It’s unbelievable how much can change in a week… 

In the middle of all of the craziness I don’t want to be marked by panic or fear. I want to be practicing gratitude and thanksgiving for all the things we have. I’m thankful for our home. The grace to prepare and settle in. Making our meals together. Playing on the floor with our boys and snuggling up to a good movie. Hopefully reading more books. Maybe finally getting to allll those thank you notes (in what Calvin likes to call my “box of good intentions”). Putting things down. Enjoying the simple with loved ones. Thinking about how I’m going to make these moments count over the next several weeks. 

I feel like the last couple of years have prepared our family for “social distancing” from all the sickness we’ve gone through. We’ve experienced both the cost and benefits of putting this into practice. While I don’t prefer it, the benefits outweigh the cost – especially now and the negative impact of not practicing and how it impacts others. 

I don’t think we would have been nearly as sick last year if we would have cut out some of the germ spreading opportunities - going to the nursery, story time, etc. This is especially true earlier on, when our immune systems were shot. Instead, we kept pushing. You’d have thought I’d learned these things before with all the health issues we’ve walked through years ago. 

We have so much to be thankful for right now. As of this moment, we only have “our normal stuff” we are dealing with - allergies, teething, and our other internal things. But even though we have health, I want to be thoughtful of others and the bigger picture my decisions impact.

Last year and most of this year has been a learning experience for me with immune systems. Two major themes stick out to me: (1) we are not invincible. And (2) we should think of others more than ourselves.

There is much to think about with everything that is going on right now. Panic isn’t worth it. I’m searching for wisdom and finding the balance of “staying calm” and “keeping on” while also using caution. I’m seeing the wisdom in the "better safe than sorry" approach. 

Just keep to yourselves as much as you can if you’re sick and let it roll over. Don’t make it bigger than that. Learn to reset your priorities and move on. The end. 

That doesn’t mean it will all be easy. Poor Calvin is having to probably postpone an event he’s poured his heart into. The school he works at has moved to operating online for the rest of the semester. It’s been a long couple days for him. Meetings for days straight. I hate it for him and his team. They were about to hold the biggest event in a decade. But, even in this how we can grow. He’s proud of the work of his team believes this will all push them to greater levels of excellence for future events.

I am curious how businesses and certain events will come out on the other side of all this. I’m praying it creates unity among people. But I’m also hoping people chill out with the TP and wipes. I’m not a stock person and can not go as long. 

Ending these thoughts with asking - how can we most think of others during this time? Choose kindness. 

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” - Phil 2:3

|  Credits: Author - Jacintha Payne; Photography - Calvin Payne |