That Burns My Biscuits!
Published 1:58 pm Monday, April 13, 2020
By E.J. Smith
Greetings Elizabethton! Spring is just around the corner. At least we think it is.
Time to clean up those yards and spruce up the house. Clean, clean, clean, will it never end? I know there will always be places and things to clean, but we don’t have to make it hard on ourselves. We don’t need to leave junk cars, washing machines, and everything else in our yards. Most of the time, the people who do this leave all their other trash too; paper, cups, plastic, old wood and many other items that are obsolete or just used up. It is no disgrace to be poor, and you may not be able to pay to have large items removed from your yard. However, it is low class to deliberately toss trash all around property, yours or anybody else’s. Enough of burning biscuits, we need to talk about things that BUTTER our biscuits these days.
Most of us have some free time during this terrible pandemic as we are staying at home to avoid getting the virus and spreading it. We can still go outside to work and play. Just remember when you are outdoors to practice social distancing. Now is a good time to catch up on your spring cleaning, you will definitely feel better with a clean house and property. If your place is nice, but your neighbor seems to need help, go and offer. Sometimes our neighbors may have problems we do not know about and cannot maintain their homes, even before the pandemic. Maybe they were judged by others as lazy or as someone who just don’t care. You can help them feel better about life and yours will be better to as a result of helping them.
If you have neighbors or friends that are elderly, disabled or have a chronic illness, you can help in many ways; offer to go to the store for groceries, medicines and other necessities. Help with their yard work, get their mail, help them get bills ready to pay, or cheer them up in some way.
Ways I have observed to cheer up someone who is scared and uncertain of their future: If it is safe for both you and them, go into their homes and read to them, sing with them, play games, and cards. If you cannot go into their homes, sing or read to them from outside, bring your children to participate; things are always more fun with kids!
I saw this on television and maybe you did too. People are putting teddy bears in windows for kids going by to spot and count. I have seen a few in my own neighborhood. If you do not have a teddy bear, put any other toy stuffed animal; I hung a silk trout on my door! Really, it’s all I had, folks.
Place encouraging signs on your door, lawn or on your car. People do notice and will be encouraged by reading positive signs. Set small boxes of sidewalk chalk in your front yard with a FREE sign on it and watch kids have fun with it.
And remember, don’t criticize anyone for being unsure, unbelieving, or unwilling to help others. These people are like the rest of us, unsure of our future with the pandemic and scared that it might take us away from our families and friends forever. We handle fear in different ways however, and the Bible tells us, Don’t worry, Pray. Let’s do that. Let us pray for each other and for our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are facing this unusual, alarming event and who need to know that God loves us and wants the best for all of us. We will get through this. He will see us through…
You are in my prayers,
E.J.