Staying Connected

by Sally I. Kennedy | May 23, 2025 | Archives, Lifestyle

Staying Connected

Staying Connected by Sally I. Kennedy

It was a wonderful snowy day. You could hear that wind whistling, and the lone, spindly tree outside the living room window was being seriously blown about. All the leaves were gone from this tree except a single tiny reddish-brown one connected near the top. It clung tenaciously as the wind whipped it about.

The little leaf was enduring the hardship of a mountain winter. Spring would soon arrive, and the tree would bud and fill with new leaves. It looked like the little leaf would make it. It would survive and enjoy the new spring and lazy summer before autumn and another winter would come.

Winter storms come into all of our lives, even when it’s not winter. If you haven’t experienced one, you surely will. Sometimes our personal winters cause us to abandon or turn our backs on whatever, or whomever, we are connected.

When we suffer the pain of divorce, job loss, miscarriage, or any number of things that come our way in life’s journey, there are times when we don’t feel like hanging on. It simply seems too hard.

In the Bible, in the book of John, Jesus tells us that He is the vine (tree) and that we are branches. If we stay connected to the tree, we can weather any storm. That’s a hope we can hold onto, and a promise we can claim.

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That is good news!

Meditation: I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5

Jesus Loves You!

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Initials

That miniature heart still sits on a shelf in my room. When I look at it, I think of the love Peggy had for Jesus and for others. I think of how my initials and Jesus' are carved in eternity. Carving initials in a tree scars the outer bark, but the tree survives, and the initials are there for the life of the tree.

Walking Through the Church Doors

Churches are willing to do almost anything to increase foot traffic to their front church doors: catchy slogans, fish fries, family nights, concerts, and ice cream socials. It’s just possible that two words, spoken humbly and sincerely, will generate more goodwill than all those strategies combined:

Equipment

Perhaps it’s time to inspect our equipment so we're prepared. Are we reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, listening to Him as well as talking, and opening ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit each and every day?

Blackbirds

As soon as I saw that flock of blackbirds in my backyard, I thought of the song/nursery rhyme “Sing a Song of Sixpence.” The truth of the matter is this song is truly nonsensical and a little gory. The point is; however, I associated this visual happening with a song I had learned as a child.

It Looks So Real

Yes, it was real —a beautiful gift given to me about three years earlier by friends. Each year, it had bloomed magnificently. In between the flowering times, I placed it outside by the deck. There, in its ‘hibernation phase’, it could rest and prepare to bloom again.

Over or Around

The river water did not encounter a deterrent and say, “Oh no! I am stuck here. What am I going to do?” One way or another, over or around, it kept persevering. There is always a solution, always a way….over or around, with God.

Restoration

When we moved it from my folks' home to ours, a big chunk of molding was missing from the front, and the hardware needed replacing, too. I was reluctant to give the job of restoration to just anyone. Finally, we found someone whom we had confidence in to refinish it.

Overwhelmed

For sure, too much thinking and planning can absolutely get me feeling overwhelmed. One day at a time is the ticket. The bible says not to worry about the future, because each day has enough “troubles” of its own (Matthew 6:34). So true.

Major and Minor

Major and Minor. By late morning, I had finally gotten outdoors. Armed with a pair of trusty clippers, I was ready to tackle the overgrown bushes in the backyard. I was getting into it and having fun chopping and trimming.

Collecting Moss

The Live Oak trees in the Savannah, Georgia area are lovely. Spanish Moss drapes gracefully from almost every limb, adding a special touch of beauty. Occasionally, the wind will blow these clumps of moss out of the tree onto the ground.