Pandemic Thoughts

Here we are, in the midst of the first pandemic I've had in my lifetime. I hope it's the only one, but only God knows what life will look like beyond this season. I decided to take a few minutes this morning and post a few thoughts, as I can start work later this morning due to a group I lead tonight via Zoom. *grin*

CoronaVirus, or COVID-19, has hit the world in a BIG way. Today there are A LOT of unknowns, even though we're a month into this being "breaking" news. Things we don't know yet include: can you get it twice or after you have it once are you immune? When are you contagious if you have it? It is believed that you are contagious before you see symptoms, which is why this has caused such a drastic change in our lives. We have also had people test positive when they never had the typical symptoms, which include fever, body aches, and respiratory challenges. So many unknowns, and I pray daily that we will start to have some answers. The unknowns make this incredibly challenging.

So I've been deep in thought every day since this whole thing started. Today, 4.14.2020 we don't know when our stay at home order will be lifted. For me, the most challenging piece of all of this is not knowing when we can se a light at the end of the tunnel. The current stay at home order was set to expire on 4.24.2020. Yesterday on the six o'clock news, they said it may be extended one to three more weeks. My stomach dropped when I saw that. Part of me can't wait for the order to be lifted, and another part thinks the anxiety that I now have when I go to the store will still be high for a while. My prayer life continues to be deep, as I am not sure how I would have handled this otherwise. So, here are some thoughts I'd like to keep in mind in the future because this will end and I won't remember the depths of this experience like I do today. It's kind of like college, at that point in my life I thought my time in college was taking forever, but looking back, it was a FAST season. *grin*

Gasoline is at a low in the KC Metro. According to gas buddy this morning, gas at a nearby QT is $1.59 a gallon. I find it interesting that during a season when I'm commuting to work, I'm in a stay at home order and haven't filled up the tank in three weeks. I mean, I only leave to go to the store or to take Jay and I for a car ride. *grin* Ah the irony... *giggle*

I have lost 9 pounds in the past 3 months. I think it can be attributed to the fact Jay and I walk daily now. We were doing that occasionally at the townhome, but I think I was honestly in a little bit of depression and just didn't walk and I emotionally ate. I am now eating less (portion control) and walking more. And while 9 pounds isn't huge, I do feel better and my legs are stronger. I want to remember this for future seasons. I'll admit, the weather has helped a great deal! Well, until yesterday when we're back in cooler temps. We walked anyway though. I mean, I don't want to gain back what I've lost. We walk 1.5 to 2 miles per day now. I'm hoping to increase it to three, but Jay is done at 2 miles now. *giggle* I'm not kidding. Around the 1.5 mile mark he doesn't do his pokey "sniff everything" routine and books it home. *giggle* Building Endurance isn't just for humans apparently.

There have been some beautiful things out of this experience, and I hope that won't be lost when our new normal begins. For example, people are helping people in new ways. Companies are donating things to front line workers, and nurses and doctors are literally dying to save other people's lives. Grocery store employees are now essential to our society when beforehand they were viewed just as minimum wage employees. I sure hope they all get huge bonuses out of this experience. According to the news, grocery store employees have died due to the CaronaVirus too. Apparently minimum wage earners are now heroes in our society, along with people in the medical field. Thank you, heroes. May you be blessed over and over again for the work you're doing now.

There are several things I took for granted prior to the CoronaVirus. One of the things I took for granted was sports. I LOVE college hoops, Royals baseball (when I'm at the stadium), KC Soccer, and Chiefs football. There are not any sports being played now due to the virus. On Saturday, there was a rerun of an NBA game, which I don't typically watch, and I LOVED IT. Sports and music are two things that bring humans together, and we're in a dry season and the sports players are now on the sidelines while the grocery workers & nurses are now on the front lines. I imagine sports players are getting some new perspectives on life too.

Right before the Virus changed our world, I saw TobyMac in concert at the Sprint Center and it was FANTASTIC! I love music. I mean, I LOVE music. I sit here with music going now (THANKS Air1!) and had three more concerts lined up for this Spring. Now they're on hold. I will never again take it for granted when I'm in a huge group of people and don't need to wear a mask. There will be a day when concerts are the norm again, but for now, this is one of the hardest things for me. At the same time, artists are still releasing music on various platforms (THANKS CORY ASBURY!) which is a breath of fresh air for me in this season. *grin*

I'm thankful for technology on some deep levels. I haven't had a physical hug from another human in who knows how long but the website zoom does A LOT for my emotions right now. Getting to see family (we zoom once a week) and coworkers (I hold a daily zoom lunch for anyone who wants to join) makes me smile and I look forward to that time everyday. I'm not hating this season, I'm simply trying to find the proper perspective through it all. *grin* Zoom is a fantastic tool right now. I'm thankful we have it today. If this had happened twenty years ago, I'm not sure how I would have handled it. Today though, Zoom gives me interaction with the outside world without concern for the Virus. I'll take it. *grin*

Movie theaters are shut down now, for the first time in my life. Going to the movies, having movie theatre popcorn, and sitting in recliners with someone beside me is one of my favorite things in this life. Right now that's on hold too. While that saddens me a little, I'm thankful for Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+. Streaming services make filling time more enjoyable when you're told to stay at home. For real. *grin*

Two Words, Tiger King. Who would have thought that show would be such a hit? It's a train wreck, but if you're stuck at home you wanna see what crazy thing will happen next. Honestly, I don't know it would have been such a hit if people weren't required to be at home right now. Joe Exotic finally got his dose of fame, but he can't enjoy it like you would think. (Don't wanna ruin it for people still watching)

Right now you can't go out to eat. You can order food for delivery, carry out, or drive thru. Yeah, McDonald's employees are also deemed "essential" now. I haven't ordered a pizza in this whole thing. I am eating frozen pizza because I'll be the only one to touch it. I'm probably being overly cautious but it is what it is. I started to order a pizza last night and just couldn't do it. God and I will have some serious time together when this is over and I want to eat out again. I'm actually praying that scientists can figure this out and we can go back to a normal close to what we had before. A friend told me recently that this experience will change us in some unknown ways. I agree with that, but I don't want fear to become my best friend again. So, I'm praying over that these days too. *grin*

I remember telling God before we even knew about the virus, how I felt like I was never at home as much as I wanted to be. Yes, I seriously made that statement. Then a new virus hit our world and I'm now working at home. I will admit, I like it but not for the reasons you might think. I do miss seeing people daily in person, BUT I love the commute and the extra time it's given me at home. Jay and I now walk right after I'm done working for the day, which is forty five minutes earlier. I also enjoy sleeping a smidge later because I don't have to drive anywhere. I also like that I'm sitting here in my wind pants because all anyone will see today is the hoodie I'm wearing and my face. Yes, there are some advantages to this CoronaVirus right now. *grin*

There are some things I hope we don't lose when this is over and we have our new normal back and we're not ordered to stay at home. The main one is that I hope people continue to get out and walk. There are more and more people walking each day, which is so good. Although I do look forward to being able to stop and chat from time to time instead of just staying six feet apart. I mean, I'm being real here. *grin*

Along with sports and concerts being put on hold, Camp Barnabas (and other camps from what I've been told) has canceled Summer 2020 Events. My heart sank when I read the email that came out. I expected it, as everything else is canceled. At the same time, for A LOT of us who attend camp, that's our time to feel "normal" in a world where we are not considered normal the rest of the year. Sure, I'm a volunteer, not a camper, but it really is a piece of Heaven here on Earth. At the same time, we're not any closer to knowing the unknowns yet, it was the right decision. My heart breaks for the families of the campers, as well as the campers who live for their one week at camp. In addition to camp being canceled this summer, costs will go up for Summer 2021 for all of us because funding has (understandably) been cut due to the CoronaVirus. So, if you have a rich family member looking to donate to a not-for-profit, Camp Barnabas is a great place to give. Camp Barnabas exists to enrich the lives of people with disabilities in their walk with Christ. Some of the campers have messaged me to say they can't go in 2021 because it's out of the reach of their financial means to go. So, wanna sponsor a camper? Reach out to campbarnabas.org. You could help change the life of a person with a disability for a lifetime. Okay, come on, you knew I'd put a plug in here. It's my favorite place this side of Heaven. *grin*

Finally, my favorite room on the planet is currently closed to the public. This has bummed me out a little, but, we still have the livestream, so it hasn't STOPPED. It's just closed to us during the Stay at Home order. It's okay though, this is short lived. That room is interceding for all of us, I guarantee it. And yes, musicians and singers are six feet apart on stage. (I knew you were wondering) *grin*

Yeah, six feet apart. And we're now wearing masks (for the most part) when we're out in public. Those two things are what I hope we lose once science has figured the virus out. Masks seem minor, but it is different. I am thankful my friend sent me a KC Royals mask. I only wear it when I'm in a store. I don't wear it when we walk. I mean, you can control how close you are to people on a walk. Thankfully.

So here I am 90 minutes later and I need to log off and begin my work day. Thankfully, I won't have to leave my home to do so. *grin* I'm praying we all keep a healthy perspective through all of this, as we will one day be able to hug, hold, and touch other humans one day. And six feet apart will hopefully be a memory and not something we have to do ever again. However, if we have to do it again, this season will show us we can.

I'm praying for you, wherever you are in this journey. Hang on, this won't last forever. I promise.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
GOOD...even in a pandemic.