Stuck in My Rocking Chair With Covid and I Cannot Get Out

My time has come…covid. My "medical" husband and I had just been contemplating the fact that after all this time and multiple exposures to covid, maybe I was just one of those people who would not get covid. Then whammy; I was struck with the dreaded virus. Only it was not too bad. In fact, if there was not so many unknowns, news media dramas, and anxieties swirling over "covid", this would have been another "run of the mill" illness. I have had worse. 

So what are the knowns: 

1. God is, and always will be, in charge of the universe. (Genesis 1, Hebrews 1:1-4, Psalm 8:1-4)

2. The death rate is 100% for everyone. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and the punishment of sin is death. (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23)

3. Jesus has paid the price of our sin and for those who believe in Jesus as Savior, we will have eternal life in Heaven with God forever where there will be no more sickness or sadness. YEAH!! (Ephesians 4:2-9, John 3:16-17, Revelation 21:4)

4. As the covid virus mutates, it will become more contagious, but thankfully less deadly. I love the number of times God assures us, "Do not fear." I love the number of times God tells us, He is with us. Immanuel-God with us. I love that no matter what, God holds us.  (Deuteronomy 31:8, Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 41:13, Psalm 23:4)

5. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones from or with covid. But my heart also goes out to those who have and continue to lose loved ones from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, depression, car accidents, etc. (See #2.) 

My worse symptom was an incredible fatigue that hit me early Sunday morning. I did not go to church. I did not get out of my pajamas. I did not get of of my rocker recliner. (I am a mover. HA. Very unlike me to sit for me than 30 minutes at a time.) However, as I look back it was a good time. Yes, a good time!

My covid thankful list:

1. I am so thankful we had a good time with all four of our boys, two lovely daughters-by-love, and our sweet Baby James home between Christmas & New Year. I am so happy I was not sick when they were home; I became sick the day they left. (I am so glad none of them ended up sick.)
2. I am so thankful for my sweet doctor.  She was so helpful, caring, and easily accessible.
3. I am so thankful I was able to do a ton of reading. It was great! Hours and hours of uninterrupted reading. I never have time to sit and read...Or actually I am never very good at sitting for extended periods of time to read. 
4. I am so thankful for fellow commiserators. My sister from Michigan had covid, too, so we had great long phone conversations. One of my best friends, also had it. Her word for the year was "whimsey" and we shared great whimsical conversations and laughter through our texts. 

5. I am so thankful for #3 son home on college break who- without even being asked- cooked meals for us, cleaned up our home from the holiday clutter, and did multiple loads of laundry of towels and sheets from everyone being home. Another reason to resist killing your teenagers.
6. I’m so thankful that I was ok. Still a tiny bit on the mend. Steroids helped.
7. I am so thankful for alka seltzer cold plus & cough medicine. They did not have that in Laura Ingalls Wilder days. 

So many of us are suffering-from illnesses, loss, disappointments, fear of future. Our nation is in a heap of hurt whether it be political disagreement, racial disharmony, differences of opinions regarding vaccinations or masks, and so much more.

Contemplate this in crazy covid times: If each one of of us could live out what the Apostle Paul exhorts us to do, life could be so much better. I encourage you to encourage your family and friends to uphold each other in living life better, living life God's way: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

TIme Flies

"And just like that I have finished freshman year of college," texted my #4 son to our family group this morning. What a freshman year! Some classes online. Some classes in-person. Masks. Social distancing. ("How do you meet anyone with masks on and socially distanced?" he bemoaned in August.) Covid tests. Postive covid test. Storms. Power outages. Burst pipes. Apartment flooding. Hotel for five days. Home for five days. Apartment for five days. Hotel for 30 days. TRYING to learn and focus on studies. Yikes. Not your usual first year college experience. 

Instantly, as I read #4 son's text, a comment by my #1 son -in a speech to his classmates at an awards ceremony 12 years ago- flashed into my mind, "Time flies when you are having fun!" (Everyone in the auditorium laughed because he ALWAYS talked about flying and airplanes, and had unintentionally used "flies" in his speech. )

Time flies...

And just like that...

Yesterday...

Time flies when you are having fun...It seems like just yesterday #1 son had the auditorium in stitches with his "time flies" comment. Or #1 son was born. Or #2. Or #3. Or #4.  And just like that my boys have grown up. Ouch. My Mom heart hurts. Where have the years gone? My babies have grown up so quickly! How easy it is to just hurry through life. How many times did I tell my boys to "hurry up"? 

Brenda Jank, Founder of Run Hard Rest Well, posted a wonderful article and resource on her blog about "minutes matter". I encourage you to read it https://runhardrestwell.org/5-minute-breather/#more-7825  and watch the S-L-O-W video. We all need it. Stop. Linger. Observe. Wonder.

I replied back to our family text group this morning, "WOW! Time does fly. Pause. Enjoy the moments; the people you are with; the environment around you-God's awesome creation!"

Take a moment in your life to SLOW the hurry.

A Tragic Death. A Tragic Life. A Thrill of HOPE!

 A thrill of HOPE, a weary world REJOICES!

Listen to the podcast of this blogpost: https://anchor.fm/karen-sue-murdy/episodes/A-Tragic-Death--A-Tragic-Life-enqq6k

A tragic death...A couple in our community was suddenly killed in a car accident leaving behind their two young children, their parents, their students, their co-workers, their friends all who are deeply mourning the loss of their life.  A tragic death...a weary world.

A tragic life...A loved one in our family lives unfortunately with chronic traumatic encephalopathy dementia often not recognizing her children, her siblings, her neighbors, her friends all who are deeply mourning the loss of her mind. A tragic life...a weary world. 

With my finite mind, I cannot begin to understand an infinite God who sees and knows all-so much more than me. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."  Isaiah 55:8-9 I cannot understand why this healthy couple with 2 young children had to die like this...not my way. I cannot understand why my loved one with this devastating disease has to live like this...not my way. 

I also cannot understand why God sent His son, Jesus to be born to live on this earth, to die on the cross (conquering Satan and evil), and to rise again on the third day (conquering death) to be my Savior...not my ways; but wow do I REJOICE. We thank God His ways are higher than our ways and acknowledge we may never understand them. 

"A thrill of HOPE, a weary world REJOICES" a line from a beloved Christmas carol "O Holy Night" caught my attention the first week of advent as we lit the candle HOPE. As we wearily mourn both a tragic death and a tragic life, we REJOICE. We REJOICE in the HOPE this couple confidently proclaimed in life and in death and now in new life in Heaven: Jesus Christ is their Savior! We REJOICE in the HOPE my baptized loved one confidently lives. She asks me to pray with her; hums along when I sing "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow"; and declares, "Count your blessings": Jesus Christ is her Savior now and always.  

What tragedies are you struggling with in 2020? Covid? Relationships? Politics? What else? Whatever is happening in your life, may you HOPE in God- trusting that His ways are higher than your ways. 

May you experience a thrill of HOPE in spite of this weary world and REJOICE in the birth of our Savior, our eternal HOPE.