Tuesday, March 24, 2020

When the Twilight Zone is Normal...

Boy, that went off the rails in a hurry, didn't it?!



 I am having a hard time putting my feelings down into words, I guess because there are just so many of them competing right now.  I love the down time for so many reasons.  Spring projects, little to no urgency most days, Mr. Butler is available a lot more, and just the richness of home.  So, this quarantine state is providing so many beautiful things right now.  On the other hand, we are in a Twilight Zone where everything is just so different and, let's face it, WEIRD!  I appreciate having Mr. Butler home where I can get a hug almost whenever I want, but working from home is challenging to all of us and definitely takes some getting used to.  We all miss our extended people.  There are some people we know truly fighting for their life in this or at great risk, which is just scary and stressful.  A lot of people are in danger financially because of all this through no fault of their own.  And nobody really knows when this will be resolved.  So, yeah - WEIRD.

Aside from the weirdness of it all, I have two things to share. 

#1 Whatever is good, DWELL on these things.  If ever there was a time where we are tempted to drown ourselves in panic, worry and fear, it is now.  And if there were ever a time when the Bible's teachings of hope, faith and trust are relevant it is now! Instead of panicking, now is the time to dig up all of the things you've learned before on times of trouble and utilize them.  Here are some of our favorite resources to fill our minds with positive thoughts:

Our good friend, Jonathan over at Pure and Simple Bible offers so many resources and encouragement.  In addition to his regular podcast, this week he's been doing live Bible studies on his Facebook page.  His videos and podcasts are great things to listen to as a family or in the car!

Seeds Family Worship is one of our favorite playlists on Spotify to play around the house.  All of the lyrics to their songs are scripture!  It's encouraging and a great tool for memorization.

Praise & Harmony is a series of recordings that feature a capella music.  We love listening to these in preparation for going to services.  With that being so limited right now, songs like these are even more important to us!  They are available on Spotify too!

#2 Invest in your HEALTH.  So far, there is a lot about this virus that is not fully understood and most anyone who claims different is probably lying.  It DOES seem to be true in most cases that healthy immune systems handle this pretty well. On top of respecting the social distancing state we are in, it seems logical to seriously take stock of your health practices and makes sure they are working for you.  Those who know me, know that I take my family's health very seriously and have invested a lot of time and money trying to teach and provide all the elements needed for strong immune systems in our little family.  For us this means a clean diet, quality supplements, lots of time outdoors (Vitamin D) and exercise, good sleep schedules, and always working to minimize unhealthy stress.  We're not perfect in all these things and certainly do not know all there is to know, but I feel confident in my understanding and resources not to be afraid for us.  If you are afraid and interested in ways to build up your health, send me a message and I'm happy to share with you what I have learned.



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