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By Ann Farabee

Walking in the grocery store felt like a privilege. Every color imaginable was there. There was even fruit! The colors seemed brighter than I remembered. Hmm? The grocery store is a beautiful place? I had never noticed it.

Until… I was no longer going to it.

There were people.

They thought no one was paying attention to them.

They thought no one was even noticing them.

They surely did not think anyone was appreciating them.

But I saw you. Some of you I knew. Most of you I did not. When I passed by you, I may not have even acknowledged you. We may — or may not — have said hello in passing.

But I felt like I knew you.

You were a family member buying food for a meal, sometimes with a child in tow.

You were the one who helps your child daily with schoolwork.

You were the one who leads them in prayer at night.

I have seen you volunteering — at food pantries, at organizations, at church, with youth sports.

I see you investing in lives of your children — and some who are not your children — so they can be successful.

I see you — the one who prays for many daily, and they don’t even realize it.

I see you — the worker that always goes beyond expectations. You are the pastor, the teacher, the nurse, the plumber, the cashier, the businessman, the mail carrier, the delivery man.

I see you — the exhausted parents — or grandparents — raising children.

I see you — caring for the elderly or the sick who need constant care.

I see you — the father — the grandfather — who always finds time to say yes, even if your tired body is saying no.

I see you making sacrifices daily for others.

I am so thankful we are not in this journey called life alone.

I smile as I think about you — those who would be at my doorstep in a minute if I needed you. And… I would be at yours if you needed me.

That is the way life is…

We are family.

Not always by blood… but family in our hearts.

Never feel that no one cares.

Never feel that no one notices.

We see you. We know how hard you work. We appreciate how hard you work.

We just fail to tell you.

Sometimes we even live in the same house — and still fail to tell you.

But we know. We are all doing the best we can.

We are still in the midst of a season of life that has been like none other.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says for us to encourage one another and build each other up.

Love and encouragement matters now more than ever.

Tell someone you appreciate them.

We all need to hear it.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

What an evening it had been! Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. He took part in the Last Supper. He predicted his betrayal and foretold that Peter would deny him. Jesus told the disciples that He is the way to the father. He promised that he would not leave them comfortless, but would send the comforter. He taught them that he is the vine and they are the branches who produce fruit. And, that even though the world would hate, they needed to love. And…they needed to pray.

He finished this time of preparing his disciples for what was to come by praying for himself, praying for them, and praying for us — the future believers.

He then took his disciples with him to the Garden of Gethsemane. He began to feel sorrowful and very heavy. He told them to watch and pray, as he had taken them as far as they could go. He had to face this — for them — and for us — alone.

For, Jesus was to bear the cross, carrying the weight of the sin of the world. Our sin. Each of us. All of us. What he would have to face was unimaginable. Suffering. Pain. Agony. Anguish. Darkness. Separation.

Then, Jesus went a little farther. He fell on his face and prayed, while in deep agony. In his prayer, he asked the father to let the cup pass from him, and then submitted to the will of the father as he continued, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.”

He had just prayed the greatest prayer in the history of the world — as he made a way for the salvation of the world. The heart of Jesus was now prepared for what was to come.

As the evening was ending, Jesus was betrayed and arrested.

He then entered into the worst day in human history.

He who was not of the world — came to the world — for the world.

I am so glad He went a little farther.

And… he went to the father.

He went farther than anyone had ever been…for anyone.

That anyone was everyone. It was you. It was me.

I believe, without a doubt, that as Jesus looked down from the cross to those who were putting Him to death, and said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do,” that He looked ahead in time and thought of me — Ann.

And, I believe he thought of you.

Three days later, the best day in human history arrived. The stone was rolled away. He was not there! For he was risen!

It is not just a story, my friends. It is history — his story.

Jesus, thank you for going a little farther that day in the garden for us.

Thank you for going all the way — to the cross. 

Help us each day to go a little farther for you. Amen

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at  annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

The memory:

While sitting in the auditorium of my elementary school, looking up into the eyes of a nurse dressed in white and wearing a white nurse’s cap, I remember her being quiet, polite and serious. I reached up to receive a sugar cube dosed with serum as part of the distribution of the Sabin vaccine. It was believed by scientists that it could eradicate polio.

Polio was something I knew very little about. I was too young to know. But I did know people that had died from it and a classmate at my school suffered paralysis from it.

That was enough knowledge for me.

I believed the sugar cube could protect me from the dreaded disease.

I nervously — and gratefully — took it.

I wonder how the nurse felt that day.

It was a seemingly simple task.

At the same time, it held great responsibility.

Just another day at work? I doubt it.

I believe she knew what she was doing was highly important. I believe she held hope that this would help bring an end to polio that was devastating families.

That memory of the polio vaccine from more than 50 years ago had come to mind that evening, as my husband and I walked into the pharmacy for our second COVID vaccine.

The moment:

6:45pm. COVID vaccine No. 2 — also known as the Fauci Ouchie.

The pharmacist giving us our vaccines was quiet, polite and serious. He had been giving the vaccine all day. I was No. 45.

I wonder how he felt that day.
It was a seemingly simple task.

At the same time, it held great responsibility.

Just another day at work? I doubt it.

I believe he knew what he was doing was highly important. I believe he held hope that this would help bring an end to COVID that was devastating families.

The aftereffect:

We were aware that side effects from the second shot may be greater than they were from the first vaccine.

They were — for my husband.

For me, No. 2 was much easier.

My husband: Fatigue, arm soreness, fever, muscle aches, headache, chills.

They began 24 hours after the vaccine — and lasted 24 hours.

Me: Muscle aches and headache.

They began 24 hours after the vaccine — and lasted 12 hours.

I am fully vaccinated!

We have the sticker and vaccination card to prove it!

There are differing opinions about the vaccine.

I choose to respect all opinions.

I choose to make pandemic-related decisions based off what is best for my family.

I choose to respect your pandemic-related decisions based off what is best for your family.

I choose to trust the vaccine.

I choose not to trust COVID.

Having gone through a case of COVID where I felt at times that my next breath may not come, there is one word that now comes to mind: Gratitude.

Gratitude — to God who not only forgives our sins, but also heals all our diseases. — Psalm 103:3

Gratitude — for all the world changers who go to work — or stay at home — and help keep our country in sync and in harmony as we are going through this pandemic together.

I see hope,  in all of you.

I see hope, in all of us.

For that, I am grateful.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.