Quarantine!

So, how are you doing during this pandemic quarantine?  I hope fine and I pray safe!! I haven’t written in so long that I decided maybe now would be a good time to.  After all, I think it would be good to “log” some sort of “something” during this very unique experience!  One month ago, today, I packed up my office and headed home for an undetermined amount of time to work from home.  It is possible to conduct my particular job duties from home – and technology has made it even more doable.  For the first few weeks I video conferenced every day with each of the individuals I supervise (6).  That really filled up my day, but since everyone seems to have gotten into a routine I’ve cut the personal conferencing down to twice a month and as a team we meet two times a week.  So, the COVID-19 virus has put the State in which I live in a quarantine state of operations.  We are under a “stay at home” order in which only essential travel is to take place (ie. grocery shopping, supplies, etc…).  In the last month I have driven my car only a half dozen times.  I haven’t filled up my gas tank since March 18 and have barely used a half a tank.  Rationing of supplies began well before I began working from home because people were panic shopping and stockpiling many items – especially toilet paper!  I made a trip to a local box store around the 10th of March and was in disbelief!  I couldn’t believe what I saw:  absolutely no paper towels, toilet paper, peanut butter, or sugar on the shelf!  NONE!  I purchased one of the last five or six sacks of flour!  I was amazed! – and, a little creeped out by the sight!  In the weeks to come, I intend to write about some of the things that I’m learning in this quarantine, and as the last four weeks have passed by with church services only being held via on-line – including last Sunday on Easter!; my pastor and friend has challenged us to share during Bible study what verse has been our “go to” each week.  Mine hasn’t changed – the verse I have been and am clinging to is Philippians 4: 6 & 7:  “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  I have a trinket that sits on my computer stand that reads “Prayer Changes Things”.  That is so true!  I have always felt like I was a prayer warrior, but before July 2018 I didn’t have a clue as to what prayer can do.  So, for now, I leave you with a challenge to meditate on Philippians 4: 6 & 7; tell God what you need and thank him for all that he has done.  We’ll pick up there in the next blog!  🙂