Creator Connection March 2021
The official newsletter of Creator Lutheran Church and Preschool.
The official newsletter of Creator Lutheran Church and Preschool.
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Terri’s Two Cents<br />
This month marks the oneyear<br />
anniversary of life in a<br />
pandemic. It certainly has<br />
been a “roller coaster” year<br />
of emotions. Twelve months<br />
ago, I had feelings of fear as<br />
stories of COVID-19 deaths<br />
grew. Next came the feelings<br />
of displacement when I emptied<br />
my office at church and set up<br />
a home office. Then came the<br />
disappointment and grief over<br />
cancellations of anticipated<br />
events like Easter celebrations,<br />
fundraisers, in person Sunday<br />
School and Bible Studies, and<br />
finally the cancellation of the<br />
Summer Mission Trip.<br />
Throughout the year, I have<br />
experienced so many different<br />
emotions that were new to<br />
me. Most of the time I didn’t<br />
know what I felt, but I knew my<br />
feelings were uncomfortable.<br />
The lack of familiar structure led<br />
me to feel guilty about not being<br />
as busy as I was used to being.<br />
The new technology I learned<br />
caused feelings of frustration.<br />
I felt lonely, missing hugs and<br />
special time with my grandkids<br />
and grown children. And I<br />
felt hopelessness when the<br />
grandkids asked me why they<br />
couldn’t come and spend the<br />
weekend at my house. And I<br />
longed to better meet the needs<br />
of the children and families of<br />
<strong>Creator</strong>. Maybe you have felt<br />
some of these feelings too.<br />
“Don’t be afraid. I am with you. Don’t tremble with fear. I<br />
am your God. I will make you strong, as I protect you with<br />
my arm and give you victories.” –Isaiah 41: 10<br />
Last night, at the Ash<br />
Wednesday Worship service,<br />
I heard Pastor Amanda use<br />
the word “ashy” to describe<br />
those feelings we have been<br />
experiencing this past year. It<br />
felt good to label my feelings.<br />
It feels even better to know<br />
that God is with us in all the<br />
ashiness. What a comfort it<br />
is to know that God knows<br />
how hard we try to do our best<br />
at work, school, and in our<br />
relationships every day! God<br />
knows that things are very<br />
difficult during this pandemic,<br />
and we may be feeling “ashy.”<br />
This knowledge soothes my<br />
feelings of guilt, frustration, and<br />
loneliness.<br />
I may still feel a little “ashy”<br />
sometimes, but I know that I<br />
will be alright. I know that God<br />
understands, and God loves<br />
me in all my ashiness. God is<br />
my source of strength in difficult<br />
times like these.<br />
3
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