Positive Pandemic Notes

Right now during this crazy pandemic that we find ourselves in the midst of there's a lot going on. There's tons of negativity that is just bombarding us. Everything from this is a conspiracy to it's the end of the world. Some are saying we're overreacting and others are saying we're not doing enough.

Think what you will about the state of our world and leaders during this time. That's not what we're talking about today. Today I want to talk to you about the good things that are happening because of the Corona virus. And yes friends, there really are good things out there. I even made a list! 10 good things that have come from the Corona virus craziness.

1. Time with family- I know some people stuck at home with their kiddos driving them crazy might not agree but in 20 years when your kids are grown and gone and busy with their lives you'll be grateful for this time. See this time with your family is building the foundation of a solid relationship with them. So that in 20 years when they are gone you have a solid relationship so that they do call and come visit and make time for you because you made time for them.

2. Helping our neighbors- There have been so, so many people stepping up to help each other out. People have been going out to get groceries for elderly neighbors and others they might know who shouldn't leave home. They've been leaving them on the doorstep to limit exposure for these vulnerable citizens. People have been donating to food shelters, checking in on family and friends more often and even just being more friendly with each other as they pass each other on the streets or in the store. I noticed that people check in on each other. It's a great thing to love our neighbors and I love that we're seeing people doing that.

3. Checking on the elderly- This goes along with the last one. My roommate, a caregiver, mentioned that she's noticed that people are smiling at the elderly and helping them out more then they usually do. Often elderly people are ignored but she said that she's noticed multiple times people smiling or checking in on her clients when they've been out an about. (Which is less now because they're trying to stay at home of course.) Even my grandpa mentioned the other day that he went to a store and the lady offered to help him out to the car. Right now people are going above and beyond with our elderly neighbors and that's a great thing to see!

4. People being nice- Along the same lines as the last 2 points but I really can't emphasize this enough. People have been overwhelmingly nice to each other during this rough time. People are reaching out, banding together and stepping up to support each other. It's truly an amazing thing to see.

5. Accomplishing things- Yes all this time on our hands is a drag, no doubt but it also gives us the much sought after commodity of uninterrupted time. There is never enough time in our lives but right now with this quarantine in place we all have lots of time! We're no distracted with many of things that keep us so busy so let's make the most of it and get some of those projects checked off the to-do list!

6. Positivity on social media- Sure there's a lot of scary stuff out there on social media right now but a lot of it is positive! There's tons of games and challenges that are going around. Sure a lot of them are silly but it gets people connecting and focusing on having fun instead of constantly worrying about what's going on in the world.

7. Church on the Internet- Due to the mandates keeping people from meeting in groups right now almost all churches have switched to livestreaming their services. This way they can still "meet" as a body even though they can't gather in person. What's amazing is the wide impact that this is having. Some churches are saying they're reaching more people then they normally would on a Sunday morning! And it's easier then ever to invite people to church because it takes out the intimidation factor of them having to actually show up in person. It's not a long term solution. People were made for community after all but it's great right now.

8. Getting Creative- Yesterday I watched a YouTube video of singers in Nashville doing a compilation of them singing the classic hymn "It Is Well With My Soul". Each of them were at home but they were able to upload the videos and have someone edit it and then it was uploaded. The other day I saw a video of a little one, maybe 4 years old doing an obstacle course at his house that his parents had set up for him. This is a time that is inspiring creativity and I love that!

9. New experiences- Since the entire world is dealing with this crisis there have been a lot of cool things coming out. There's free video tours of places like the Grand Canyon or exhibits at zoos. You can do a virtual field trip without leaving your living room. How cool is that!

10. Being grateful- The last thing I wanted to list was how this quarantine has forced us to reevaluate priorities and look for things to be grateful for. Too often we get caught up with our busy lives and let stress and worry overtake us. This time of the Corona virus and quarantines is a great time to to really focus on being grateful for what we have.

What are the good things you've seen come from this craziness? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below! And just a reminder that if you follow this blog by email just replying won't get your comments to me. You'll need to go onto the website and actually post your comment below. I hope to hear from you!

Prayers and Encouragement

Hey guys. So to be honest when I planned out my time to come back and start writing again I wasn't anticipating it being in the middle of a pandemic. Good news, God knew it would be.

This last week has been really, really hard on a lot of people. I've felt that and I'm sure a lot of you have too. The Corona virus is very scary. The measures our government is taking to try to slow it's spread and keep us safe are useful but scary also. The emptiness in groceries stores as people stock up is understandable but scary.

I've read tons of verses posted on social media lately, as this current crisis unfolds. Some verses are taken out of context and not necessarily helpful. Others remind us that God is still in control and they are a crucial reminder during these turbulent times.

Today though I'm not going to share those verses. Instead I just want to pray with you.

Lord, these times in our world are scary. I just ask for Your comfort. I ask for Your healing for those affected and that You would stop this virus in it's tracks. I ask for wisdom for those in power over us. I ask that You would use this time of crisis to being people to You. And Lord I ask that You would be with those who are sick and be with their families.
Please protect those who are working tirelessly to keep us all healthy and safe. People like the doctors, nurses and other medical staff. The police and first responders. Those who are working in stores and businesses that are trying to stay open to provide for all of us. And anyone else who's affected by this. Bless them, bless their efforts.
Lord, I also pray that you would help us all to trust You during this time. To turn to You, to trust You and to come together (virtually and in prayer if we can't be together in person) to worship and praise You. Please remind us that You're in control and You are worthy of praise, not just in the good times but in times of worry and fear also. You are always worthy of praise.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Friends, I pray you stay safe and healthy and take time to pray for our neighbors and leaders and our whole world during this difficult time.

I'm sure I'll write more about this in coming weeks. Until then, may the Lord bless and keep you!

Transforming from Troll to Human

During my hiatus I went camping for the first time in years. Since it was winter we rented a little cabin instead of staying in tents. There was electricity but that's it. No kitchen or bathroom, just a little one room cabin with a few mattress on wooden frames. It may be closer to glamping then camping but that's not the point of today's post.

One morning I woke up, climbed out of my sleeping bag and gathered my things to make the trek to the bathrooms. Staring in the mirror I tried not to laugh at what a mess I looked like. My hair was going every direction, there were circles under my eyes and... well you get the picture. And a blog post popped into my head.

You know those mornings when you wake up looking, or at least feeling like you look like, a troll that just crawled out from under the bridge? Well I've come up with 7 easy steps on how to turn from a troll back into a human being.

1. Open your eyes.
     -If you keep your eyes closed then you may turn into a human in your dreams but you won't in real life. So that's your first step, you've actually got to open your eyes.

2. Drink some coffee or tea, even water.
     -I was going to make this step, drink something, but that sounded bad. The point is that just drinking a little bit of water will help you feel more awake. If you don't keep water nearby then try some coffee or tea.

3. Wash your face.
     -Even if you don't take a full shower first thing in the morning just washing your face will do wonders for making you feel more human.

4. Get dressed.
     -Changing out of pajamas is one of the quickest steps from going from troll to human. It really does wonders for helping you make the transformation.

5. Fix your hair.
     -I noticed when I was camping that just getting my hair fixed made a huge leap to helping me feel human. It went from sticking out every direction to actually looking decent and I knew that just with that I would feel better walking back to camp.

6. Brush your teeth.
     - Maybe I should've put this step higher then number 6 on the list but even being this far down it's a very, very important step. Right up there with washing your face. My dad was the first one to teach me this rule. Actually he was teaching my sister. Her first big trip he told her to pack her toothbrush and toothpaste in her carry on. He said that even though she would be able to shower just being able to brush her teeth would help her feel clean and refreshed while she was traveling.

7. Do your makeup.
     -Makeup doesn't create beauty, it enhances your natural beauty. (That lesson came from my Mom.) Although not necessary for camping sometimes you need an extra confidence boost. So if you need a little extra confidence while turning from a troll to a human then do your makeup. It'll help.

So there it is, 7 easy steps to turn from a troll rolling out from under the bridge to a human who can hold their head high and start the day.

Back From Break

Hey friends! After a couple of months off I'm back from my hiatus. Thank you so much for letting me take a vacation, it was much needed and very much appreciated. Now I'm coming back, refreshed and rejuvenated.

The last four months I have been unemployed. The company I was working for, sadly, had to close their doors and so the employees were laid off. Having four months with not much to do other then submit applications and go to job interviews is not as fun as it sounds. It's emotionally exhausting and surprisingly time consuming.

During this time I did a lot of praying about what God was trying to teach me. I learned to trust and God used this time off to really open my eyes to a lot of things and push me out of my comfort zone. I also spent a lot of time doing different things. I learned how to knit on a round loom and made hats for my nieces and nephews for Christmas. I finished a book I'd been working on for a couple of years. And I learned a lot about what I'm good at and what I want to do with my life. It's been quite the experience.

The really big thing that God has opened my eyes to during this time has been how much people care. I started attending a new church just a couple of months before I got laid off which meant that I was just starting to get involved in right after I got laid off. That was a hard thing for me, meeting all these new people and when the inevitable question "What do you do?" came up, having to admit that I'm between jobs.

I was truly worried about what people would think, whether or not they would judge me or what well-meaning people might say. I got a lot of "have you thought about doing this?" or "well what do you want to do?" which could be hard at times but overwhelmingly people were incredibly supportive and loving. People who barely know me have checked in weekly, or at least every time they see me, asking me how I'm doing, letting me know they've been praying for me and cheering me on along the way.

This, friends, this is what it means to be encouraged by the body of Christ. And it wasn't just the people at my new church, it was the people at my old church. My family, my friends, friends of my friends and even passing acquaintances. It has been an incredibly humbling experience to see people coming around me, lifting me up in prayer and showering me with love and encouragement. 

I realize how hypocritical my attitude has been. I've always tried to be a support and encouraging to others because I knew that's what God calls us to do. I've prayed for people and checked in with them when they've been unemployed or going through a hard time. So why would I expect the worst from others when it's me struggling?

Pride. That's my downfall. This time of unemployment has been incredibly humbling and although it's painful to be stretched it's always a blessing in the end. I'm grateful for this time and what God has taught me. And I'm really grateful that I'm now entering a different season in my life as I head back to work.

Thanks friends, for giving me support and giving me time to work through this difficult season.