I walked to my Starbucks the other day, feeling all sunshiny and full of hope for the one thing I could still count on in our time of chaos, and they are closed indefinitely. (Is God still on His throne??!!)
We were supposed to fly to Chicago last weekend to see my parents, but our flight was cancelled.
I haven’t bought toilet paper in a month and now there is none to be found. I heard a podcast the other day highlighting the different kinds of leaves to use if you run out of toilet paper!
A friend had a birthday this week and I couldn’t give her a hug.
Most of us are planners, amiright?
We plan to go to the gym while the kids are in school. We plan a vacation for Spring Break. We choose to meet friends for coffee, or play tennis, or watch the Master’s golf tournament on T.V.
We love doing what we want, when we want, with no interference.
During this season when nothing is going as we planned and all our illusions of control have been shattered, I think it’s important to pay attention to how we’re responding.
How is loss of control affecting you?
Do you notice little power struggles between you and family members becoming intensified?
Are everyday preferences a battle ground to exert control when so much has been taken away?
John likes complete darkness watching T.V. and low lighting all of the time. I like light, and when most of the other choices in my life have been taken away, this tiny little thing becomes more important.
I realize subconsciously I’m thinking, “I MAY NOT HAVE TOILET PAPER, BUT I WILL HAVE LIGHT DARNIT!”
What are some things we can do to assure that we’ll come out the other side of this better human beings than we were before?
1.Pay attention to what triggers you and be curious. Why is this bugging me? How important is it?
2.Get creative about the choices you DO have! Find ways to chose connection, service, and fun! Maggie and Austin did a virtual Happy Hour and Bingo night with friends. Folks with margin are reading books on video to give parents with restless kids a break.
3.Create a breath prayer for those times when you feel triggered by “out of control” feelings. All you do to create a breath prayer is choose a name for God that is important to you in this season. Breathe it in. Then breathe out a phrase that sums up what you need.
Lately mine has been: “Prince of Peace, settle me down.”
4.Gain perspective by reflecting on all the ways God has been faithful in the past – Guidance? Provision? Course correction? Say a prayer of praise. Look at Psalm 77 for an encouraging model of honesty and choice.
What’s been helpful to you during this time of change, loss, and uncertainty?
I’ve been posting very brief devotional thoughts on my Instagram Stories, and continuing to try to bring joy, encouragement and inspiration on my feed. I’d love to hear from you there!
