Tip of My Iceberg

We could be accused of disregarding the requests of those in authority. Our home appears to be an extended-stay motel. But the house was sold before the virus hit. And closing is happening now.

My daughter and her family of eight, plus two large dogs, have moved in with us until the home they’re purchasing is ready for them to occupy. Not a huge deal. They’ve faithfully practiced social distancing, as have we. We’ve been careful about going out, and so far no one is sick with anything.

Maybe sick of the circumstances.

It does change the dynamic of how life is now looking. John and I have moved into a routine of just the two of us over the past five weeks. There’s a sense of quiet that has rested on our home that hadn’t been our experience before. We’re used to people coming and going, staying for days, and moving on. We’ve had our home referred to as Grand Central Station, and I enjoyed that.

I’ve grown familiar with quiet and minimal activity interaction. It hadn’t been my choice, but it was my reality, so I’ve embraced it. I’ve groused regularly about loneliness, missing the closeness of family, restrictions that have felt disruptive.

I have now received what I’ve longed for.

It wasn’t what I expected.

It’s always easy to romanticize what I don’t have. To picture the idyllic setting and believe it’s so much better than what I have. I have been overwhelmed and somewhat immobilized by quiet. Now it has ceased to exist completely.

The Grass Is Greener Somewhere Else.

We’ve all got ideas about how we’d like to see this end. Or at least have some of the restrictions lifted. Some states are actually opening up businesses, and that can be annoying, aggravating, or cause for celebration for different people.

Nobody likes to be restricted. What everybody else is doing appears to be so much better than what I’m doing. Everyone else’s lot in life is far superior to mine.

Isn’t that the mind trap we all fall into? The lie that hovers over us like a stealth bomber ready to drop its payload?

COVID19 is merely the current issue that prevents us from doing what we want to do. It’s a huge problem globally, and it needs to be dealt with in a manner that respects its capacity to do serious injury to people and world economies.

When this ends–and it will–there will be something else that will be a new concern. A new fear.

God reminds us that He is our Sufficiency. No matter the circumstances, the state of the economy, the health of our loved ones, the fears and anxieties of all around us, He is the strength and courage of those who choose Him. He is the eternal hope of those who put their faith in Him.

We will always have unexpected losses and grief in this world. Hard times, if we’re not in them, are just around the corner.

God is in our stories. He longs for us to come to Him in our need.

No matter how big the crisis.

He’s there for us.

God doesn’t social distance.