Your Regularly Scheduled Programming Has Been Interrupted to Protect You from COVID-19

3/14/20

So today we officially began our #flattenthecurve staycation. We made a short run (my third) to the church to shop the MB consignment sale, followed by a trip to the grocery store. Not surprising, there weren’t a lot of shoppers at the consignment sale, but somewhat surprising, the store was pretty well stocked. We were able to pick up everything we needed and, of course, a few things we didn’t—pretty normal for us.

Now, the reality - There were no grandsons’ ballgames to watch today and worst of all, no sweaty hugs afterward. Every piece of the laundry has been done, two episodes of “The Story of God” (very interesting) have been watched on Netflix, and now we’re prepping dinner. I’m back in my pjs, writing this post, and still feeling a little sorry for myself over the separation from the grands, BUT today I saw more pictures from the devastation in Nashville, and I wanted to slap myself! Last night I had a major pity party because I am unable to see my grandchildren (and severely limited with seeing my children) during this time, but after seeing those pictures, I now realize how selfish I was being. Do I still feel sad at not seeing my loved ones? I do, but at least I have a roof over my head – unlike some of the families who lost everything in the tornadoes of a few short weeks ago, many losing not only their homes but loved ones as well. Go ahead and slap me for my self-pity…oh never mind, I’ll do it myself!

Better yet - read the "Prayer for a Pandemic" above by Cameron Bellm, a Seattle wife and mom; it helps keep it all in perspective!

3/15/20
Church online is a way to worship that we’ve utilized on occasion, but wow, so different when it’s the only way to “go to church”! This morning, David and I sat in our comfy clothes (yes, I was still in my pjs), sipping coffee, and watching/hearing our senior pastor deliver a truly inspiring message of hope, entitled “Choose Faith over Fear”, in these trying times. Find the message here. One of the most resonating things he said was, “Don’t allow the enemy of your soul to rob you of your faith!” Now, that’s advice we can all take to heart. Let’s not let our fears take away gratitude for our blessings, and when we step back and look at the big picture, we ALL have something to be grateful for, even when we don’t fully understand our circumstances.