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A Visit with the Editor
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Fear Not
by Rebekah King
I’ve been told the two primary emotions of
universal humanity are love and fear. When
we ponder this statement, it’s powerful to
realize that with each choice, decision and
action we make, they emanate from a thought
process based in either love or fear. Just
imagine how amazing life becomes when our
reactions become grounded in love! As I walk
this journey of life where fear tends to trip
me up, the following Scripture feeds my soul,
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts
out fear.” In learning to love, the fear dims.
And what a year for fear! This 2020—I tell
you! What in the world? My Facebook post
from January 1st reads, “This is going to be the
BEST year ever!” Ha! We all raved of perfect
vision for the new year boasting the coolest
combination of numbers ever—2020! Who
knew we would be living each new day with
one eye open, one eye closed while bracing
through each news report!
We started the year with brush fires in
Australia, ballistic missile launches from Iraq,
impeachment proceedings in Washington, and
a fatal accident taking Kobe and his beautiful
daughter. Weinstein is found guilty as the
media moves quickly onto the Epstein scandal
which sickens the soul. Warren and Klobuchar
drop out of the race as the men become the
candidates. The WHO announces a virus
called COVID-19, and by March 11th, declare
it a pandemic. Our entire world shuts down
while new buzz words swirl of N-95 masks,
shelter in place and social distancing causing
the DOW to plunge and the summer Olympics
to get postponed along with all other sporting
events. Come April 1st, we were so done, I
think we even skipped the April Fool jokes! In
living with my five pranksters, this is major!
The list of major events goes on and on and
on... as calendar pages spin into the holiday
season.
As for the school system? When all five
of my sons transferred to online schooling
in March, we settled into a new test with no
answers. With so many unknowns, we were
all just like, “Who knows?” From the teachers
to the students and parents, no one had a
clue; however, much grace was extended in
exchange. In being a veteran homeschooling
family of 15 years, we embraced the new
normal that was so very different this time
around. With everyone home all over the
neighborhoods from children to couples and
retirees, levels of stress from unemployment
to depression, domestic violence and other
abuses rose in the downtime. Praise God
for our local, safe havens such as Friend to
Friend, the Boys and Girls Club, the Moore
County Food Bank and our very own Moore
County Shriners who are featured in this
issue’s Giving Back.
Our downtowns went from smiling faces
to masked. Dining rooms closed at our
favorite mom and pops. Cleaning and toiletry
aisles emptied although the issue was not
abdominal in nature; the effects on our local
economy were astronomical. Hand sanitizers
joined welcome mats at store fronts for those
fortunate enough to stay open. With all of
my clients being small business owners, the
impact has been multi–fold upon the layers of
my heart.
In spite of all of the scary driven by fear, it
didn’t take long to find the love all over town
as locals got backup after the knockdowns.
Signs encouraging, “We are in this together”
joined the paper hearts strung up as garland
and taped onto windows sharing smiles all
over town. Neighbors placed favorite stuffed
animals in windows for walkers to enjoy as
locals became the party in drive by caravans
celebrating birthdays, graduations and
anniversaries. What fun!
In the crazy, we found calm. Instead of
racing to ballgames, movies and shows, we
nestled at home with our family. We found
a peace in the sheltering that comes from
gathering around the dinner table and
sharing stories and laughter together with no
other schedules competing for our time. We
found time for crafts and books and movies
while we snuggled on sofas. We played games
while my sons kept score of how many times
mom could ask in a day, “Hey! Do you want to
take a walk?” Ha! In the outings we explored
new alleyways of local landmarks and
boardwalks over creeks. With the ball fields
and parking lots emptied, the world became
our playground of no limits. Round and round
we circled the towns as my oldest brought
home an electric scooter from college which
multiplied into five more, one for each of us.
In the wait, we frequented all of the fishing
holes to pass the time. Our favorite spots
include... well, we can’t give out too many
secrets. Believe me, we would starve to death
if we had to rely on our fishing skills, but we
have so much fun dreaming of the big catch!
I’ve never fished so much in all of my life; but
with the best fishing partners in town, there is
no fear because they bait the hook and remove
the fish for me! Ha! Once that worm starts to
wiggle or that fish starts jumping, it’s all over
for me! Oh the magnificent sunsets that span
the waters of adventure! In recognizing the
gift of being present, we learn to love every
second given.
In being a mom of five, I witnessed every
day miracles as the Good Shepherd provided
our every need and all kinds of goodness in
between! With my sons returning home with
online schooling, we were given time. Time
to bond. Time to share. Time to grow closer.
Time to love and live and laugh... I will look
back on these crazy days with joy as we had
each other!
When my oldest left to visit New Zealand
for a week and ended up staying for five
months, I learned to trust rather than
become the desperate Mama Bear calling
the Pentagon when the airlines shut down.
Ha! Growing pains for sure! When school
plays, tournaments and graduations were
canceled, we celebrated our graduates all
over town. Pomp and circumstance has
never been prouder as we marched past yard
signs featuring names and faces and schools
attended. In adopting graduates all over town,
we united around their loss as our community
gave so much. And this new school year of
blending online, at home and on campus...I
don’t think anyone has any answers.
In the living, we realize the beautiful gift in
knowing that we get to choose! No, we cannot
choose our circumstances—just look at the
fast approaching political elections with these
two candidates—but we can choose how we
handle our days. We can’t avoid the scary, but
we can choose love over fear! And the reason?
Well the Greatest Story ever told records a
chapter of some other locals who became
afraid when they saw a great light, a new
star, a new unknown. Their first reaction was
fear! And the first two words from the angels
encouraged, “Fear not!” Isn’t this the coolest
response ever!?! In the gift of Love coming to
earth, we are instructed to, “Fear not!”
I’m told that there are 365 fear not’s in
the Scriptures, one for every day of the year.
Maybe we could comfort our choices with a
new promise each day? In experiencing days
swirling with fear outside of our control, let’s
choose love! In celebrating Emmanuel, God
with us, the greatest Gift we receive is love
personified. Merry Christmas and Happy
Holidays with lots of merry happy as we learn
to fear not, my friends. Choose love always!
You’ve got this! ☐
No. 140 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. p.3