A most important find in my family farmhouse sorting last week, a real believable connection showed up. I found this small plastic cross with Jesus, a child’s necklace perhaps, 1930’s 1940’s 1950’s maybe? Not sure but real and alive and a REAL GOD TO PERSON TO PERSON TO GOD connection. Imagine now, I can feel and pray that I WILL see my ancestors in Heaven one day – my grandparents to my great-grandparents to beyond…  WOW. It’s a reconnection worth talking about and feeling. A moment for connecting now and knowing we are connected in Christ, Holy Spirit helped in our “howdy to you!” greetings to believers old and new. (I’m pretty sure I wrote that before, the “howdy spirit” we could be in our greetings)…

Well, I have letters now to cull – I am “called to cull” – to see if my family history is developed more in these letters – and also to sort out the stuff that can be tossed – and also connect more with family who can translate them… And this activity is not new to me – I have helped friends before with their cleanouts and honestly culling through letters and papers is a good sit down activity – I liken it to shucking peas on the porch in the olden days – take the time to rest your bones but keep your hands busy. And this will be a good evening activity or early morning quiet activity – and yes, there are times of extra time this long weekend that I can work on it too…

It is just one more activity that I feel that the Lord has led me to – being a steward of stuff – a person to cull the clutter – to sort the so much – to listen day by day for the directions.

And so last night as I walked in my house – thinking about this time that I have been spending in my own family mission mindset – I see over my shoulder a framed scripture and I got the holy spirit goosebumps when seeing it – the scripture (Luke 1:38a KJV) – which was something my daughter made for me on the computer and printed out many years ago – I consider it my life-verse that I must hold onto – and obey:  “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” – YES, yes… And so be it unto me – this stewarding of connections that I understand IS my role – among many roles right now – and doing things like helping clean up the farmhouse – advocating for my family – sorting the stuff (also to send some of these letters I will sort to my cousin because they were written from her father to our immediate family during WW2) – yes sorting and stowing and slowing down to appreciate CONNECTIONS…

Thank You Lord for the DIRECTIONS IN CONNECTIONS…

AMEN