CoViD-19 seems to have decided to stay for the long haul. If there is anything this pandemic is teaching me it is taking time to unwind, rest and choose quality time over quantity of things accomplished.
Have you given it some thought lately, on what lessons in life this pandemic has been teaching you all along? What things have changed for the better in your personal life? Here are some I have personally developed and some I have seen from a lot of us...
PATIENCE.
Learning to wait and stay home for an indefinite period of time were not easy feat to accomplish, but most of us did. This pandemic surely tested a lot of our patience. I must say I am part of the essential workers so staying home for a long period of time was not an option as I still need to go to work to care for the sick and the needy. But my patience was tested as well by our elderly population. Being lonely and isolated themselves in their own room (in facilities) or in their own home, made them antsy and longing for human interaction, and so they become a bit more demanding than the usual. Spending more time with them can mean just merely listening to their tall tales from the past like stories of surviving the World War or the 'Great Depression' with all the adventures attached to it. It can also be conversing with them and trying to answer their unending questions about this CoViD-19. For others it is non-stop call bells or being more needy than usual, they just would not admit it but they just want someone to be there with them...and so the non-stop neediness for something! I can not blame them, after all it is a pretty lonely world with all this "shelter-in-place" (SIP).
Yes, our patience was tested in different ways but it can make us better if we managed to survive through the first round of SIP and get you ready for this next one. Take each day in one at a time, just try to survive day in and day out as we depend more on God's provision for "our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). Let us also learn to process things as they have happened and are happening to us while putting the perspective of the gospel as we go through our everyday life.
As we approach another challenging closures, how are you preparing mentally for this? How can you show and display more patience in the midst of another possible SIP? The Scripture encourages us in many ways and Romans will not disappoint you...
"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." - - ROMANS 12:12
ATTENTIVENESS.
Now more than ever, we have spent a lot of time together as a family. Was that a positive thing for you? I hope it was. I know, it can be chaotic with more than two kids at home and a concoction of different personalities all in one room! Well, we are just three all in all in our house but there are days when tempers fly out of the window and everyone just retreat into their own corner and be quiet.
But this pandemic has taught me to be more aware of my surroundings and vulnerable to someone else's feeling. Spending quality time with people I love and cherish, even though it was forced time together in the start, was valuable to building our relationship. Checking on our elderly parents or reaching out to friends we have not spoken to for a long time even through a phone call, a message or a face time has been really helpful both for us and our families and friends alike. Time well spent with them could be the saving grace for others and the only company for many.
How sensitive have you been to getting in touch with your families and friends during CoViD-19? If you have not, there is still a chance, start today! Pick-up that phone and dial a friend's number you have not spoken to for a very long time.
"The LORD is mindful of us; He will bless us.
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron;
He will bless those who fear the LORD—
small and great alike." - - Psalm 115:12-13
CREATIVITY & RESOURCEFULNESS
Staying home surely has inspired a lot of creativity to a lot of people during this pandemic. My Facebook news feed is full of friends cooking and baking all sorts of things. Name it from "Ube Cheese Pandesal" (Purple yam & cheese bread rolls), spanish bread, baked sushi, Jap Chae, and even Dalgona Coffee (which was really strong! whew!). If not for the busy work and the messy renovation at our house, I would be digging into this baking and cooking too.
What was your creative outlet during the pandemic? What kept you busy? Others have found time to do the thing they have been wanting to do for so long, because of the time that were in their hands staying home. Crafts and DIY projects were in full speed, gardening became a thing while trying to be outdoors but not mingling with a lot of people and there are also those that have purposely enrolled in short courses to learn to do something totally new and out of their comfort zone. Master Class became a trending thing too... (I am yet still to find out what these Master Classes are). During this SIP our resourcefulness was put to test, trying to find projects for the kids and things we can do with what we have is an activity for the creative side of us. Another craft, another project, another remodel or another renovation....tell me about it, six weeks down the line and we still have not finished! Argh!
Still for some people and even companies, this CoViD-19 pushed them to think outside the box. Instead of closing their doors and stopping operation, they have found ways to continue operation but in a different tune. For example, breweries instead of making beers or whiskeys they are now making hand sanitizers which is more in demand than beers. Ford and other companies that make machines are putting together ventilators when the demand was very high and immediate, which means now that the next wave is here we are well stacked with the necessary equipment for caring for the very sick ones. Some makers of shoes or bags or other fashionable items are sponsoring and providing jobs for people staying home to make face cloth coverings/mask as the demand and awareness increases all across the country.
These are difficult times and nobody denies that, but as resilient as we are, we are not just trying to survive this, we are "acing" the challenges of the present reality. And this is what we are made of....being creative, innovative and resourceful in the midst of crisis.
HOSPITALITY.
In the midst of all uncertainties we are still able to extend a helping hand to someone in need either through prayer, financial help, emotional support, spiritual guidance, counselling, material things or just offering ourselves to help. The Bible leaves us with this "When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality." (Romans 12:13).
Opening our literal doors to others is not advisable at the moment due to the virus, but being hospitable is not just measured by this. When we share a meal with the homeless, when we give money or food to the local food bank, or when we make masks to give away to friends or out in the streets to the homeless...yes, very simple things but this is what attending to the needs of others is. Yes, this is hospitality.
My 10-year old son's birthday this year was right smack in the middle of CoViD-19, but one thing he did that really touched my heart was to bombard me with requests to send money to our local Food Bank as his birthday gift. He did ask for something else but that was pretty amazing. Training children into the practice of hospitality is a must nowadays. This is our duty as the Lord has commanded us to "Love God above all. And the second one Love others as you love yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39)
"HOSPITALITY is generously leveraging your resources in loving service to others for the glory of GOD." - Ptr. Phil Ward, Senior Pastor GHCC
GODLINESS.
Another positive thing about the pandemic is that a lot of people seem to have more awareness of GOD or a Higher Being if they are not Christians. Believing and putting trust in GOD through all these chaos. I think it is inherent in us to come to GOD when everything fails, when it should really be the other way around it. We should come to God first really for "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (Psalm 18:2). That is a promise for all of us.
Godliness does not only mean we are speaking more religiously or trying to be good. As a Christian, Godliness is living each day looking more like Jesus. Living by His Word, living with Jesus in my life as my Lord and Savior who died for my sins and rose again to fulfill His promise of a new life for us. Living the "already but not yet" and looking forward to His coming again! Living a godly life constantly in touch with Our Heavenly Father through direct prayers to Him.
This is also total dependence on a Lord God Almighty, the One who has control over everything, our One Sovereign God. I believe this is what this pandemic is really teaching us, to be fully aware of God and be totally dependent on Him literally and figuratively for "our daily bread" and whatever it is we need.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! - - Matthew 7:7-11
CLEANLINESS.
Have you heard the saying: "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Apart from me literally putting it in such order, apparently with the nature of this virus, it is proving to be very true and real. CoViD-19 is teaching us to be mindful of our surroundings and other people too. The virus can be easily transmitted by mere touch or sneeze or cough. Protecting ourselves from getting others infected or catching the virus ourselves can be easily managed by being clean. Personal hygiene must be done consciously and regularly. Hand washingwith soap and warm water is the very basic tool we can use against any virus.
Keeping, not just our body but our homes, cars and everything we own, clean is now a thing. Cleaning and disinfecting are new trends to follow nowadays. And it is a really good trend to follow, if you are that sort of person. Nowadays we can never be too clean, compulsion to cleanliness is so much welcomed, no one is judging you for that.
COMPASSION.
Compassion and understanding is what we really need at this present time and age. With so much on our plate (pandemic and politics) and so many issues plaguing our society (election and social injustice) all we see on TV, newspaper and even in our own community or probably inside our own home is so much conflict, discourse to the point of hatred.
Sometimes it feels like we can never have peace in this world the way things are going. Once I was sitting with an elderly listening to her tall tales of her youth, she made me realize how life was so simple then. She is very appreciative of what life she had lived but could not comprehend what life she is actually living in now. There are times she would utter the line from a Bible verse that says "Oh death, where is thy sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55) pleading to God for either her life in His hands or a little bit of relief from this life of suffering.
This is one thing I have learned, caring for our elderly during this time of CoViD-19....giving them a little bit more of my time just to listen to their stories, just to sit by them and be company for a few more seconds, just a genuine smile or a good laugh together or for others just a gentle touch or a squeeze of a warm hand into theirs is life more than enough for them to last the day through. Life's become harder for them too and sometimes all they want and ask for is a bit of comfort and a little time with family. So much for their request, they have taken a great toll from this pandemic too being the most at risk, so vulnerable, so isolated, so forgotten by some and yet all they ask from us is a little bit of compassion, just sincere sympathy. Let us share some quality time with them even with just a simple phone call and a quick "How are you doing?" can make a real difference to them.
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." - - Ephesians 4:32
SIMPLICITY.
Has it ever occurred to you that money did not matter much with this pandemic? No matter how much money you saved up or invested in the stocks, it did not make things any easier for you. Yes, you could have bought things and stock up foods and supplies enough for the family but up to when? And when everything ran out, everyone was panic buying and supplies are dwindling down, what was your money and wealth for?
Living frugally seems like an old joke for most of us, but if you grew up in a third world country like me that is everyday life. Most people live pay check to pay check. A lot of people are homeless and dying of hunger. The great divide between the rich and poor is like heaven and earth. For ordinary people (or the average "Juan") in the Philippines, making a living enough to feed your family, send your kids to school and save up a little bit for emergencies is almost life at its fullest.
And yet, this pandemic has pushed us to live as simply as we can. We were pushed to shop food and necessities (like bathroom tissue) with limits; to socialize and work with boundaries by staying with your own small social bubble and to care about each other more as a family. These were some of the simplest ways of living and enjoying life and yet we let the adrenaline rush control our life always to the fullest, to the highest, to the best version of things ...almost pushing us over the cliff. I think that this pandemic is both a curse and blessing for us all, what do you think yourself?
"We urge you, brothers and sisters ... to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life." - - 1 Thessalonians 4:10-11
SLOWING DOWN & REST.
The best thing that most of us realized and fully enjoyed, not because we chose to initially but because we were forced to have, is slowing down and taking time to rest. I am sure for those who are known to be hard worker, the start of the pandemic was a struggle. It was hard to just stay home and not go to work or simply a disruption of what your "usual normal" was, is the equivalent of "rush and hurry". Come to think of this situation of staying home and taking time off from work actually pushed you to realize that THIS IS actually the thing you needed to have and longed for the most...that is REST!
I wrote a blog on "My Sunday Thoughts" about a book I read on REST and SLOWING DOWN. It is a great book to pick on if you still have the time, it is written by John Mark Comer entitled "The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry". I have learned so much about slowing down and why our physical and spiritual body needed that. I for one is a hard worker, taking on too many projects and doing so many things trying to please everyone all at the same time. From there I learned about Silence, Solitude, Simplicity as spiritual disciplines to help me slow down and enjoy my Sabbath for what it is...time with the Lord! Oh, the book is just so good, grab one and learn from it.
"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” - - Matthew 11:28-30
How about you, what "Life Lessons" did you learn and cultivate from this CoViD-19 we are still wrestling with? What are you doing now to make your time worth of staying home? Have you started a worthwhile hobby while 'sheltering-in-place'? Comment below and share your thoughts. It is even better if you will care to share this with others.
STAY SAFE AND BE BLESSED.
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