Friday, April 17, 2020

Focusing on the Good

Hello, Friday.  It is Friday, isn't it?  Or is it Thursday?  I don't think it's Tuesday.  Well, I'm just going with Friday cuz it feels like Friday.  And I feel like doing my Fave Fives.  I know I didn't do much all week online as we are still processing our situation.  See below for an explanation of my last comments last week.  But I am back and choosing to Focus on the Good.  HERE is the link to Friday Fave Fives.

1.  Food pick up and share.  Our local food share is working differently right now.  My sister-in-law usually volunteers there, but even she can't go in to help.  So we all stood outside and handed our bags to workers and they returned them filled with food (from Trader Joe's!).  We reserved a few apples and other fruit for us and dropped the rest off at the home of a young couple with two children.  A bag of apples got left at our pastor's door.  Few things make me happier than sharing things like food with other people.

2.  More masks.  Every time I decide I can set aside the mask making for a few days, I get a notice that someone needs a mask.  One day, The Professor and I drove around and delivered  nine masks for medical staff, three masks for a family who is imminently expecting a new baby, and several other masks to various friends.  This morning, I heard that an older man in our church needed a mask.  The Professor had already cut one; I quickly sewed it up, another friend picked it up, and it has already been delivered.  That's team work!




3.  Nature.  One of the advantages of having a closed golf course on the edge of our neighborhood is that the wild animals have decided to take back their territory.  I watched two hawks soaring above the course; they were screaming at each other, obviously both hunting for the same rabbit.  Deer and bunnies are showing up to eat the green grass.  Even the coyotes are becoming braver and walking the course in daylight.



4.  Garden.  The weather is finally dry and sunny, so I have been able to be out in my garden.  For me, a garden is a source of beauty, solitude, serenity, and self sufficiency.

5.  Coffee!  A few weeks ago, our coffee maker died.  The Professor researched and ordered a new one, but we didn't expect it to arrive until the end of April.  (Fortunately, we have a french press.)  But it was delivered this week and we have been enjoying some excellent coffee made with our new coffee maker.  (And THANK YOU to the Amazon delivery guy who dropped it on our front porch.) Coffee makes my day begin with happiness.

Thank you for all your kind comments and your prayers for us.  I can share with you now what happened.  Our 'adopted' son from Uganda passed away very suddenly at age 29.  Everyone who knew him was shocked.  Daniel was living and working in Doha, Qatar.  We had sponsored him through a program called Ugandan Lambs.  He was an orphan, and we had the privilege of sponsoring him since 2004  through middle school, secondary school and technical school, helping him prepare for his career.  He was an unusually charismatic, encouraging and responsible person who spread joy, kindness and God's love to everyone he met.  His smile would just light up any room and include everyone.  The Professor had been in a zoom Bible Study group with him less than two days before he died.  We were in the process of helping him get a student visa and attend college in the US. Now we are awaiting news of his funeral and burial in Uganda.  How can one express the sorrow of missing 'a son we never met'?  I can hear him saying, "O! Wuw! Mummy!  Heaven is amazing!"  Daniel, I look forward to sharing our experiences of Heaven with you some day.
"How precious in the sight of God is the death of His saints." 
Psalm 116:15.


Good nightsweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!”
Shakespeare, Hamlet

12 comments:

Deb J. in Utah said...

Oh I am so very sorry to hear of the loss of this kind soul who was like a son to you. God comfort you and take him home to heaven. I am making lots of masks too - when I hear about people who need them, I get busy and send some out or deliver them and drop them on the porch. I think you are a much better seamstress than I am. ;-) I am using ponytail holders as the ear pieces because they are elastic. They work ok. I see you are using ties. I need to find another pattern that uses ties because now even the ponytail elastics are getting sold out.

ellen b. said...

Oh, so sorry to hear of Daniel's sudden death. May God comfort you in the now. How good to have the comfort of knowing you will meet him in heaven someday. Great teamwork on those masks. I'm happy to hear your coffee maker arrived and you can enjoy your morning cuppa with that machine. Good thing you had a french press for the interim. Interesting to see the animals taking over the emptied green spaces. BTW tomorrow is Saturday.

Elizabethd said...

What a sadness for you. You will have many happy memories of him which will be a little comfort, I hope.

Wendy said...

So sorry to hear of your loss. These must be difficult times for you indeed. Keeping busy is good though and making masks is a wonderful way to pass the time. Stay well.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I’m so sorry to hear of your adopted son’s passing. Your story about making masks together with your husband brought a tear to my eye. What a kind and generous thing for you to do for your community. My mum has a friend who made masks for her and I. We both have bright and colourful masks to get us through this. We will all get through it and as my little grandson told me on the phone the other day, “hug each other again.”

Barbara Harper said...

I'm so sorry to hear of your 'adopted' son's passing. He sounded like a wonderful young man, full of promise.

I've been so pleased to hear how so many businesses are coming up with creative ways to serve customers. How nice to live near a golf course--fun to see the animals coming in now that it is closed. I'm glad you had garden time and a new coffee maker!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful tribute to your dear Daniel! I look forward to meeting him some day.

Good coffee and a walk through the garden sounds lovely. Mary

Mereknits said...

I am so, so sorry for your loss. I hope that in the coming days your heart will feel less sorrow. How lovely this young man sounds and he was blessed to have you in his life. Take care.

Faith said...

Oh how heaven is rejoicing to receive into its gates this beautiful young man. I'm so sorry to hear of your earthly loss ....your tribute to him is very touching.
Coffee and the Word is how i begin my day! Good coffee makes it even better.....glad you have your new brewer.

Coyotes in the day!! Wow!!

Yeah for getting outside and delivering food, masks and being able to garden.

I hope,you have a blessed week.

Susanne said...

Oh Willow I am so sorry for your loss! He sounds like a wonderful young man that you guys had a precious parental relationship with. May God comfort your hearts.

We've had coyotes coming right up on our walking trails in the city. Scary.

That is such a wonderful thing you and hubby are doing dropping off food and masks. We haven't had a mandate for wearing masks yet except for anyone that needs to travel by air but more and more people are wearing them when they are going to the store. I will probably eventually have to look up how to do a no sew one.

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