MONDAY MEDITATION: Time to Get Out of the House? (June 23)

This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s celebrate and be glad today. — Psalm 118:24

One of the biggest blessings from being a pastor is being privileged to have known–and learned from–some amazing people. One of those blessings was a saint I called “Grandma Tillie.” That’s her in the above picture and, as you can tell by my red-not-gray hair, the photo was taken a few decades ago. The lesson she taught stayed with me throughout those decades.

Visiting her one afternoon, she talked about how, after her husband passed away, she just didn’t want to do anything. She sequestered herself in her house for months. But one morning, she walked outside to get the paper. It was a spring day–sun shining, birds singing, a squirrel running through the trees. In recounting that story she said, “As I saw all this, it was like I heard a voice: ‘You can keep staying inside this house for another six months, and you’ll follow your husband to the grave. Or you can get out and start living again.'” She paused then said, “Right then and there I decided to start living. And honey, I’m so glad I did!”

We do have a choice, don’t we? Stay in the house, stay in the past, stay stuck in the fear of the future. Or you can choose to get out and start living again.

You can tell from the above picture that the setting was a church potluck. Tillie was renowned for her chocolate dream dessert. It was a gift we all loved. But I especially appreciate the gift she gave me that’s endured the test of time: “Get out of your house and start living again. You’ll be glad you did!”