Chaos in the Calm

A lot going on and not a lot going on!

 

Chaos in a still world.  How?

 

Due to COVID-19, many communities are on “shelter-in-place” orders, so the streets and roads are not as crowded.  The stores, at least the essential stores, are only allowing a certain number of people inside at a time, and because most are going to the store by themselves, no one is talking to each other.  Walmart is so scary quiet! Restaurants are closed and only taking curb-side and to-go orders. Non-essential stores such as Hobby Lobby (essential in my thinking), Ulta, James Avery, etc. are closed.  There are no sporting events, no entertainment events, no movies, no plays, no meets, no tournaments, NOTHING! And yet, a lot is going on. A lot is going on inside our homes and ourselves, good and bad to be perfectly transparent.

 

For some of us who were already homeschooling and whose husband works from home quite a bit, this wasn’t too much of a change.  What has been different is to actually be home, to actually take time to breathe, because normally we are going to classes we have outsourced, to extracurricular activities, Bible study, competitions, etc.  The only place I’m really going to at the moment is the grocery store, and most of the time, I don’t need to go inside because I’m doing curbside pick up.

 

So, not much is happening, and yet, a lot more activity in our homes.  Because I like to leave things on a good note, I’ll start with the not-so-good.  Here is where I get pretty transparent.

 

The uncertainty of it all may be making many of us a little more irritable.  Uncertainty of the virus itself and our economic decline. Suddenly, the irritability feeds on itself from one person to another, from sibling to sibling, from parent to child, from child to parent, and from spouse to spouse.  Before you know it, you-know-what hits the fan. We have to hit the reset button, take a deep breath, apologize, recognize what just happened, and start all over again. I know this is not just happening in our home.

 

However, in the midst of all the craziness, we as a family have spent more time together.  We have played more board games, we eat meals together, we watch movies together, we talk, we engage.  We ENGAGE!!! Did you hear that? We engage, sometimes not so nicely, but most of the time, in a very positive, constructive, and encouraging way.

 

So even though we, including us introverts, can’t wait to put this all behind us, we need to remember to savor the moment!  This has been and continues to be a chance of a lifetime. We will probably not ever, ever get an opportunity such as this. How many times have we told ourselves, “I wish I could hit a pause button on life!”?  Well, this is it. The pause button has been hit. Savor the moment!!!

 

The reality is that no matter what, God is still in complete control.  I heard this quote a while back and while it is applicable all the time, it is perfect for what is happening now.

 

“I don’t know what the future holds, but I DO know WHO holds the future.”

 

I pray that you take this time to not just physically stay put, but that you allow your soul to be still and regroup.  Ask yourself what is really important. What do you REALLY want to add back to your schedule, and what have you been able to live without?

 

I leave you with this song and Bible verse.  I pray it speaks to your soul.

It Is Well – Kristene DiMarco | You Make Me Brave

James 1:2-4

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.