Social Distancing, Weeks 5 and 6

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us..."  These are the first lines of one of my favorite books, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, and I've found my mind returning time and again to these words recently.  While these words were written to describe the time of the French Revolution, they are also quite apropos now.
While some people are losing their lives, others their loved ones, and many more their livelihood, others, like us, are blessed with a jubilee of sorts - a break from the daily grind and an extended, unprecedented time of renewal.  I've seen so many people out walking with their families, exercising, playing in their front yards, rocking on the front porch.  There's no rush, no deadlines, nowhere to be.  So while I would not wish this pandemic on anyone and while I mourn with those who have been so deeply affected, I am thankful - thankful for more time with my children and husband, thankful that I can enjoy the beautiful spring weather, thankful that we're healthy and have all that we need, thankful that the most pressing question on most days is where we should take a walk or what to cook for dinner.  My house has never been so organized.  My yard has never been so manicured.  My tan has never looked this good this early in the year.  In a way, my heart has never known such a deep sense of contentment.  It certainly has me asking questions as to what is important and what we should make time for when all returns to normal.
Don't get me wrong - I will be the first one out in public when it's allowed, but, in the meantime, I continue to count my blessings, for they are many, and continue not to let this time be wasted.
The past two weeks have been a parade of days filled with (mostly) sweet sunshine and happy giggles (and sometimes whiney cries).  We've hiked to the top of Amicalola Falls (even Judson made it all the way on his own!), practiced riding bikes, fashioned sculptures from aluminum foil, designed chalk art, feasted in many a picnic, and practiced much baseball.

Many memories have been made.  And for that I am grateful.

Social Distancing, Week 4

When I studied abroad for a few months in Costa Rica before law school, I was there during Easter season.  As part of their celebration, the Costa Ricans pretty much shut everything down during the week leading up to Easter, known as Semana Santa ("Holy Week").  All the businesses close up and everyone goes to the beach or other vacation.  When I was there, I had already been there for a while when Semana Santa rolled around, and I was ready to go home.  It didn't help that I was left alone to fend for myself (and the cat "Gorda") for a week while the host family was at the beach.  It was quiet, and it was lonely.  On Easter Sunday, I went to an English speaking church to celebrate Christ's resurrection, and while it was certainly better than nothing, it paled in comparison to being home with my family and at my church.  It made me yearn for all that I had left behind.
This past week (and weeks before that) has felt eerily similar to that week in Costa Rica.  Everything is foreign, I miss my friends and family, everything is shut down, I miss my church...I know Easter is coming but what sort of celebration will there be?  I yearn to return to the days before I even knew what Coronavirus was.
And yet...in the year that everything has been cancelled, there are two notable things that have most definitely NOT been canceled.
The first is Spring, glorious SPRING!  It apparently did not get the memo that everything is cancelled.  Birds are singing, flowers are blooming...pollen is coating everything in a yellow film.  It's fantastic.  You find yourself outside enraptured by the sheer beauty that is nature, and for one blissful moment, if ever so brief, you almost forget about everything that is happening in the world right now.
Needless to say, we found ourselves outside on hikes and bike rides often this past week.

We also decided to brighten up the neighbors' day by drawing some sidewalk art for them.

Second, LIFE is not cancelled.  Yes, we can continue to live and be thankful for our blessings.  But even more than that, when Jesus rose from the dead, he forever proclaimed that Life and Living will go on for those who trust in him.  Death is cancelled.  Sin is cancelled.  But Life is not.  So this Easter, that is what I focused on, despite almost everything else being cancelled.  And what a grand way for God to show that to us all - to make the earth practically stand still to get our attention and show us that though everything around has been called off, His plans have not been affected - even more than that, His plans will work through and because of the current state of the world.
Though we couldn't have the big Easter egg hunt and celebration that we normally do, we still worshipped and celebrated (and dyed eggs and hunted them, of course).

When life gives you lemons, you make...

lemon meringue pie, of course!
Just as my absence from home while I was in Costa Rica made me appreciate my family and friends and home so much more, I know that we will all be so grateful for all we have when life returns to normal.  In the meantime, we can continue to hope in the unchangeable One who makes and gives Life (and Spring, too!).  He'll never cancel on us.