I’ve been meaning to blog again for about a month and a half. Now that we’re staying home the majority of the time, my goal is to blog once a day. I’ll see how long it lasts until I run out of words. Again, my life is significantly less exciting now that we are back in the states.

This week has been full of lots of  changes. I remember sitting in our apartment in Vietnam and reading news articles about this respiratory virus going around China and feeling thankful that I was headed home. I knew eventually it would invade America, and well, it’s here. I’m pretty sure “social distancing” is going to be phrase of the year as it has basically invaded all of our lives at this point.

Can I just say that I am so thankful that we are able to prepare for things like this? That our government has recognized the potential threat and how bad it could be and is taking preventative measures. What a neat little thing.

A friend of mine posted a blog talking about how her family is playing “the glad game”. I love it! I think it’s such a neat thing to be able to take our eyes off of the big things happening right now and focus our eyes on the good that is happening. Not in a sense of oblivion or denial, but more to shift our gaze. There is so much good!

So here are the good things I’m seeing:

I am so glad for time to slow down.

Social distancing is forcing me to slow down. As an extrovert who thrives on community and social gatherings, the idea of staying home for the majority of the day stresses me out, but it makes me to find things to do. I have way more time to cook good meals, like those meals that take a long time to cook so I bookmark the recipe but never actually make. It gives me time to read the books I’ve been putting off for a long time (anyone want to lend me Harry Potter?) and it gives me a whole lot of time to spend together with my little family—which I am very thankful for. I know it will be so tempting for me to spend time scrolling on my phone, or watching a lot of Netflix but I desperately want to slow down and be present and use this time for good instead of just zoning out.

It is a time to really connect with others. 

I get it, you’re probably thinking I don’t quite understand this whole social distancing thing. But hear me out! I love going to church and seeing so many people I appreciate. I have like a million two-minute conversations with everyone, and leave feeling as though I didn’t really connect with anyone. Time spent more isolated means that you have to work to connect with those outside of your house (as well as those you live with). My family and I have set aside a weekly facetime call so that even though we’re spread out throughout the country, we can connect and fill each other in on how we’re doing. We’ve never done this before, and so I’m grateful that we are starting.

It has also given me the chance to connect with the ones I’m the closest with. It’s funny that the more you spend time with people, the more actual conversations you have. I love it. I really enjoy just being with the two people I love the most.

It allows me to focus on what’s important. 

Man, this one has been hard, but also so good. I woke up the other night at around four in the morning, panicking about all of the “what-ifs”. The list goes on and on of the things I could worry about, and if I don’t refocus my thinking, it is consuming. And here’s the thing— If I let my anxieties and worries consume me, literally nothing about the outcome changes. I heard it best in one sermon, something along the lines of worry causes us to just fret about things twice. We worry about it before it happens, and then we worry about it when it does happen. I don’t know if that makes sense, clearly I shouldn’t be a pastor, ha! But think about it, I can worry about what happens if the coronavirus takes over the world all I want. I can worry about hospital shortages for SO many hours, but it doesn’t change anything. Instead I can choose to make lifestyle choices that honor my health and those around me. I can choose to prepare, and I can choose to protect those with compromised immune systems.  I can choose to live in fear, or I can choose to trust that God is a sovereign God. If my biggest fears and worries were to come true, would I want to be known as someone who was stressin’ out hard core, as someone who  lived with worry and doubt? Or do I want others to look at my life and see an abundance of joy regardless of the circumstances?

As someone who knows and loves God, I want my life to be an example. I want people to see that during these unusual life circumstances, you can still choose to love those around you! You can choose to be intentional, and grateful and see the good…because there is so, so much good out there. I want people to see the hope that I have in Jesus and to see that living with hope is different than living in ignorance. I know the coronavirus is dangerous and that without taking measures it could be bad, real bad, but I also know that when I die I will not be standing before God telling him the measures I took to protect myself from the virus. I will not get to show him my toilet paper stockpile or give an account for all of the news articles I read, or statistics I have memorized.

And with all that said, here are some more things I am thankful for!

The Helpers out there.

I am so thankful for the kind people who I have seen helping others out at the grocery stores, or for the ones who are giving money to those who are in need. I am thankful for people stepping up in this time to try and ease the scary things in the world.

Technology

I am thankful that I can video chat my family and friends and don’t have to send a letter or something and hope they get it! I am thankful for the group of girls I could meet with this morning online and spend time in prayer. I am thankful that we have access to so many TV shows and movies literally just from our couch.

Puzzles

I don’t know, they’re just really fun. But also very frustrating when you have a 15 month old who’s little chubby hands can just barely reach the top of the table to grab as many pieces as he can.

Books

Even though I missed getting our library card before the library closed down, I am grateful for friends that will loan out books and for the ability to purchase literally any book I want and have it download to my phone!

My sweet little family! 

Monday was the first day in a while that I hadn’t left home, not even once. It was boring, and I definitely need to be more intentional with thinking of things to do. BUT i noticed so many funny things about Hez. He loves it when I smile and laugh with him. No matter what he does, if I laugh he will do it a million more times. He’s recently learned how to walk backwards and for some reason it just cracks me up. He looks so proud of himself when he does it! Kids do really cute and funny things when you pay attention to them.

Living in the country.

Social distancing, when you’ve got some outdoor space to run around on is such a blessing! Yesterday consisted of having a large bonfire, letting Hez run around in a big ol’ shed, playing catch with my husband and spending the majority of the day outside. I have a goal in my mind to try and get outside each day—regardless of the weather. We’ll see how long it lasts!

Anyways, I’m really hoping that during this big slow-down of life, I’ll choose to blog more. I love being able to look pack on previous blogs. It’s kind of like an online journal that everyone can read? I’ll try and include more pictures of Hezzy in the next one because I know that’s the real reason anyone would read this;)