2020 started out like any other year. January was cold, snowy, sometimes rainy - regular weather. We had our colds like normal. Saw our friends, went bowling, made plans for the bowling tournament, life was "normal."
As the months went on I even did something I never did before - I attended the OCRA Advocacy Day in early March! We were just starting to hear about this new Novel Coronavirus that was found in Wuhan, China and was starting to make its way to other countries. I had a great time on Capital Hill with my Teal Sisters and friends.
Sarah came with me too - we were able to meet with our representatives & Senators. We also attended Monday Night RAW - the last one with a live audience before EVERYTHING was cancelled.
In the beginning, I was angry. Angry at being forced to be at home when I wasn't sick. Not being able to go to work and see "my babies", being shut up in the house, not being able to do things with friends & family, only being able to go grocery shopping, having to argue and be on the phone with unemployment forever!!
Then came the mask mandates!! Having to wear a mask EVERYWHERE, then ALL DAY AT WORK! This caused panic attacks and irritated my asthma. It also caused PTSD! Bringing back everything from when I needed to wear a mask during my cancer treatment, being stuck in my port, and even when we needed to after Britt had her bone marrow transplant. During those times it was the sick who were quarrentined and masked, took the the precautions. NOW I had to do it when I was healthy - it wasn't fair. It made depression, anxiety and PTSD much more difficult to deal with.
But then . . . . a light, good things started happening. Little by little good things started happening. At first it was just being able to visit with mom & dad, and Angela & Andrew. Then we had a small, socially responsible bon fire with a few friends and there was laughter and s'mores!
Then a Faceboook group where people were putting Hearts and Happy messages on their windows for everyone to see. I joined and even found people in Menomonee Falls & Germantown that I drove past everyday who were in the group! I painted our window, Monty suggested some Christmas lights to make it more festive.
Other things started to happen, some bad - a friend ended up in the hospital for over a month. But good came of that too! People far and wide rallied in prayer for him and his family. People they didn't even know started doing porch drops of food, craft supplies and other things for the family to help them "survive" not only being forced to stay at home but also the not knowing if he was ever going to come home from the hospital.
Not being able to go to church and be a church family in a building became THE CHURCH! We began to gather online weekly. The message not just from our pastor at Grace in Menomonee Falls, but almost every other church worldwide going onto the internet and being broadcast for anyone who could click on the link and watch. A revival close to that during the time of Acts! Anyone and everyone could receive the Word of God from the church of their choice anytime day or night!! The pandemic couldn't stop the preaching of the gospel, it helped spread it!!
We could have prayer groups and bible studies virtually, via zoom and facebook groups. We could pray via Facebook live! Social media was starting to be used for good - God was using what the devil had intended to bring the people of God down for HIS good!
I was missing my babies, doing my lesson plans - teaching. I started a Facebook page and read stories on video, uploaded them and invited the parents from our center to join the page. I added activity ideas, homemade toy ideas and other books for parents who were now home with their infants, toddlers and preschoolers 24/7. https://www.facebook.com/msdebandfriendsstorytime
This pandemic was forcing me to move past my depression, move past the poor me and from the inside of our homes figure out how to reach out without touching. Porch drops - whether surprises or notifying the person became a thing. Calling your friends, family and neighbors became a thing again. Running errands for people who couldn't go out became a thing again. Looking past ourselves started to become a thing again. Families began having family dinner, family game night and doing puzzles again. Families began to get to know each other again, took time for each other again.
This pandemic forced me, forced us, to look out, look in and look up! This past week the entire world became focused on two planets crossing and making The Christmas Star (12/21/20). This sight hasn't been seen in hundreds of years. There are many speculations as to why this year? Why 2020?
My theory? Because of OUR focus. We wanted Hope, we needed Hope, we were seeking OUR Savior!
As we head into 2021, my prayer for myself, my family, friends and this world is that we don't stop living the lessons learned this past year, the good & bad. AND THAT WE DON'T STOP seeking or needing Hope, that we don't stop SEEKING OUR Savior.
Praying for you all to have the Merriest of Christmases this year.
Never Stop Seeking the one the Wise Men Sought 2000 years ago - Follow that Star.
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