A Life and a Legacy

I hope 2021 is starting out well for you.

My last month is a blur. After being cautious throughout 2020 to avoid Covid due to my dangerous pulmonary issues, my Mom, sister, and I all became ill at Christmas. I was immediately sent to the hospital for IV monoclonal antibodies in hopes of avoiding further lung damage. I am so grateful for this life-saving treatment. Three weeks later I am still slowly recovering.

A few days later, I almost lost my sister. She was taken to the ER days after she should have been hospitalized, then isolated in the ICU. Thank God, she is now home regaining her strength.

Many people have remained untouched by this evil virus, or have had a mild case, or have tested positive without symptoms. Not all of us are so fortunate. Susceptibility to Covid differs drastically depending upon geography, daily activities, community, health issues, and so many other factors. Covid affects everyone differently. Symptoms and severity vary tremendously. Some feel fine, some report a mild cold, others die. Some will have ongoing effects for months or years. Stats mean nothing if you're on the wrong side of the probability. If someone has not dealt with Covid personally, they may dismiss it. Please, please take Covid seriously. End of Public Service Announcement.

My mother died December 31. It's never easy to lose one’s mother. I know everybody thinks their mother is special, but I think my mom was amazing. I keep reaching for the phone to share stories with her.

What was her legacy? What priorities can we learn from Phyllis Kline?

• Responsibility and integrity. Your word is your bond. You show up. You do the work. People can count on your faithfulness. You are honest in all matters. Every bill is paid in full on time. You live below your means so that you have zero debt and the ability to be generous.

• Chocolate. I come by my addiction honestly. Mom loved Hershey’s, Klondike bars, and Lindt milk chocolate. Dad loved ice cream, caramel M&Ms, and Goodtime Linda Chocolate Chip Cookies. Other flavors may exist, but Klines always prefer chocolate.

• People. Her community came from church, neighbors, school friends, and anyone else who crossed her path. Mom loved people and had a kind and welcoming word for everyone. She had a servant heart and was always willing to go the extra mile to help out. She spent time and energy to maintain friendships with connections of all ages from all stages of her life.

I often say I inherited two great gifts from my mother: the ability to laugh and to cry. I am so thankful for both. They serve me well. Mom felt things deeply and had tremendous empathy for others.

Mom also loved my friends. If she met you once, she tried to remember every detail and continued to ask about you. She loved all the stories and pictures of you, your adventures, your children, your grandchildren, and especially your four-legged family members.

She loved what I do in Psalm One. Mom wanted to hear about every Bible study, retreat, or event. Some of you were able to attend an event because my mother donated a scholarship for you behind the scenes. She prayed for all of you, but especially the pastors’ wives.

• Humor. My mother and her father (my beloved grandfather) saw the humor in everything. They loved to laugh. They taught me humor should never be at another’s expense. There are too many hilarious things in life without resorting to biting cynicism or sarcasm. They believed no one had a better sense of humor than God.

Mom was fun. She was an extrovert who enjoyed any social gathering and was invited to far more parties than I ever was. She hosted daily neighborhood porch parties at her condo. Anyone who took a stroll down the main drag was invited to stop by and visit. Her friendly dog Harley visited with the four-legged guests while the two-legged guests sat around and chatted.

• Animals. Mom dearly loved dogs (and most furry creatures). Like me, she was unable to walk past a dog without striking up a conversation. I inherited and expanded her love of animals to anything with fur, feathers, fins, flippers, and fangs: close encounters of the wildlife kind with sheep, goats, wild ponies, elk, buffalo, bears, elephants, birds, manatees, mantas, morays, moose, marmots, kangaroos, koalas, wombats, sea turtles, whales, otters, sea life of every description, sharks and lots of other big bitey things. She asked me not to tell her about most of those encounters until I was safely home.

Between our illness and Covid restrictions, we have not been able to have a celebration of my mom’s life and legacy. So please help me sing the song she wanted as we say goodbye:

    Jesus loves me! This I know,

    For the Bible tells me so;

    Little ones to Him belong;

    They are weak, but He is strong.

        Refrain:

        Yes, Jesus loves me!

        Yes, Jesus loves me!

        Yes, Jesus loves me!

        The Bible tells me so.

    Jesus loves me! This I know,

    As He loved so long ago,

    Taking children on His knee,

    Saying, “Let them come to Me.”

    Jesus loves me still today,

    Walking with me on my way,

    Wanting as a friend to give

    Light and love to all who live.

    Jesus loves me! He who died

    Heaven’s gate to open wide;

    He will wash away my sin,

    Let His little child come in.

    Jesus loves me! He will stay

    Close beside me all the way;

    Thou hast bled and died for me,

    I will henceforth live for Thee.

(Anna B. Warner)

Thank you for listening, praying, and celebrating with me.

Much love,

Linda

P.S. I am still recovering, so my availability is very limited. Thank you so much for all your prayers, messages, cards, gifts, offers of help, and other encouragement. They mean more than words can express.

We hope and pray to resume face-to-face retreats and studies soon. In the meantime, we love being together online. Please join us!

Tuesday Bible Study (for men and women): Now, no matter where you live, you can come to the Psalm One gathering for support, encouragement, life-giving tools, and time together seeking the Lord. You don’t have to live in Ohio. This is for men and women, lay and clergy, married and single, any church, anyone who can join us at Tuesday nights at 7:30pm EDT (that’s Wednesday morning for some of you!). We are currently in Ephesians. Anyone is welcome, whether you are there every week or once in a blue moon. Sign up to receive the Zoom link and stay in the loop: https://www.psalmone.org/tuesday-night-bible-study 

Pastors’ Wives: We are so enjoying being with authentic friends who understand life in the ministry. The Sisterhood of the Fishbowl is having a wonderful time together Thursday nights at 7:30pm EDT. Such a great group. No risk, no travel, no cost, no slippery roads, from the comfort of your own home, Covid hair and pajamas welcome! We are currently learning and practicing tools to jump-start our spiritual lives and strengthen our walk with Jesus. We are always glad to see you whether pop in once or are there every week. Pastors’ wives are invited to sign up to receive the Zoom link and stay in the loop: https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives  

Waiting for the coming Light.

Advent. “The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.” In the meantime, a holding pattern. Waiting in the dark for the coming light.

2020 has been a holding pattern for many of us, waiting for light to break through the loss, cancellations, and disappointments. We live in the now and not yet, trusting the God we cannot see in the light of what He has already shown us. We live in the fogged-in Saturday between Crucifixion Friday and Resurrection Sunday.

Then your light will break out like the dawn,

And your recovery will speedily spring forth;

And your righteousness will go before you;

The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

(Isaiah 58:8)

I miss being together in person for our wonderful Bible study and the best meal of the week, our Tuesday potluck. I desperately miss the wonderful fresh community and renewal of the Days of Refreshing, Refocus and Refuel, and Soul Care Retreats. I miss ministering in far flung places with beloved brothers and sisters who talk with funny accents. As we adjust to whatever The New Normal will be, we will need these gatherings more than ever to process what God has been doing in us individually and corporately. We will rebuild and restructure to nurture a purified, healthier, and stronger community. We will live out the stabilizing truths and patterns God has been teaching us through this long season of darkness, uncertainty, conflict, separation, grief, and loss.

Weeping may last for the night,

But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

(Psalm 30:5)

But right now, we are weary. Exhausted. Frustrated. The candle of hope sometimes flickers. To be honest, the last month or so has been the hardest for me. I’m an introvert who can handle far more alone time than the average bear. I welcome restorative times of silence and solitude as a refreshing part of my life and ministry. But it’s been really rough lately.

I must remain mostly quarantined due to being high risk (due to lung damage) and caring for my 90-year-old mother. I’ve been dealing with my mom's difficult decline, trying to make wise decisions, and living between Mason, Ohio and Louisville, Kentucky (100 miles apart). I usually enjoy looking forward to a lot of interesting future plans, both ministry and personal. Almost everything in my planner is in tentative pale pencil or has already been cancelled. Quarantining alone with no family in the area has meant isolation, loneliness, and grief. Holidays alone. The darkness and cold of winter doesn’t help.

I am so grateful for the friends who have kept me going, for people who have continued to participate and give generously to the ministry, for people who have checked on me, or helped me, or sent a card or surprise to make me laugh at just the right time. May I never take good friends for granted.

The enemy tries to convince us that it will always be like this. He will try to paralyze us with discouragement, but there is hope. Good things are coming out of 2020. We will move forward with a new perspective, renewed priorities, and greater appreciation for one another. We are learning what truly matters when reality is rough. Tough times bring out the best and the worst in human nature. May we trust Christ to live supernaturally through us even when our spirits are feeble, fainting, and irritable. May we draw on the better angels of our nature.

The people who walk in darkness

Will see a great light;

Those who live in a dark land,

The light will shine on them.

(Isaiah 9:2)

As we begin Advent, may we keep our eyes on the Hope to come. May our security remain in Jesus.

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born;

O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

("O Holy Night" by Adolphe Adam)

Much love,

Linda

• Tuesday Bible Study (for men and women): No matter where you live, you can come to the Psalm One gathering for support, encouragement, life-giving tools, and time together seeking the Lord. This is for men and women, lay and clergy, married and single, any church, anyone who can join us at Tuesday nights at 7:30pm Eastern Standard Time (that may be Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning for some of you!). We are currently in Ephesians. Paul distills his message down to the core of what it means to follow Christ in any circumstance. Anyone is welcome, whether you are there every week or once in a blue moon. Sign up to receive the Zoom link and stay in the loop: https://www.psalmone.org/tuesday-night-bible-study

• Pastors’ Wives: The Sisterhood of the Fishbowl is having a wonderful time together Thursday nights at 7:30pm Eastern Standard Time. No risk, no travel, no cost, no slippery roads, from the comfort of your own home, Covid hair and pajamas welcome! We are keeping it real with friends who understand the ups and downs of ministry life as we learn and practice tools to jump-start and strengthen our walk with Jesus. We are always glad to see you whether you pop in once or join us every week. Pastors’ wives are invited to sign up to receive the Zoom link and stay in the loop: https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives

• Thank you so much to those who have continued to invest in Psalm One Ministries! As with so many other ministries, our giving is way down in 2020. I’m sure you are seeing dozens of requests on Giving Tuesday. If you have been blessed, strengthened, supported, or encouraged by Psalm One, I invite you to keep us going with your prayers, gifts, and donations. To invest in the ongoing work of Psalm One stretching around the world: https://www.psalmone.org/donate

Kinda like a Whack-A-Mole

How shall I describe 2020? “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.” (William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18)

Hardly!

What words come to mind as you reflect on life since March? So many loaded words and phrases…

• Surreal

• Bizarre

• Chaotic

• Weary

• Relentless

• Struggle

• Conflict

• Upheaval

• Whack-a-mole (Thanks, Becky D)

• Should-have-beens (Thanks, Becky L)

• Jackhammer of uncertainty (Brian Morykon)

• Burning dumpster

• Exhaustion

• Endless debates

• Roller coaster (as a noun and verb)

• Toxicity

• Conspiracy

• Political venom

• Murder hornets (Did I miss those or did we dodge that one bullet?)

And the terms we’re all sick of hearing…

• Unprecedented

• Lock-down

• Social distance

• Masks

My favorite word is British slang (originally from the TV show “The Thick of It”, well known for other words that I cannot print here): omnishambles, “a term for a situation of total disorder.” Isn’t omnishambles a great descriptor?

Many people would vote for Allstate’s ever-present advertising character Mayhem for “Person of the Year”. In general, this is a year that has not sparked joy for most of us.

How would you describe your 2020? As I talk to people, responses range from “I’m fine. My life hasn’t changed much.” to “Torture. This is the worst year of my life”. It’s been a year with a lot of grief. Everyone has lost something, from vacations, weddings, family gatherings to relationships and hugs to income, jobs, businesses, health, and loved ones.

We have unprecedented opportunities in 2020 to live like the body of Christ. Are we doing it? We have endless open doors to use our fish and loaves to relieve suffering. We have unique windows to witness to the love, sovereignty, and transformation of Jesus. Get creative. Use what you have to lift one another up. A dear woman said today, “This is a time for acts of kindness, for generosity, for doing what each of us can to soften the blows that just keep coming. Send a letter or a text, leave apples on a doorstep, do whatever small & large things you can do to make this mad season feel a little softer.”

I find I must live out a “gap plan” to maintain my priorities, my sanity (such as it is), and my walk with God. If we are not intentional about our spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, and relational health, 2020 will crush us. What is your plan for soul care? What are the priorities you need in this challenging time? What is your diet of spiritual feeding? For example, the non-negotiable elements I need right now:

1. Sleep/Rest/sabbath

2. Beauty/creativity/creation/four-legged therapy (including photography as a spiritual exercise for me and a ministry to others)

3. Laughter/joy/play

4. Tears (Sunday is Crying Day with mini-meltdowns as needed through the week)

5. Exercise/Swimming/Walking/Moving your body

6. Unhurried time with God (plus taking advantage of the incredible content through sermons, books, podcasts, websites, apps, webinars, classes, online retreats, etc. available right now)

As we reluctantly head into winter on this side of the globe, how do we remember the sovereignty of the Almighty? How can we find stability in Jesus Christ who is the same, yesterday, today, and forever? What does it mean to rest in the strong and unshakeable Kingdom of God?

We need one another more than ever. We need those horizontal connections with brothers and sisters as well as that vertical security in Christ. Depending on your location, weather, facilities, and demographics, it may or may not be safe to resume meetings face-to-face. I am very high risk with lung damage and I am also caring for a vulnerable 90 year old mother. As much as I would love to gather people in person for hugs and chocolate chip cookies, I am only able to meet virtually. But thank God for technology. Psalm One Ministries has not shut its doors. Far from it! God is working overtime in the lives of people across the world.

Tuesday Bible Study (for men and women): Now, no matter where you live, you can come to the Psalm One gathering for support, encouragement, life-giving tools, and time together seeking the Lord. You don’t have to live in Ohio. This is for men and women, lay and clergy, married and single, any church, anyone who can join us at Tuesday nights at 7:30pm EDT (that’s Wednesday morning for some of you!). We are currently in the Prison Epistles. Seems appropriate for 2020 as Paul distills his message down to the core of what it means to follow Christ in any circumstances. Anyone is welcome, whether you are there every week or once in a blue moon. Sign up to receive the Zoom link and stay in the loop: https://www.psalmone.org/tuesday-night-bible-study 

Retreats: We are praying to be able to resume Days of Refreshing and Refocus and Refuel Retreats, but it is not possible yet. Due to multiple roadblocks, we are so sad to cancel our beloved Soul Care Retreats for pastors’ wives for February 2021. Please pray we will be able to gather safely very soon.

Pastors’ Wives: In the meantime, pastors’ wives continue to meet with authentic friends who understand life in the ministry. The Sisterhood of the Fishbowl is having a wonderful time together Thursday nights at 7:30pm EDT. Such a great group. No risk, no travel, no cost, no slippery roads, from the comfort of your own home, Covid hair and pajamas welcome! We are currently learning and practicing tools to jump-start our spiritual lives and strengthen our walk with Jesus. We are always glad to see you whether pop in once or are there every week. Pastors’ wives are invited to sign up to receive the Zoom link and stay in the loop: https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives   

Thank you so much to those who have continued to invest in Psalm One! As you can imagine, our giving is down. If you have been blessed, strengthened, or encouraged by Psalm One, I invite you to keep us going with your prayers, gifts, and donations. To invest in the ongoing work of Psalm One: https://www.psalmone.org/donate

Please continue to pray for us as we continue to encourage and challenge believers to follow hard after Jesus with our head, heart, and hands. He is still on His throne and our security is in Christ.

"For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,

But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you,

And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,"

Says the LORD who has compassion on you.

Isaiah 54:10

Much love,

Linda