Hopeful (Even Now)
This post is long overdue. But if ever I had a good excuse, this is it: it’s a pandemic. In case you have been living in a cave for the past several weeks (and if you have, your foresight is incredible), coronavirus is everywhere and toilet paper is nowhere. Consequently, everyone has been ordered to stay at home. And consequently, I am an anxious, frustrated, and stressed-out mess, albeit coronavirus-free (I think).
Consistent with the Governor’s Executive Orders, my husband and I have been telecommuting from home. As recently as a couple of months ago, I used to idealize working from home. How awesome would it be to work within the comforts of my own house with my two precious children within hands’ reach? Not that awesome, it turns out. We are living in strange and sad times, for sure. Children cannot go to school; we are being asked to stand six feet apart from each other; and people are hoarding Tylenol and Clorox wipes. People in first world countries are dying by the hundreds in a single day. Businesses, big and small, are being shuttered. I will never forget walking into our local grocery store and seeing every single bottle of milk – whole, low-fat, non-fat, soy, almond, coconut, goat – cleaned out.
In the beginning, I too was consumed daily with concerns about whether we would run out of food or paper goods (specifically, milk and diapers), whether we needed to buy a gun or a pit bull (considered both), whether my son would “fall behind” in preschool (I’m laughing, but I’m also dead serious), and whether this is the end of the world as we know it. Then, in a moment of quiet devotion, I was reminded of God’s providence, and that, as His children, we have been called, even during a pandemic. And perhaps our calling is clearer and louder during these unusual and challenging times. Following Christ doesn’t always change our circumstances, but how we respond to our circumstances sets us apart from those who do not believe. If we took a step back and looked, we would see that we are still surrounded by opportunities to express His love, show His kindness, and give regard to His presence. Whether it’s sending steaks over to commemorate a birthday that we would otherwise be celebrating together, or scheduling a Zoom “happy hour” with our friends that we would otherwise be sharing a bottle of wine with, we are reaching out (virtually) to those in our lives whom we have been praying over, trusting that our hope in Christ will shine a little brighter during these darker times. Perhaps this is the end. Perhaps we’ve got a little bit more to go. God only knows, as the Bible and the Beach Boys say. But whichever it is, our calling remains the same, and this gives me more hope and confidence than a lifetime supply of toilet paper.
While productivity is unfortunately not borne out of these unique circumstances, a forceful reassessment of one’s values and priorities is an inevitable by-product. May you be encouraged to not only stay at home, but also, to stay steadfast in living out your calling and being a conduit of the hope and peace that can only come from our Father in Heaven.