As difficult as this pandemic has been, and continues to be for many people, there have been some good things come from it. Many communities have been on bear hunts. People are driving around the communities with their children looking for bears which people have placed on their front porches, in their yards and in their windows. It's a way to get the children out of the house and engage in a fun activity. My Facebook page is filled with pictures of some of the bears the people have found. BTW - There is a bear lurking on my front porch for all the hunters out there.
I remain convinced that there are people watching live streaming of church services who would not have physically gone to a worship service. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to watch two services, one in Indianapolis and one in Evansville. I heard two message by two friends of mine who I've never heard preach before. Dr. Ron Blake, DS of the Indianapolis District of the Church of the Nazarene, spoke in the first service I watched. James Wells, who is co-pastor with his wife Julie at The Cathedral in Evansville, spoke in the second service. Both were excellent messages that, although they came from different texts, presented the same encouraging word. They reminded us that when we find ourselves in difficult times we can cry out to God who not only hears but will act on our behalf. What timely messages! I know that anyone who heard them were encouraged.
We have seen people reach out to help one another. Many people are checking on the elderly to ensure they have sufficient food and supplies in their homes. Schools are providing meals to children unable to attend classes who are often dependent on their school meals for nourishment. When it was announced that there were not enough masks for the medical personnel, many people began making masks to address the need. Some stores even began donating the material to anyone who wanted to make masks.
Yes, there are those who are hording supplies. There have been reports of price gouging. There will always be selfish people who want to take advantage of crisis situations. Even the House of Representatives couldn't pass a bill to provide financial assistance to out-of-work Americans without filling it with billions of dollars of pork for things that have nothing to do with this crisis. Personally, I don't see this as any different than a store charging $25.00 for a case of bottled water. But, I also don't expect any better from those we elect to office.
I watch medical people putting themselves in harm's way to treat those who have contracted this virus, and I applaud them. I see the small business owners fighting to keep their restaurants and stores open, and I see heroes. In the evening news I hear area governors and the president talk about steps they are taking to address this crisis, and I recognize the hours and hard work they are putting in this effort. Parents who are home-schooling their children and answering their questions about what is happening are incredible. All around us we see heroes working together to bring us through this.
Most of us were disheartened when we heard that the stay-in-place mandates would continue at least another month. The president is right when he says most Americans want to get back to work, but we want to get back to work when it is safe to do so. For some, another month at home sounds horrifying. I encourage you to use that time to reflect on how little control we have on what happens in our lives. Spend some time reading good books. Listen to what God is speaking to you during this time. Use this downtime to strengthen your spirit. Look for ways to encourage others and bless them. Together, we will get through this just fine.
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