So how is your quarantine going? Did you ever think you would ever hear that or would ever be asked that question? Our world has been turned upside down but it has not been all gloom and doom. It's not the end, folks. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately we don't have a date or a timeline. We do know that very soon things will be back to normal. So, what have we learned during the month of March and eight days into April? I have listed 6 things. I'm sure I could write more but I wanted to list my top 6. Like you all, I have had a lot of time to think. I have been busy working at Home Depot but even there it has not been crazy busy. So, without further adieu as they say, let me list for you the top 6 things I have learned during this crazy pandemic.
1. JESUS IS ALL WE NEED
I heard a preacher say one time "You don't know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you've got!" Many of us have been stripped of things we love. Some of us lost jobs. There is no entertainment whatsoever live. I've been watching old baseball and football games and truthfully I'm getting bored with TV. We can't travel out of state and we can't go to church. So many things have been taken away from us because of this Coronavirus. One thing has not been taken away from us and that is our relationship with Jesus Christ. I am not one of those people who believe God is punishing our world with this virus. I don't feel that way. I do believe one thing and that is God is trying to get our attention. It's as if we are at a place where since we are alone, we have plenty of time to spend in prayer and reading God's Word! Jesus is truly all we need. When we follow Him, we know He will protect us as well as give us direction in our lives.
2. FAMILY IS IMPORTANT
Before this pandemic, I will confess that in my busyness I have not reached out to my Pennsylvania family as much as I would have liked. I only get to see my two younger kids twice a week and have not seen them since March 19th. We agreed to stay apart until this is over. Being divorced and not being able to see them has been difficult. I have discovered that family IS important. Even sending a quick text and receiving one is special. We need to tell our families over and over that we love them!
3. WE NEED EACH OTHER
Not only is family important but so are our friends, coworkers, fellow church members and neighbors. We truly need each other and we need to obey our state leaders when they say "STAY HOME." We are all in this together. We are all on the same team. This is not Mets vs. Yankees, Giants vs. Jets, Rangers vs. Islanders or U.S.A vs. U.S.S.R....we are ALL on the same team which means we need to pull together. It's just like Field Day in Elementary school when we do the old Tug of War. Each side pulls together until you pull the opposite side to your side. One team is crowned the winner because they pull the rope together. We need each other, friends!
4. THERE IS BEAUTY ALL AROUND US
When I leave for work at 5:30 a.m. and it's pitch black outside, I am only thinking about one thing. Getting to work on time. I always pray that there is no traffic on the good ole Long Island Distressway and I usually listen to Sports Radio 101.9 WFAN to hear if my teams won or lost or listen to a caller propose a ridiculous trade (The Mets Pete Alonso to the Washington Nationals for a 40 year old pitcher). I have never taken the time to see the beauty of Long Island. Trust me. I really don't like living here for one reason, It's very expensive. But when I have taken walks due to boredom as well as walks at Sunken Meadow State Park, I can't help but appreciate the beauty of God's creation. The trees are beginning to bloom. Flowers are beginning to pop up out of the ground. This morning I saw a deer on the boardwalk at Sunken Meadow! We need to appreciate God's creation around us!
5. GOD IS BIGGER THAN COVID-19
No matter what comes against us whether its a pandemic, a war, unemployment or a family struggle...GOD IS ALWAYS BIGGER. This pandemic is all new to us. We have never faced this kind of worldwide challenge. As Christians, we need to remember that in spite of it all, God is bigger! He will take care of us.
6. PEOPLE ARE FEARFUL
Working at Home Depot as well as when I go for walks, I can see in many peoples eyes the fear they have over this virus. You can see it in their eyes big time. You can feel it in the air. The one thing I have done to combat my fears is memorize a bible verse in 2 Timothy 1:7 - "God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound mind." We have no reason to be in fear. God will always take care of us! Yes, we are human and we all have had fears in our lives. But this scripture verse tells us a very simple thing. We have no reason to fear, because God's plan for us is for us to have power, love and especially a sound mind! Plus, I know God has his hand over my life and I also remember the scripture verse in Hebrews 13:5 which says "He will never leave us nor forsake us." We need to pray for those who live in fear that God will comfort them and show himself to them.
BE SAFE EVERYONE AND CONTINUE TO TRUST IN GOD!!
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