Loneliness, Covid, & Condoms

Loneliness, Covid, & Condoms...my thoughts from my car ride in: 

These days are lonely for so many people. Not only are we socially distant we are also physically, emotionally, and spiritually distanced, we were made for community. We were built to need each other. 

Don’t isolate yourself and if you know of others isolating themselves please reach out. Some folks are very lonely, others are scared, exhausted, anxious, stressed...

Please don’t accept this distancing as a way of life as our “new normal,” it is not normal! We need each other, we need to be in connection with each other. 

There are ways to do this safely and we hear about them every day:

keep your distance

wear a mask

wash your hands

don’t get together in large groups

People still think it won’t happen to them and I am here to tell you it knows no age, gender, or ethnicity. 

I have come to think of contracting COVID-19 just like you would contract an STD. When you’re around people you don’t know who they’ve been around and who the people they’ve been around have been around. Even though you’re only exposed to one person you’re exposed to hundreds. So, we have options abstinence or we can let facemasks and hand sanitizer be the condoms of COVID-19! So mask up peeps and pass the 60% alcohol! 

Every day I see people affected in different ways by all this crap going on and I need to do my part to reach out as well.

Buoy, Buoyed, or Both?

Wrote and gave this devotion to my team today. Added to it afterwards things I thought of while talking. Thought I’d share as it feels like we are building the ship as we sail it and personally I feel shaken lately. So, basically this is to me and I’m letting you in on it in case it sounds familiar and helps anyone else.

“We are all in this boat together!” FALSE!

We are NOT all in the same boat. In fact each of our boats look very different:
- maybe you have little kids at home and your worried about what if there isn’t school...or what if there is??!!
- or your S.O. is out of a job
- Illness of family or friends
- Live alone and are feeling isolated and lonely

Remember that not all ship handle storms the same
- Rushing around to prepare
- Increased Anxiety is crippling
- Feeling tense and worried trying to keep things going as normally as possible
- Struggling to cope and feeling overwhelmed and tossed with every crash of the wave
- Taking it all in stride

What’s your boat looking like these days? How’s it handling?

While we are not all in the same boat WE ARE all in the same STORM
- And for those feeling anchored and calm – BE A BUOY for others
- note: you can’t be everybody’s buoy, and remember you have to put the life jacket on yourself before helping others!
- For those struggling to stay upright, it is okay that you are not okay. Please reach out for a steadying hand.

And most importantly - Look to our Lord, He is the lighthouse in the storm - He is that steady guide through any storm and for any ship. He can be trusted – look for Him – He is there, His light never dims.

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid?  The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?”

In John 16:33 Jesus says, “I have told you these things so that you may have peace. In this world there will be trouble BUT TAKE HEART I have overcome the world!”