Celebrating God's Goodness & Home
Okay mama, grandma, grandpa, papa, uncle, aunt, neighbor, whoever you are that's tempted to freak out just a little bit in the middle of all this crazy swirling around us, take a deep breath. Now, let it out. Good. Again. Breathe in and out. Let's say a couple of breath prayers. On the inhale: God's love is in me. On the exhale: Fear is gone. On the inhale: God's love in. On the exhale: confusion out.
Feel free to do that as many times as needed to reach a state of relaxation, or at least greater relaxation than before you prayed.
So, here we are. Some of us are hunkered down rationing the toilet paper. Others are hoping and praying nothing was forgotten on that last trip to the store. All of us are praying with all of our hearts for everyone affected in any way by this insanity called Corona virus. I could slide off into a rant about the absolute ridiculousness of the media-driven hysteria. I could also throw out the fact that this very conveniently took place on an election year, but yeah, I'm not going there. Facts though they be it's not where I'm at with all of this.
Where am I? I'm right here at home where I always am, where I belong. What am I doing? I am doing what I always do, living life. Laundry, learning, meals, and lovin' are all still happening. Everything is cruising onward almost as if no corona virus existed. Almost, except for one thing, it does exist. And yes, this very new grandma knows full well such a thing as the corona virus exists. Because of it, there is a distinct possibility I won't get to see or hold my very first grandbaby for two months. How thankful I am for pictures!
I have toilet paper. I have food. I have a warm home in a remote location that provides a natural social isolation, but I don't get to hold my grandbaby. Whether we are out of toilet paper, food, suffering from the isolation, or something all together different, we all truly are in this together, even though physically apart. No matter how things look, feel, or seem in this season of crazy, God's goodness is present. God is good. This I know is true.
Knowing His goodness is true, I am working to be very intentional and focus on Him by offering my thanks for every little evidence of His goodness to my family and me. I have chosen to celebrate His goodness and the gift of home. Here is what this looks like for me:
Feel free to do that as many times as needed to reach a state of relaxation, or at least greater relaxation than before you prayed.
So, here we are. Some of us are hunkered down rationing the toilet paper. Others are hoping and praying nothing was forgotten on that last trip to the store. All of us are praying with all of our hearts for everyone affected in any way by this insanity called Corona virus. I could slide off into a rant about the absolute ridiculousness of the media-driven hysteria. I could also throw out the fact that this very conveniently took place on an election year, but yeah, I'm not going there. Facts though they be it's not where I'm at with all of this.
Where am I? I'm right here at home where I always am, where I belong. What am I doing? I am doing what I always do, living life. Laundry, learning, meals, and lovin' are all still happening. Everything is cruising onward almost as if no corona virus existed. Almost, except for one thing, it does exist. And yes, this very new grandma knows full well such a thing as the corona virus exists. Because of it, there is a distinct possibility I won't get to see or hold my very first grandbaby for two months. How thankful I am for pictures!
I have toilet paper. I have food. I have a warm home in a remote location that provides a natural social isolation, but I don't get to hold my grandbaby. Whether we are out of toilet paper, food, suffering from the isolation, or something all together different, we all truly are in this together, even though physically apart. No matter how things look, feel, or seem in this season of crazy, God's goodness is present. God is good. This I know is true.
Knowing His goodness is true, I am working to be very intentional and focus on Him by offering my thanks for every little evidence of His goodness to my family and me. I have chosen to celebrate His goodness and the gift of home. Here is what this looks like for me:
- sending love via text to my daughter and granddaughter in the hospital every morning and evening
- whipping up a moisturizing body butter for my daughter who is staying at the hospital with the baby (Last week a full moon and weather front brought our granddaughter approx. 6 weeks earlier than anticipated. Though healthy, she is in the NICU for a while.)
- being thankful my husband and I were able to visit our daughter in the hospital before they closed the ward to visitors
- starting a new DVD series by a favorite minister (Beyond Blessed by Rev. Robert Morris)
- savoring the treasure of knowing my children, all of them, are eagerly soaking in the truth of God's Word and enjoying it
- waffles for supper last night (Waffles are a lifelong celebration food to me.)
- being thankful our chickens are once again laying enough eggs we could eat them with our waffles last night and that we no longer have to buy eggs from the store
- using the "special" coffee instead of the everyday yesterday (For us this is Highland Grogg.)
- having a cup of coffee at lunch AND breakfast AND supper yesterday - just because
- my oldest son making cheeseburger pie for supper tonight, (Mama not cooking is always a celebration.)
- lightening our daily school routine this week as we do for special occasions by eliminating writing and using brain puzzles, read alouds, discussions, and other hands-on learning activities (Games that strengthen vocabulary and math skills as well as craft and art projects might be showing up later in the week. Think Yahtzee, Scrabble, War, Boggle, Dice Math, Blokus.)
- thinking up fun, out-of-the-box ways to strengthen our writing during next week's learning time (Letters to family and friends, I'm looking at you.)
- spending extra time in the Bible with highlighters and notebook to jot down thoughts
- choosing to do things I wouldn't normally do like reading magazines and books just for fun instead of cruising Pinterest (nothing wrong with Pinterest - it's just that there are other options)
- thinking of what I CAN do instead of what I can't by planning a meal and snacks to have waiting in my daughter and son-in-love's fridge when they get home with the baby instead of thinking about how long it may be before I get to hold my sweet little grandbaby (I am SO thankful she is healthy and whole. I will hold her someday, even if not as soon as I would like. And ... YES, she is SOOOO cute and already a darling. Grandma knows she is.)
- planning online adventures to take with my children when the promised high speed internet arrives later this spring (What far away places can we visit from the comfort of our home? What instruments can they learn to play via online lessons? What classes can be taught by online instructors for both the children and myself? What songs do I want to put on the various playlists I am mentally creating in my head?)
- mentally planning what items I can purge in soon coming springtime organizing sessions (Will we ever use those tents and water jugs currently in storage?)
- reading and reading and reading and reading the Word of God more and more and more to keep truth foremost in my heart and mind (Nothing refreshes and encourages like the Word of God!)
- Getting off of this computer right now to spend the evening with My Beloved and children. I am Abundantly Blessed beyond my wildest imaginations and dreams. I want to enjoy these blessings to the full.