Reflections On These Past Few Weeks...

     About a month and a half ago, my sister and I met up in El Paso, TX for a fun, long weekend together. El Paso was a true gem with its beautiful mountains, delicious Tex-Mex food, and friendly locals. Most of all, it was nice to spend time with my sister.

     4 weeks ago, my Saturday consisted of activities like going to the grocery store that morning, serving at Salvation Army with church friends, getting lunch afterwards for a friend's birthday, catching the end of a college basketball game, and seeing Pixar's Onward in theaters. Sunday included going to church, watching the NASCAR race that afternoon, and going to a movie night at a friend's place.

     These past few weeks have truly been unprecedented, stressful, and scary. COVID-19 has truly put the world on pause and changed everyone's life. What's hit me particularly hard is the scope of COVID-19 - while natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey or tragedies such as 9/11 may shake a region or even country, it's rare for something to shake the whole world and know that everyone's experiencing that same feeling or asking the same questions. How long will this go on for? Will my family, friends, and I be okay? Will I have a job? When will there be a vaccine? Will our lives ever be the same? Right now, there's not a good answer to most of those questions, only estimates. As I've heard people say, COVID-19 is the one setting the timeline for all of this.

     It's hard to fully comprehend all the consequences or lasting effects of COVID-19. My heart breaks for all who have been furloughed or laid off, all struggling to make ends meet, or all who are battling, have a loved one battling, or have lost a loved one to COVID-19. There's simply no words for what so many people are going through right now. For people unable to work from home, going to work means potentially getting sick and spreading that to others, particularly for those in the medical field. And I can't even begin to list all the major life events and ceremonies that have either been canceled or postponed - proms, graduations, weddings, vacations, and so on. It just doesn't feel right for the school year to end in mid-March, particularly for seniors. 

     When I look back on activities that I was able to do a few weeks ago, it's hard to believe that most of those aren't even possible now. Restaurants are takeout and delivery only (if they are open at all), sports are indefinitely paused, movie theaters are closed, and church services are online only. Going to the grocery store means waiting in lines to get in and hoping that they have enough milk, bread, or paper towels. Terms like "social distancing," "flattening the curve," or "quarantine" are mentioned countless times each day. 

     Through this all, I've come to see how important it is to count one's blessing each day. Heck, each day is a blessing in itself. I'm incredibly thankful for the job I have, let alone one where I am able to work from home. I'm thankful to be able to wake up each morning and not have to worry about making rent for the month or having enough food. Having things like Cheerios, oranges, black beans, or bagels are blessings in themselves. Being able to stream church services online or have Zoom hangouts with family and friends are huge blessings that I'm thankful for. While we may be physically distant, we still are able to keep up with one another and check in. 

     And while I may not be able to watch live sports, go to church, go to the movie theater, get lunch with friends, or go to El Paso with my sister right now, I know that those are all things that I don't ever want to take for granted. I can only imagine what it will be like when we're able to go to church again, they are able to holding sporting events again, or restaurants can offer dine-in as an option again. 

     I'm thankful for all the "essential" employees that are keeping things afloat right now and still going in to work each day. I'm thankful for all the grocery stores and employees that keep things running and stocked (be sure to thank grocery store workers when you go) or for all of the medical professionals (doctors, nurses, PAs, etc.) that are taking care of patients right now. The list, of course goes on - first responders, supply chains, truck drivers, etc. We'd be lost without them right now.

     One Bible verse that has come to mind for me during this time is from Habakkuk. In Habakkuk 3, Habakkuk prays to the Lord. Near the end of his prayer, he says "though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:17-18). In the midst of all the struggles going on, Habakkuk rejoices in God, mentioning in the following verse that God is His strength.

     There's no way around it: this has been a really difficult time for a lot of people. I've found myself feeling like Habakkuk lately, listing all the struggles going on in this pandemic. In this time, I'm learning what it means to live by faith and trust in God. I have no idea how long this pandemic will last for and when things will be "normal" again. I can do my part by staying at home, but outside of that, it's out of my control. But what gives me hope right now is knowing that God, not COVID-19, is the one ultimately in control. He's the God who was, and is, and is to come. There's not a day ahead that He hasn't already seen. I will trust in Him during this time - and I pray that in turn, my faith would be made stronger. 

     Moving forward, as I stay home, I hope that I am able to be productive and not waste this time inside. I hope that I am able to help and encourage others during this time as well, as we truly all are going through the same thing. And I hope that once this pandemic has passed and things slowly become normal again that I don't forget the blessings that each day brings or how dependent I am upon God each day. 

     Take care and stay safe, everyone!