usefulness, and interest. If we stop and look at ourselves through God’s eyes, these things will become more and more clear with each passing day.

–Diane Helbley

Is anyone out there not experiencing a family member or close friend having a significant health crisis or dealing with the loss of a loved one? Consider yourself fortunate, because it seems like most of us are dealing with the emotional, spiritual, physical, economic, and logistical challenges of either a personal health crisis or loss of a loved one or the crisis being experienced by someone close to us. No matter how strong our faith is, no matter how many ways God is with us as we go through these things, a major family health crisis or loss of a loved one still creates burdens, stresses, fears, worries, uncertainties, additional responsibilities, challenges to our faith, and just plain heartbreak. I wish I could offer a get out of it all free card, but we all know that’s not how life works, at least not this side of eternity.

So what are some things we can do to help those we love and/or ourselves to make it through these kinds of trying circumstances? I don’t have all the answers, but here are some suggestions. I strongly recommend making a special time with God a high priority. That doesn’t mean you have to be excited about it or that it has to be full of faith and sunshine. It’s okay to yell at God. It’s okay to ask Him the tough questions. The why’s? The how could You let this happen? The where were You when we needed You? The what do I do now? And the host of other questions that come with these kinds of circumstances. Cry out to Him with all the painful truth of what you are going through. He’s big enough for all of it. Keep going back to Him for as long as it takes for you to know that He is right there with you, grieving, caring, loving you through every step. For some, that can be days or weeks, for others, it can take literal years of throwing our brokenness at His feet.

It is easy to feel alone when going through these things. Take time to be with your family and friends. Let them be there with you, for you. Let them know that you are there with them and for them. Give yourself and your loved ones permission to enjoy the activities that give life meaning even while you are dealing with the crisis or loss. While dealing with a health crisis or loss is not something I would wish on anyone, these kinds of life events are oftentimes when we, our families, and those closest to us, can find the greatest sense of togetherness and dependence on one another. The bonds that grow through adversity will last through eternity.

Dealing with a health crisis or loss can lead to a lot of anxiety and uncertainty about how to manage all the things that come with these kinds of life events. Between time management, financial issues, changing responsibilities, new and scary roles, advocating for a loved one, dealing with medical professionals, and a host of other things, one can be easily overwhelmed. Asking for help is okay. You don’t have to handle it all yourself. Let your friends and family be there for you. Put yourself, your family member, or loved one on the prayer list at church (prayer requests can be placed on the online Connect Cards each Sabbath, called into the church office, relayed to friends and family). We are in this together.

If you still find yourself overwhelmed and having a hard time coping, please don’t be afraid to seek professional help. Having a professional counselor or doctor help you is not a sign of weakness. It is a recognition of the very real things going on in your life and can help to provide insight, perspective, encouragement, and support.

One thing I can tell you for sure, you are not alone. The same Jesus who ‘groaned in the spirit’ and wept over Lazarus and the pain his loved ones felt at his sickness and death, will come alongside each of us. He knows our sorrows and is acquainted with our grief, and He will not leave us to face these challenges alone. Cast your cares on Him for He cares for you.

–William Helbley

As Christians, we are called to serve others as Christ did during his time on earth. This is an important trait during the pandemic. We all need to help one another, but we also need to realize our human limits. What the eight laws of health that were promoted by Ellen White and the SDA church are about is actually self-care. I know sometimes we get so busy it is hard for us to eat healthy, exercise, and get enough sleep. We feel guilty telling people no so we can spend the time to cook healthy meals or get some fresh air. What we need to realize is by taking care of ourselves we can then take better care of others. What this pandemic has taught us is the importance of maintaining our health to prevent and better recover from COVID-19. With the probability of an increase in COVID-19 cases and the possibility of another shutdown looming this fall, this is the time to reflect on your self-care.

Self-care isn’t just about taking care of our bodies, it is all the other parts that make us human. We are also emotional and social creatures. Recent research has found that meeting with your friends once per week is as beneficial to a person’s health as quitting one pack of cigarettes per day smoking habit. This is beneficial to all age groups. We shouldn’t be social distancing, just physical distancing.
When we are struggling emotionally our bodies are trying to tell us something is wrong. Ask yourself what situations in your life are causing you emotional distress? Where do you feel emotional distress in your body? It is easier to notice physical signs of emotional distress. Are there negative thoughts in your mind linked with your negative emotions? Work on challenging those thoughts by asking yourself if there is evidence to support that thought are there alternative explanations, and what would you tell a friend in the same situation?

Last but not least, we also need to take care of ourselves spiritually. This is a time many of us are crying out to the Lord for strength and help with various aspects of our lives. We also need to carve out time to spend with the Lord through prayer and Bible reading so we can hear his guidance and reassurance. So break down these different parts that make you whole and healthy and come up with your self-care plan. Here are some ideas.

• Physical – Have a set sleep and exercise schedule. Go for walks. Eat healthily.
• Social – Schedule on-line chats, watch videos, or play games with friends & family on-line or outside at least once per week
• Emotional – Watch for and challenge negative self-talk. Have empathy towards yourself. It helps to set aside time for reflection and creativity (journaling, art, music) at the end of the day.
• Spiritual – Daily time with the Lord and his word. Let go and let God take care of the rest. Find ways to connect with your faith community.

–Alina Baltazar

Did you know that today is National Love People Day? I didn’t either until I looked up national holidays on the Internet. I was amazed to see how many “holidays” there are – usually multiple ones per day. Today is also International Podcast Day. I suppose that’s something that can be celebrated, as many things can be learned through podcasts, but I personally prefer the National Love People Day.

Nationaltoday.com describes the day like this: “People write songs about it or read poems inspired by it but do we really know what love is? That’s something to consider on National Love People Day, held annually on September 30. Many religions and non-religious spiritual practices center on the idea of giving love wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return. This day is dedicated to inspiring and supporting others with the power of unconditional love.”

They even give suggestions on how we can put this holiday into action:

1. Help someone else The idea for random acts of kindness epitomizes the spirit of National Love People Day. Share a resource or gift with someone in need. Offer to babysit so your friend can go out on a date night with their spouse. Write a check for cancer research. Give blood at a blood bank because it’s one of the best ways to express to people you don’t even know the love of life.
2. Express your love with the arts Spread the message of National Love People Day by writing a poem or even sharing it at a poetry slam. Do a dance or paint a picture in the name of love. In these divisive times, art is an amazing outlet for showing how interconnected we are as a human race.
3. Be nice Sometimes just a gentle word of support or showing empathy to a friend going through hard times is an effective way to honor National Love People Day. There’s no money involved and no physical labor to undergo. Share a hug, a cup of coffee, and a listening ear to someone you do or don’t know. It can make all the difference in the world.

These are great ideas and love initiators. I encourage us all to engage with some of these or similar things. But isn’t it a pity that someone felt that a national holiday was needed to remind people to love each other? It would seem that that should be a given. But alas, the love of many is growing cold. And in place of love, we are finding hatred, distrust, fear, divisiveness, and even self-loathing.

The Bible tells us about love and how to love over and over. May we each take these words to heart and lavishly love the way that God loves us. May we be kind to ourselves and represent Him well in this world, for they will know us by our love. 

—Diane Helbley