Finding Peace AND Things To Do!
Hey! Before I jump into this post I'd like to remind you that this was a group effort made possible by my colleagues Hannah and Lily! And I myself would like to thank them for their current and future help! They have been a great blessing! Ok, this is sounding too business-like! Let's get into the fun stuff! THANKS to EVERYONE who made this possible! Also, I am aware that it's quite a long post, but believe me, if we'd posted all of it, it would be a WHOLE lot longer! 😀
The Facts
And American Perspective-
COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, has spread to most of the globe. It’s causing pandemonium all over the place. Grocery stores are having to restock and order more, much more often because people are scared! COVID-19 is serious, but honestly, most of the world, namely the media, are making it scarier than it is. Yes, you should distance yourselves from others for their safety and your own. Yes, closing non-essential businesses is a good idea. But the normal average people don’t realize why they're only doing this. Children, teens, and lots of young adults may think they overstepped it. But really, COVID-19 is something we know a very minimal amount about and it is easy to spread. It’s hard to tell where to draw the line. But I for one think the media takes it too far. I have one question for all humans who put their whole trust in the media. What the heck does toilet paper have to do with washing your hands? NOTHING! If it hadn’t been for the media the toilet paper pandemonium wouldn’t have started! But this is all from an American perspective. Things could be super different in Australia! -Kessa
We're out of toilet paper! Oh well, I guess I'll just run down to the shops and get some then. After all, the shops are never out of stock. Everyone understands that toilet paper does not equate to hands washed properly.
Did I fool you? HAH! I wish what I said was true! Would you believe it? The Great Toilet Paper Panic seems to have originated from Australia. Why? Don't ask me… All of us Aussie's are weird and make no sense. But then again, the rest of the world already knew that. When have Australian's ever not been weird and made zero sense to the rest of the world? I'll wait while you think of an example. And while I wait, let me ask another question: How do you American's know if the panic buying of toilet paper wasn't just another way for us Australians to mess with you and see if it would work? (Spoiler alert, it wasn't.)
Sadly, Australian's have been panic buying toilet paper and fighting over it. Sadly that panic buying spread, removing other essential items from the shop shelves. Pasta, flour, hand sanitizer, paper towels, even unhealthy snacks such as chips and chocolates started becoming a rare commodity.
But may I shed a pleasanter light on the situation for you? It's slowing. The panic buying is slowing. Not completely done with, but slowed considerably.
Why? Because stores have limited how much people can buy of one thing. Because Prime Minister Scott Morris (Good old ScoMo) told off the nation like they were a pack of naughty kids. Because the government firmly debunked the media hype and didn't put up with the media's silliness. But the best part of this? Because stores are prioritizing who gets first dibs! (More details in another blog!)
Hang on in there America! If things are handled right, there is an end in sight for the panic buying!
As someone who works in the healthcare industry myself, my suggestion to you and your families, and friends, and friends of friends (etc., etc.) is this: listen to what WHO (World Health Organization), your President and your state governments have to say directly about COVID-19. Do not put your trust in whatever the media has to offer, but rather in the direct, reliable sources that are working towards a solution.
Yes, COVID-19 is something new.
Yes, by all means, practice caution.
Yes, most definitely avoid contact with people.
No, you do not need to panic buy.
No, There is no need to panic at all!
No, COVID-19 isn't going to kill us all.
God be with you all and stay safe! (Wash those hands peeps!)
xo Hannah
So, now you know the facts. You probably knew most anyway - the virus is spreading worldwide, and yes, almost all stores are out of toilet paper. But this shouldn’t change the facts of our faith! You might say that we homeschoolers have it easy, since we already did a lot of things at home, and we aren’t having to get used to this type of thing overnight. And you would be correct! We don’t have it nearly as hard as many others globally do. But, we do all have the hope of Christ Jesus if we choose to accept him over panic, frustration, and self-concern. He will be our rock in these hard times! If you do not know him as your personal Lord and Savior, yes, this could be threatening to you, especially eternally.
“For we all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
~Romans 3:23
Instead, this is a great chance to take a break from our normally busy lives, step back, and say, “Lord, I know that this is all in your hands. Please show us how to live Your way and not ours!”
Be keeping others in your prayers. And I don’t just mean those directly around you! I mean be praying also for your leaders, doctors, and other workers who have a lot of hard decisions to make concerning our world, and the rules we need to keep us safe. Right decisions cannot be made without help from the Lord! And there are many other people that need prayers as well. People who find themselves out of jobs, or parents whose kids are used to being in school and daycare. Elderly people who may not have many people come to see them in the first place may now find that they are even more isolated than before. Please pray for all of the Lord’s children, for they are all precious in his sight.
~Lily~
Encouragement
Nothing on earth is permanent. We should rely on God and God alone. As Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold my righteous right hand.” He is with us and he will strengthen us.
Ephesian 6:10 says, “Finally be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”
The Lord is a safe house, hide in him and he will defend you. God will always be with us no matter the struggle! I have been listening to my favorite artist and LOTS of songs remind me that God is with us no matter the struggle. A little meme here and there doesn't hurt either though...My favorite is the one used in my intro, We Believe.- Kessa
“Be still my soul the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change He faithful will remain
Be still my soul thy best, thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.”
Peaceful, aren’t they those lyrics? Did you take a moment to just read them and sit in the peace they give? Because that’s what you need now, what everyone needs now. In stressful times like this, peace is needed to refresh the body so that we can continue on. Shouldering our burdens once again. Thankfully, like those lyrics suggest, God is on our side. It doesn't matter what we go through, even in the toughest times we can be still and know that God is out there taking care of us. With everything we're used to doing stripped away as we go into quarantine, we have more time than ever to listen and focus on God!
Peace Be with You
~Hannah
Okay, I only have a few things to say here. First, a few Bible verses, reminding us that we are the Lord’s children, and what we ought to do as his children:
“Encourage one another, and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
~1 Thessalonians 5:11
“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in time of trouble.”
~Psalm 9:9
“Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
~Psalm 27:14
Remember, that you are not alone in this. Others are going through the same things. We are all in this together! And, more importantly, we are all under God’s protection. Whatever happens to you is never up to chance! It is all part of his plan, for our good and for his glory. Remember this as you walk through your day!
~Lily~
How to Help
Here’s a great blog--try out the new challenge, 279 Days of Love!! (Made and thought up by our good friend Kessa!)
You may ask, is there anything I can do while I’m stuck at home? Yes, there is! You can make face masks! Check your hospital's website and make sure to follow their instructions on what to do. You could also go out and sneak up to other's houses with encouraging messages and tape them to their doors! Knock and run! It’s super fun and if you stick around to see their reaction is super rewarding! But make sure they don’t see you! You could also just be an encouragement rather than a complainer. Post/do only encouraging things that will make people happy! If you're down about it around people then they’ll probably be down too!
If you want to do the door thing, here are a few tips! Cut shapes out of construction paper, and write encouraging things on both sides! The side facing in is personalized to the person(s) in that house!
Maybe write some encouraging things on your sidewalk for those who walk past! Who knows! Just try to make the best of the situation!
Bored? Want to do something fun, and what’s more, fun for others to see? Try these links--how to easily make sidewalk chalk:
And how to create some sweet art with your chalk:
Not only can you bust boredom, but this is a great way to get outside! Or try a masking tape chalk technique:
One more thing: have LOTS of fun! Just because everyone else is dying of boredom doesn’t mean you need to be! And maybe make sure that everyone else isn’t either...that might be best too. 😁
~Lily~
It can be really hard to know what to do when it seems impossible to do anything. I mean, we're all trapped in our houses, an imprisonment known as 'quarantine'. But there are things you can do to brighten up other’s days and to have fun yourself.
- Set up a teddy bears picnic in your front yard for those who go onto a walk to see. This provides some entertainment as you let your imagination run wild with ideas, and brightens passerby’s days as they go on their essential walk for daily exercise.
- Do some baking. You can share your baking with others by putting them into a self decorated jar or dish and leaving it on your neighbor's front step, never has ringing a doorbell and running away been more fun!
- Write letters to your friends and family. But not just your friends and family but your neighbors. Post them in their letterboxes as you go for a walk.
- Send cards to your local aged care facility or nursing home. The residents will love them! In a time where everyone is isolating themselves, it’s harder on our older population. Those that don’t often see their family probably don’t see them at all anymore. Receiving a card will spark hope and happiness in their eyes as they realize they are not forgotten.
- Sew face masks. Though I hold my own personal concerns as a healthcare worker about them for usage in a hospital setting, homemade fabric face masks will be a huge help. Not only are you providing your community with reusable, sustainable masks for them to use while going out and about on their essential trips. It frees up the surgical masks to be sent in greater quantities to hospitals and other frontline workplaces.
- Pray. More than ever does our world need prayer, do our country's leaders need prayer, do we need prayer. God hears our prayers and acts upon them. His answers may not be what we want or expect, but he listens and cares. Prayer is probably the most powerful and helpful thing you can do.
These are just a few of the many ideas floating around on how to help. Choose what suits you, your family, and lifestyle and have some fun!
God bless,
Hannah
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