This Easter Sunday under quarantine has me thinking a lot. Fair warning, I am about to share some of my personal religious beliefs. I totally recognize that not everyone agrees with me and I respect the right of each individual to believe as they do. But, I think maybe some of you are feeling the way I am today and I want to share.
Most years, I spend weeks with my family preparing for and celebrating Easter. We have a lot of traditions. Many of them have come from the book Celebrating a Christ-Centered Easter by Emily Belle Freemen. Great book. I recommend it. But this year things are different. My family's schedule is busier than ever. Lots of online meetings and classes, and I'm spending a lot more time cooking and cleaning.
And I feel lost in time. Know what I mean? I saw a meme today that says, 2020 is a unique Leap Year. It has 29 days in February, 300 days in March and 5 years in April. Yup, sounds about right. So Easter kinda snuck up on me. And now, a month in to quarantine, I'm really feeling a desire to see some people beyond the ones I live with.
This morning, our church congregation's choir surprised our congregation with a virtual choir performance. It was amazing. I don't know how they pulled it off - I suspect it involved a lot of technical know-how and time. Our choir is always amazing - not hyperbole, it's truly the best local church choir I've ever seen - but what they did today was just beyond. My 16 year-old daughter was one of the singers. I heard her recording her part last week in the bathroom with her cell phone. I think most of the singers recorded themselves in a similar fashion. I don't know how someone turned all that into this but they must be a wizard. Just incredible.
It really looked and sounded like our choir was all together and performing for us in person. It was a feast for my hungry soul. Tears rolled down my cheeks while I watched it. All those people who I know and love and wish that I could be with. Singing such beautiful, soothing words. I realized then, just how hard it is to be separated from people. Thank goodness I have my family here at home with me. But it's not enough. It is painful to be separated from everyone else. I've gotten used to it and it won't kill me, but today I was reminded that it's not the way it's supposed to be, and it hurts.
Then it occurred to me that I have long been separated from my Heavenly Father. I've gotten used to it, but it's not the way it's supposed to be, and it hurts. And that's what Easter is all about. Christ came, atoned for us and rose again so that all the separations could end - so that we could all be reunited with God and any other loved ones we have been separated from. Today, I really get it.
If you didn't catch the link above go here to watch the virtual choir performance. So good. Happy Easter!
Sunday, April 12, 2020
Saturday, April 04, 2020
Making Sense of it All in the Time of Coronavirus
We are living in a period of history right now that will be studied and discussed for generations after us. I've been telling all the youth I know that they are the Anne Frank's of this generation. Someday people will want to understand what it was like to grow up during The Time of Coronavirus and they will turn to our children for that knowledge.
It's too much to really grasp or make sense of. We don't even know exactly what it is we are experiencing. It's a very disorienting experience.
It started out a lot of talk and fears about a pandemic that might happen. Then we were told the pandemic was happening. A few big events were cancelled. Schools started closing, public libraries closed. We were told it would last a couple weeks. Church was cancelled. Then it was extended for a month. Non-essential businesses were closed. Amazon stopped delivering everything in 2 days. Now the shutdown has been extended for another month. It's different depending on where in the world you live. My perspective and experience are pretty limited to my little corner of the world in the Seattle area. Some places have experienced earthquakes and other natural disasters on top of everything being shut down. We know this is not going to be a little short term blip. We are in it for the long haul. What does that mean? How long will it be?
Those on the front lines - healthcare workers, those who are ill, family of the ill and dying and the millions of families who have lost their income - are having an even more intense experience. I think most of us fear joining their ranks at some point. This thing is coming for us all. Our health, our economic well-being, or both, will be impacted.
We are living out the story and we have no idea yet how it will turn out. How will good overcome evil? Who will survive and who won't? How will the world be different after the dust settles? When will this be over? What will our new normal be? So many questions. So many theories. So many unknowns.
And those of us who aren't on the front lines yet have this sense of dread and foreboding. We can feel that things have changed yet so much of our lives is still the same. Our health and economic well-being have yet to be impacted. Our families are fine. We are working, home schooling, making and eating meals, and watching a lot of Netflix. Nothing is really wrong. But we sense that something is terribly wrong. And suddenly we are crying. What is happening?!
This week I've struggled with depression. From talking to friends and family, I have the impression lots of people are in this place right now. We are not even sure what we are experiencing but we know it's going to go on for awhile. And it's bringing up a lot of emotion. We don't know how to make sense of it. If you are feeling this, you are not alone. It's normal for you to feel this way. It's hard. It's not fun.
There's so much we don't know right now. But here's something I do know: We were made for this.
I believe we are all here on earth at this time and in the place we are at for a reason. I believe we each have work to do and a unique way to make the world a better place. Some call this contribution and purpose a personal mission. I think everyone has one. And apparently, we were supposed to prepare for and/or fulfill our personal missions in The Time of Coronavirus.
So rather than wondering about all the unknowns, I'm trying to remind myself I was made for this. I've got what it takes to prepare for and fulfill my personal mission in life. While the world looks very different than I imagined it would and I have no idea when things will stabilize, I know this is how it was supposed to be.
I've heard this advice from numerous sources I trust and I'm trying to follow it;
Focus on the here and now.
Do what needs doing right now.
Watch for opportunities to prepare for or fulfill your personal mission, right now.
It's too much to really grasp or make sense of. We don't even know exactly what it is we are experiencing. It's a very disorienting experience.
It started out a lot of talk and fears about a pandemic that might happen. Then we were told the pandemic was happening. A few big events were cancelled. Schools started closing, public libraries closed. We were told it would last a couple weeks. Church was cancelled. Then it was extended for a month. Non-essential businesses were closed. Amazon stopped delivering everything in 2 days. Now the shutdown has been extended for another month. It's different depending on where in the world you live. My perspective and experience are pretty limited to my little corner of the world in the Seattle area. Some places have experienced earthquakes and other natural disasters on top of everything being shut down. We know this is not going to be a little short term blip. We are in it for the long haul. What does that mean? How long will it be?
Those on the front lines - healthcare workers, those who are ill, family of the ill and dying and the millions of families who have lost their income - are having an even more intense experience. I think most of us fear joining their ranks at some point. This thing is coming for us all. Our health, our economic well-being, or both, will be impacted.
We are living out the story and we have no idea yet how it will turn out. How will good overcome evil? Who will survive and who won't? How will the world be different after the dust settles? When will this be over? What will our new normal be? So many questions. So many theories. So many unknowns.
And those of us who aren't on the front lines yet have this sense of dread and foreboding. We can feel that things have changed yet so much of our lives is still the same. Our health and economic well-being have yet to be impacted. Our families are fine. We are working, home schooling, making and eating meals, and watching a lot of Netflix. Nothing is really wrong. But we sense that something is terribly wrong. And suddenly we are crying. What is happening?!
This week I've struggled with depression. From talking to friends and family, I have the impression lots of people are in this place right now. We are not even sure what we are experiencing but we know it's going to go on for awhile. And it's bringing up a lot of emotion. We don't know how to make sense of it. If you are feeling this, you are not alone. It's normal for you to feel this way. It's hard. It's not fun.
There's so much we don't know right now. But here's something I do know: We were made for this.
I believe we are all here on earth at this time and in the place we are at for a reason. I believe we each have work to do and a unique way to make the world a better place. Some call this contribution and purpose a personal mission. I think everyone has one. And apparently, we were supposed to prepare for and/or fulfill our personal missions in The Time of Coronavirus.
So rather than wondering about all the unknowns, I'm trying to remind myself I was made for this. I've got what it takes to prepare for and fulfill my personal mission in life. While the world looks very different than I imagined it would and I have no idea when things will stabilize, I know this is how it was supposed to be.
I've heard this advice from numerous sources I trust and I'm trying to follow it;
Focus on the here and now.
Do what needs doing right now.
Watch for opportunities to prepare for or fulfill your personal mission, right now.
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