by Christine Sine
“Don’t let the world defeat your laughter and song.” This quote by Keren Dibbens-Wyatt has held my attention this week as I, like all of us, have grappled with the seriousness of what COVID-19 has imposed upon us. It is so easy to forget that in the midst of dealing with the fears and anxieties of possibly getting sick and even the busyness of moving so much of what we do online, we also need fun and laughter. So this week, I did a little research on the impact of laughter and thought that you would like to see the stunning results of my investigations. We really do need laughter. It’s good for us physically, emotionally and I think, spiritually too.
The joy that laughter brings can impact our creativity and our perspective on life. Babies laugh on average 400 times a day. Yet adults over 35 on average laugh only 15 times a day. So get out there; play, have some fun, laugh and enjoy yourself.
I have adapted the rest of this post from this article Stress Relief from Laughter posted by The Mayo Clinic.
Short-term benefits
A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. And laughter is contagious. Last week, we were taking photos of Tom for publicity for his upcoming book. It was my job to make him smile. He asked me to tell some funny stories but that was hard for me so I just started laughing, and by the end of the session Tom wasn’t just smiling, he was laughing too.
Laughter can:
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- Stimulate heart, lungs and muscles. It enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Laughter reduces your blood pressure, improves your muscle tone (especially your abs) and and increases your tolerance for pain.
- Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling. Even a smile can help. It, like laughter, is contagious and often leads to a good laugh too. This not only improves your mood, but has the added benefit of improving the quality of your relationships with those around you. It can even help create new relationships. And at a time like this, these are all things that we need.
- Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress and improve the quality of your sleep.
Long-term effects
Laughter isn’t just a quick pick-me-up, though. It’s also good for you over the long term. Laughter may:
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- Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
- Relieve pain. Laughter may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers.
- Increase personal satisfaction. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. It also helps you connect with other people.
- Improve your mood. Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier.
- Creates hope. Laughter changes your perspectives and helps you to see difficult circumstances as a challenge rather than a threat. It is hard to feel anxious, sad or angry when you are laughing.
- Promotes creativity. Humour reduces tension and causes you to relax, and relaxation is an important component of creativity.
Improve Your Sense of Humour
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- Add a daily dose of humour to your schedule. What makes you laugh? Is it photos, greeting cards, or comic strips that make you chuckle. I know I have a collection of each and am pulling them out this week to help me get my daily dose. I might even hang a few of them around the house for when I need an extra boost. And in the evenings, Tom and I are looking for funny movies and books to read. I am particularly drawn to cartoon prayer books that both make me laugh and nourish my soul: Like Scott Erickson’s Prayer: 40 Days of Practice Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the fox and the Horse and Michael Leunig’s A Common Prayer.
- Laugh and the world laughs with you. What about the current situation makes you laugh? Find a way to laugh about your own situations and watch your stress begin to fade away. Even if it feels forced at first, practice laughing. It does your body good. And if you are not sure where to begin watch this:
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- Or you might like to try some laughter yoga:
- Share a laugh. Make it a habit to spend time with friends who make you laugh. Perhaps you could plan a virtual fun night together. Share funny stories or jokes or play games together that make you laugh.
Laughter is the best medicine and a gift from God
Risen Christ by the Sea – artist unknown
Jesus was “anointed … with the oil of gladness” (Heb 1:9). Some of the things he did sounded very humorous. I think he loved to laugh. Spend a few minutes reflecting on Jesus laughing. What images come to mind? How does it make you feel?
Now go ahead and give it a try. Turn the corners of your mouth up into a smile and then give a laugh, even if it feels a little forced. Once you’ve had your chuckle, take stock of how you’re feeling. Are your muscles a little less tense? Do you feel more relaxed or buoyant? Do you feel a little more connected to God? That’s the natural wonder of laughing at work.
I really enjoyed listening to this today and thought that some of you would too. We all need to develop, and listen to, practices that help us center in on God, find peace and nourish our souls. Contemplative prayer, and particularly the Taize style prayer used here is one of the most powerful tools I have found for doing this.
Another beautiful version of the Lord’s Prayer. This one is from World Prayers. I love this site which has a rich and varied collection of prayers on it.
O Breathing Life, your Name shines everywhere!
Release a space to plant your Presence here.
Imagine your possibilities now.
Embody your desire in every light and form.
Grow through us this moment’s bread and wisdom.
Untie the knots of failure binding us, as we release the strands we hold of others’ faults.
Help us not forget our Source,
Yet free us from not being in the Present.
From you arises every Vision, Power and Song from gathering to gathering.
Amen – May our future actions grow from here!
By Carol Dixon for St Cuthbert Day, March 20th —
March 20th is St Cuthbert’s day and on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, just off the Northumberland coast, this is a day of celebration when all the churches come together in a procession to Cuthbert’s Isle, a small islet just off the main Island, accessible at low tide for an act of worship where the saint himself prayed.
Most of what we know of St Cuthbert comes from the 7th century monk, the Venerable Bede, who wrote an account of St Cuthbert’s life at the monastery of Jarrow on the North East Coast of England.
Cuthbert grew up in the Scottish Borders close to Melrose Abbey. Bede tells us that on the night that Aidan died in 651 Cuthbert, having seen ‘wonderful lights’ in the sky which he took to be a vision of angels, made his way to the abbey and offered himself as a monk. After his training he was sent to Ripon where he served as guest master, offering hospitality to any visitors who arrived from the highborn to the very poorest, treating each person with the same reverence as though he was receiving Christ. Eventually he was appointed Abbot of Lindisfarne but the business of the Island interfered with the life of prayer to which he felt called and he was granted permission to absent himself from the community and live as a hermit on the Inner Farne, just a few miles out to sea. As preparation for this solitary lifestyle, we are told that he had spent many hours alone on St Cuthbert’s Island – the rock just offshore from Holy Island, cut off at half tide, and today marked by a large cross.
Towards the end of his life Cuthbert was called back to the community to become the Bishop of Lindisfarne, but it is clear that his heart remained with the solitary life, and the company of the birds and the creatures that still are a feature of the Farne Islands today. Bede records a number of delightful legendary stories about the saint, such as the otters and eider ducks (locally named ‘cuddy ducks’ after St Cuthbert) which came to warm and dry his feet after he has been praying in the sea all night. He spent his active last years as a bishop, caring for the poor, and offering himself as a soul friend to all who called on him.
Cuthbert returned to the Inner Farne to die. His body was brought back to Lindisfarne for burial; and within a matter of years his tomb had become a place of pilgrimage. A century or so later, repeated Viking raids led to the monks exhuming his body and fleeing for safety; and for more than a hundred years Cuthbert’s coffin was carried around the north of England, looking for a final resting place. That turned out to be Durham, where eventually the great Norman cathedral was raised over Cuthbert’s shrine.
A few years ago I celebrated it by writing a song about this favourite Northumberland saint for our little church on Holy Island that bears his name with words based on St Cuthbert’s Holy Island Mission Statement which reflects the life of the saint. (Music below, alternative tune: Sussex Carol)
We follow the example of St Cuthbert by offering:
A place to be apart with God,
A simple hospitable welcome,
A place of prayer & renewal,
A place where strangers feel at home.
CUTHBERT – song for St Cuthbert’s, Holy Island
St Cuthbert, humble shepherd saint
and hermit on the inner Farne,
who lived a simple life of faith,
praised God, and kept his folk from harm.
On Holy Island he worked and prayed
that all might come to God and be saved.
He blessed the cuddy ducks and seals,
and priests and pilgrims called him friend.
The poor and needy sought him out,
for help and hope, their lives to mend,
learned to set time apart to pray,
care for others and follow Christ’s way.
Still in St Cuthbert’s church today
we dedicate our lives again:
and strangers come and feel at home,
as all are welcomed in Christ’s name.
Praise God for saints who served of old!
May we who serve today be as bold!
A full account of the Life of St Cuthbert is ‘ Fire of the North’ by Canon David Adam, former vicar of St Mary’s, Holy Island and well-known author of many inspirational books of prayers.
Key Dates:
St Cuthbert 634 – 687
Venerable Bede 673 – 735
Synod of Whitby 664 (when Roman church practices replaced Celtic church customs in England)
Lindisfarne Gospels written 687-721 (by Eadfrith, who succeeded Cuthbert as Bishop of Lindisfarne)
Viking raid on Lindisfarne 793 (church on Lindisfarne sacked and monks killed or taken into slavery)
In case you are interested in all of the songs on the CD are all written & sung by Carol and one of them ‘Cuthbert’s Isle’ (set to a traditional Northumbrian Air) I performed in the Guest Hall at Alnwick Castle for the pilgrims traveling from Canterbury to Iona to celebrate the lives of St Augustine & St Columba in the late 1990s. The songs are: Holy Island hymn, Cuthbert’s Isle, In steps of saints, & A day on the Island. They were recorded in St Cuthbert’s church, Holy Island. If you are interested in purchasing a CD or MP3 files, your donation will go towards St Cuthbert’s ( price £5 + £2.50 postage for those in UK or can be e-mailed). E-mail Carol, at carol.dixon@talktalk.net for inquiries.
By Lilly Lewin
Due to COVID-19, we are hosting our house church gathering thinplaceNASHVILLE on line through Zoom meeting. The Lord willing, we will be doing this each week so you are invited to join us! Tomorrow we are looking at John 4 and the Woman at the Well.
Thinplace … A Pilgrimage of Discovery and Creativity…a community of friends seeking to live out faith in the way of Jesus.
Thinplace … monthly and weekly gatherings featuring lectio divina, artistic response, journaling and chocolate! (bring your own to our on line gatherings )
Thinplace: the celtic christian term for the places that are thin, the places where heaven and earth touch, places where you can experience God’s presence.
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OPENING PRAYER CANDLES (Pray /repeat after leader) We have five candles set up on our table HOPE, PEACE, JOY and LOVE and LIGHT in the middle. We light one at a time and pray responsively.
Lord we ask you to fill us with your Hope.
Lord we ask you to fill us with your Peace.
Lord we ask you to fill us with your Joy.
Lord fill us with your Love.
And Lord Help us to see your Light! AMEN
ACTION: HOLD OUT YOUR HANDS like you are holding something in them. Consider all the things you are holding, carrying with you right now…Feel the weight of these things. Maybe you are carrying around a lot of fear, anxiety, uncertainty, fatigue, stress. Name these things to yourself. Now imagine giving all those things to Jesus to hold for you. Picture handing these things over to Jesus and actually placing them in his hands. Thank Jesus for holding these things for you. Allow Jesus to carry these things for you today and in the days ahead (see more ideas with the hands this below).
Let’s Pray the Psalm Together
1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
7 for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
Today, if only you would hear his voice,
“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness.
9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what i did.
10 For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.” So I declared on oath in my anger, “They shall never enter my rest. ” AMEN
Read the Gospel John 4:5-42 in the NIV and in the Message
IDEA: if you are doing this on your own at home, the Bible Gateway App will allow you to listen to both versions read aloud.
What do you notice that you might not have noticed before? What did the Holy Spirit highlight for you?
Read the Old Testament Exodus 17:1-7
ACTION: GET YOUR CUP and a PITCHER of WATER
What are you thirsty for today? Talk to Jesus about this. Ask Jesus to show you. (If you are doing this as a group, after a couple of minutes of silence, allow those who want to to share what they are thirsty for today).
JOURNALING (you can use these questions as journaling prompt for the week ahead, or pick one that inspires you to respond to in writing or art)
What is God’s Word for you today? What is God speaking to you about today? Use the psalm and/or the Gospel as your inspiration. Write, Journal, or create in Art, or Just BE with Jesus. Allow the Holy Spirit to inspire you! THINGS TO CONSIDER WHILE JOURNALING….
1. After reading the Psalm, how is your heart today? Heavy? Light? Frustrated? Talk to Jesus about this.
2. In the psalm we are reminded of the greatness of God, that God is holding all things in God’s hand. How does this make you feel?
3. Who are the Samaritans/the outcasts in your neighborhood, and in your town, that need to know the Living Water of Jesus ?
In the midst of the coronavirus, how do we help these people?
4. Jesus reveals himself as the Messiah, the savior, to this Samaritan woman… he usually isn’t this direct about his identity… why is he direct with her? Why this revelation to “an outcast”… a samaritan and a woman?
5. Jesus sees her worth and values who she is even in her brokenness and sinfulness …he loves her and invites her to change and see things differently.
How is Jesus inviting us to see things differently today?
How can you know and believe Jesus really sees who you are and knows all you ever did but loves you anyway?
6. How can we see this crisis as a gift? What is “the gift” of social distancing/sheltering in place?
7. In the midst of this crisis He won’t leave us thirsty. Jesus wants to provide us with living water in the wilderness… in the desert of lent, In the Desert/wilderness of the crisis at hand.
God is providing water.
We need to go to the well.
And Draw water like we always do.
Jesus is waiting for us to show up! What will it take for you to show up at the well?
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord!
Give us grace today to love as you love.
Help us to love with extravagance.
Give us hope today for ourselves and others.
Heal our hurts and our hearts today,
So we can serve and help those around us.
Help us to know that you are enough.
And help us live today and everyday in thankfulness.
For all you’ve done and for all you bless us with.
In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN
ACTION: Before you go, FILL UP YOUR CUP WITH WATER. Jesus promises us Living Water. When we drink this water we will never be thirsty again. “The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.” Let’s drink from our cups together. (give time to drink) Use this cup today and the rest of the week to remind you that Jesus is filling you up with His Living Water. Jesus knows what you are thirsty for and He desires to refresh you. Just keep showing up at the well!
HOMEWORK: PRINT OUT A COPY OF THE HANDS
Imagine that these hands are the hands of Jesus. Write these things you are carrying on the hands, or make a list and put them in the hands of Jesus…you could even come back to this and make a collage using words cut from magazines.
You can also print out the photo and use it as a visual reminder that Jesus is holding you in his hands and keeping you safe. Use it as a visual reminder to LET GO and LET GOD carry all your worries, fears, etc. each day, each hour of the week.
©lillylewin and freerangeworship.com
by Tom Sine
This is the third post to wrap up our series of questions that we have been pondering about self-care, family care, and now community care. We hope this series has been helpful for you and your response to the Coronavirus this week. Besides just caring for those in our immediate homes and lives, we now look at how we can care for others in our neighbourhoods and communities.
What Are You Doing for Care of Others?
As we race into the 2020s, we have suddenly been awakened to an accelerating global COVID-19 Pandemic that few saw coming. Those of us in North America are rapidly joining countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East in dealing with this new Coronavirus Pandemic.
While most churches is the US have canceled services or re-routed their services on line, they have also instructed members of how to care for them selves and their families.
However, in checking a number of church web sites, fewer have outlined ways to also reach out to neighbors. Both established churches and new church plants need to join those reaching out to our neighbors; many of whom are facing a daunting range of new challenges.
Like the New Parish Community that is empowering churches to become community change makers, couldn’t your congregation join others in displaying the compassion of Christ?
These challenges provide an opportunity for all our churches to step up. It is an important opportunity to join those who are seeking to support families and individuals, not only in your congregation but also those in your neighborhoods who are at risk in a range of ways, in addition to COVID-19.
One possibility for your church is to “Partner with local, state or federal agencies or trusted non-profits with public health expertise to provide training on COVID-19 for members of your church or community. This could be conducted in person, or online through webinars for example.” (Preparing Your Church for Coronavirus [COVID-19])
Another possibility is for your church to join those that are particularly focusing on the underserved where you live. They may need help with health care costs, child care, food provision as well as assistance in connecting them to the appropriate health care providers during this health care crisis. Perhaps your church could collaborate with other churches in your community to develop these kind of resources for those who are underserved.
One of the most interesting examples I have come across is a cluster of churches outside of Chicago in a village called Wilmette on the North Shore. What is unique about this cluster of churches is they have, over time, learned to work together.
Like churches in all our communities, they have cancelled services. What is unusual, is the creative range of ways they are reaching out to neighbors that we could all learn from.
In “Wilmette, Kenilworth and other North Shore residents stand ready to assist their neighbors during the COVID-19 pandemic. While religious services at area churches have been postponed, their outreach is still there for anyone who needs help”. For example, “Pastor Brian Smith, pastor at Wilmette’s Trinity United Methodist Church, is compiling a list of area residents who have offered their services to go to food or drug stores and buy groceries or get medications for senior citizens, the disabled or regularly housebound individuals who cannot do it themselves during the COVID-10 crisis.
‘We are here to help each other,’ Smith said. ‘It does not matter if the person is a member of our church.’ Those interested in volunteering their services to help for this purpose can contact Smith. . . He reminds the public Trinity’s regular services have been postponed but its food pantry is still open and available to those in need.”
Another pastor, “Rev. Wayne Watts. . . at Wilmette’s Saints Joseph and Francis Xavier Church, sent an email to parishioners and other interested individuals asking them to remember the many hourly wage earners and those who suffer loss of tips and other income because of the pandemic. ‘I am committed to feeding the hungry,’ he said. ‘If you would like to help, you can make a financial contribution.’
In his email message, Watts set up a link to where interested individuals can make a financial contribution to help with food security for those in need. If you know of anyone in our parish with a need, you can me at wwatts@archchicago.org.
The community’s local website, nextdoor.com, already has several area residents offering their help to those in need. Many residents have asked about food for children attending local schools who are on free or reduced lunches.
‘We have just confirmed that at Avoca (Dist. 37), we will be offering take-away lunches for families who qualify for free-or-reduced lunch waivers-on days when remote learning is scheduled,’ said Kaine Osburn, superintendent of Dist. 37. ‘This is in addition to directing any family facing food insecurity to a local food bank. We will have more details as we get them.’” (“Wilmette, Kenilworth residents help each other during COVID-19 pandemic”)
Couldn’t your church join others who are reaching out to not only those in your congregation but your neighborhood as well? Imagine the difference you community could make in the lives of the vulnerable in your neighborhood.
Tom and I are self isolating. I hate that term. It implies that we are totally cut off from everyone around us, and I think that makes us all feel more vulnerable. Call its staycation instead! We live in an age where physical distance does not mean isolation and there is really no such thing as social distancing, only face to face distancing. This is a time to put on our thinking caps and consider how we can strengthen not weaken bonds with families and friends. (Note this is the second post in a three part series -you can check out the first post here: Soul Care for A Chaotic COVID-19 filled Lent)
What Are You Doing for Family Care?
This is not an easy area to navigate as we have not been here before but I have a few simple suggestions for you before we get into the serious stuff:
Make Room for Each Other
Take Time for Each Other
Pray and read scripture together
Learn Together
Have Fun Together.
Now the Serious Stuff
Latest suggestions are that elderly people stay away from everyone even if they live in the same house and that can obviously place a huge strain on relationships with kids and grandkids. And the biggest question is: how long for? The current advice is that people who live alone and have a fever or a continuous cough should be completely isolated for seven days, while 14 days of “whole household isolation” is recommended where anyone has those symptoms. This means not even going out for a walk or opening the door to receive a delivery directly.
If no one in the house has a fever but you have chosen to self isolate as a household because of someone’s age or health condition, once this period is over, more contact is possible. Use the isolation time as an opportunity to teach your kids about the importance of washing hands – like this 1st Grade teacher did using pepper and soap, and spend time with them planning for the time to come.
Here are a few questions to ask:
What are special things you could do for your loved ones that are in isolation? More than anything those that are in isolation need to know that they are loved and not forgotten. Text them, phone them, send messages on social media, send them books to read (If you are looking for ideas, check out this reading list of books on creative prayer) do what you can to make the days in isolation pass quickly. Let them know when you pray for them.
What are five things that you would like to accomplish during your own time of isolation? For me, it has been a great time to get some projects done that I just never seem to have time for – like spring cleaning, sorting my photos, finishing half completed knitting projects.
What is one new skill you would like to acquire during this time? I am not sure I need to acquire new skills but there are certainly skills that I can improve and there are lots of helpful DIY instruction videos out there to help us.
Once complete isolation is over, the real fun can begin, at least I think we need to make it fun because this phase will probably last for a long time – at least a couple of months. Spending time together playing games, reading together, learning a new craft are all great options to consider.
Going for walks together is probably one of the most important activities… while making sure that we distance ourselves from everyone else around us of course. Tom and I have made a bit of a game of this, playing spot the neighbour and crossing the road when we see someone coming in the opposite direction and then waving at them from a safe distance. This is a great way to learn more about our neighbourhood, learning to appreciate the beauty that most of us have never even noticed before.
My neighbours are teaching their kids to cook during their confinement and I wish I could go visit and taste some of the delicious dishes they keep posting photos of on Facebook.
Take Advantage of the Internet
Even if face to face contact is not possible, there is still the internet. If you usually meet your parents or grandparents for a meal or a cup of coffee once a week, keep doing it…. across Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom or one of the other video conferencing platforms that are out there. Make a list of friends you have not spoken to for more than 2 months. Give one a call each day until you have gone through the whole list. Then you can start again. You can also play games, read books, learn new skills online and when you do it together with someone else, it is twice the fun.
And if you are wondering what self isolation looks like, read Lynne Baab’s inspiring post Spiritual Diary of Self-Isolation, it might give you some good ideas for your own social distancing practices.
To finish, I wanted to share this post from Rebecca who has lived with her family in Wuhan, China, since 2011. She enjoys expat life and dreams of one day writing as a social media encourager from an outdoor cafe near her future home in Portugal.
Spring – Wuhan by Rebecca Arendell Franks
WUHAN. It’s roughly day 48 of the city’s quarantine. We’ve been locked in our apartment complex for many weeks. I haven’t eaten out since January 19. We’re living in such strange times.
After my last post, which was all about locks on doors and further restrictions, my husband asked me if I’ve posted any of the good. But…but… well, but nothing. That convicted me.
So from the epicenter of the coronavirus, here is just SOME of the good we have been experiencing because of the lockdown: (Be warned – there is no way this post could be short.)
Our family life has never been better. Usually one weekend is long enough before I’m ready to send each of us back to school or work. But for SEVEN weeks, we’ve been home together with very little outside influences or distraction, forced to reconnect with one another, learn how to communicate better, give each other space, slow down our pace, and be a stronger family than ever before.
We’ve learned how to accept help from others. During this time, we’ve HAD to rely on others to show us how to get food and other things we need. People here are so good, and they want to help. It’s satisfying to accept the help.
Shopping is so much easier now. It comes straight to our complex, and we just pick it up. Simple.
Right now I hear birds outside my window (on the 25th floor). I used to think there weren’t really birds in Wuhan, because you rarely saw them and never heard them. I now know they were just muted and crowded out by the traffic and people. All day long now I hear birds singing. It stops me in my tracks to hear the sound of their wings.
Spring in Wuhan is absolutely stunning. God has been giving us glimpses of the beauty to come with near-perfect weather. Because of lockdown, we get to watch spring slowly unfold right in front of us with no work, traffic, pollution, or other distractions. I have pulled up my chair and am ready for the creator’s show.
My cooking has gotten way more creative. I’m cooking like a homesteader. Housekeeping hasn’t suffered, either.
We take naps in the middle of the day sometimes.
We’ve all been reading so much more than before.
I’ve reconnected with lots of old friends. We’ve talked with our families more than ever before.
We still work and do school, but all from home and all on flexible hours. It is not perfect, but it is fairly productive and good.
We are exercising more. Because we borrowed a rowing machine from school right before the lockdown, Edgar Franks has been rowing regularly at home and has lost several kilos already. I still walk in the morning as usual, but I do so with no time restrictions and now with friend Erika Carlson.
In my yoga world, I have finally done a forearm stand. I also share goofy yoga photos each day with a local friend/yogi. This keeps us connected in spirit and movement.
I could devote a whole post to the amazing community we’ve been blessed with because of this lockdown. We live near 4 other staff members, most of whom we didn’t know well at all prior to this. Because of this quarantine, we have bonded with and supported each other in ways that I’ve never experienced in 9 years of living here. (Crowd sourcing for feminine products and coffee, creatively sharing overstock of carrots and squash, etc)
Friday night, we four staff women celebrated Julia Marie Roehrkasse’s birthday together. We four have never before been together without husbands, kids, or larger community. But that night, I felt like I won the lottery in the friendship department. Our gathering was genuine in a way that can only be shared by people who are experiencing the same thing at the same time and understand what each other are going through. This bond we have may lessen when our world gets back to normal, but for now I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It is good.
My prayer life has never been better and my study time has been much more real. I have quiet time that is actually (usually) quiet – and I can devote real time to it. Most days I have so much more time to think, to listen, to process, and to discover. I am discovering the good gifts that God has given me and my family. More than anything, I am bowled over by his goodness at every turn. He overwhelms me with his goodness.
We had “church” by Zoom this morning at 10:30, as usual. My husband just woke up from his nap. My kid is reading quietly on the couch. I have the luxury of writing uncensored here on FB. We are about to go pick up a ham that a friend is giving us, taking her our coffee and cranberries to share.
God is providing so many opportunities for good while we are here, and he is showing us his goodness every single moment.
We are at peace in the epicenter of the virus. We are at peace in the epicenter of his will.
Fear is a faithless coward and has no place in the lives of believers. Fear and worry have no seat at our table. We’re here because he wants us here, right now, for his purpose.
Coronavirus wants you to isolate and stock up and take care of your own first. Instead, look to him first while you take care of others. In community, we can do so much more than we can do on our own. God is caring for us so richly and showering us with SO MUCH GOOD each and every moment.
And the song just plays nonstop in my head – “Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.
It chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the 99.
I couldn’t earn it, I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away. Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God.”
Psalm 118:6 – The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Pray.
Rebecca Arendell Franks (used with permission).
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