Choosing faith rather than fear

By Faye Meyer
What’s that ringing? I must have slept longer than usual, for the alarm never goes off. Up way before that happens.
The dream — let me get my head straight before I get up. The dream now haunts my waking thoughts. I must get up and will peruse the dream later.
I turn on the TV news. It’s just as mundane as ever, except one startling line, President Trump declares a State of Emergency due to coronavirus. What in the world is happening?
Isn’t that what I just dreamed of a few hours ago — a disease that would take the lives of thousands of people all over the globe? Cant be so — this is the U.S.A. — we are always ready for whatever calamities come.
With other things to do, coronavirus left me for a while — only to come back and leave a pit in my stomach.

Yes, it was true, and the news had taken over the TV and I was hypnotized by what my ears heard, and my eyes saw. Not a good sleeper, I would get up a 1 and 2 a.m. to see what was happening.
That day was March 15, 2020 and life has never been the same. At 81 years old, I had never experienced anything like this.
I have small memories of WWII, when my brother served in the Navy. I remember the rationing of certain commodities like sugar and gas and the grim voice of the radio announcer as he gave us the events of the day.
Time moved on and became normal again, at least for a child my age and peache reigned from shore to shining shore. My father bought a used car and purchased a bigger house for our large family — life was good.
Many years have sped by and today I sit at the table looking out the window — lonely, lonely, lonely! Not a creature is stirring or car moving.

I, along with all Marylanders, am quarantined in my home for how long I don’t know. Masks have to be worn outside your property and drive-in church has become our norm.
My dining room window is my exit to the outside world. I watch little girls play motherhood with their baby dolls in strollers going up and down the street, then giving up motherhood to play on the trampoline. Oblivious to the chaos, children know how to enjoy their day.
A mother robin sits on her nest on the porch, waiting for the hatching of thsoe four beautiful eggs. Even in the midst of ugliness, there is beauty.
I am a people person and I have basically been in since Jan. 17. A lot of that time was due to illness. I have been out a few times am beginnign to feel like the mother robin. I need to stay close and protect what I have.
I am missing my church family, my brothers Ronnie, Juke (Vernon) and sister Brenda, the rest of my immediate world and my hairdresser.
A week has gone by since I last journaled. Still the virus seems to be the topic whenever the TV is on. Really, I have watched, read, and listened until I don’t know what to believe, if any of it.

In the mixture of news events there’s the exoneration of Michael Flynn, PTL, the negative testing for our president and Vice President Mike Pence, corruption in the FBI and peculiar weather patterns.
The earth seems to be in rebellion. I have to remind myself that God is in control and I choose faith over fear.
I couldn’t dream up all that has and is happening in our U.S.A., but I am not discouraged. In the midst of all things that are not my normalcy, there is an air of excitement and expectancy.
Life on Robinson Avenue is just wonderful. Went to drive-in church, beautiful sunshine, Mrs. Robin was still incubating her eggs while Mr. Robin stands nearby fussing with me when I go on the porch, the rabbits and a trio of squirrels are frolicking and foraging for their daily bread and “all is well” in the world.
There’s a quote by Elizabeth Cheney from her book, “The Robin and the Sparrow,” that is so appropo for this time in my life. “I should really like toknow why these anxious human beings rush about and worry so,” said the Sparrow to the Robin. “Friend, I think that it must be, that they have no Heavenly Father such as cares for you and me.”
So glad I have a Heavenly Father — why should I worry?
I wonder what calamity Martin Luther had experienced when he penned words to this old hymn, one of my favorites:

“A Mighty Fortress”
English translation by Frederick H. Hedge
God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains
Fall into the heart of the sea. (Psalm 46:1,2)
A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing, our helper
He amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe —
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
Did we in our strength confide our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He — Lord Sabaoth His name,
From age to age the same — and He must win the battle.
And tho this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph thru us.
The prince of darkness grim — we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure; for low! His doom is sure —
Our little word shall fell him.

I thank my God for the scriptures that meet us where we are. Yes I, along with countless thousands, are in a storm — the winds of uncertainly are constantly blowing, the waves are angry and trying to devastate me as I try harder and harder to ride out the storm.
I know the sorm has not been without pain, but I know who my captain is. I’ve been told there is no need to fear until the captain gets fearful and I know my captain. He is not taken by surprise as the storm rages on.
When the storm has passed over, I pray that when I look back, I will have grown in my faith and be glad that I chose Faith Over Fear.