When Boredom Strikes | 8 Things To Do Instead Of Eating
March 31, 2020Stress Eating | I Eat Because I Am Stressed
April 16, 2020I’ll be the first one to say that the last four weeks have been a stretch for me…emotionally, spiritually and physically. I am confident that this quarantine will eventually end and I will once again have the freedom to leave my house. And, I can guarantee a few words that will not be coming out of my mouth anytime soon…”I think I need a few days at home!”
How many times have I yearned for some downtime in the whirlwind of daily life? Now, my life IS downtime.
I am forced to confront my thoughts and explore my priorities. I can’t hide behind my schedule when my list of must-dos has narrowed to the most mundane of tasks…waking up, brushing my teeth, eating (when I am actually hungry), keeping clean and going to bed.
It’s in this time of “not much” that I’m forced to confront my own emotions and fashion my perspective. I can’t change the situation of the world, but I can control how I will view my life and current circumstances. The easiest, yet most destructive choice would be to give in to the fear and uncertainty of daunting statistics…that route is essentially spelled out for me in the daily headlines.
But then, I hear the steady call of faith, “...the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1.
If I lean in, I recognize that familiar sound…it’s the same voice that’s guided me for decades. I’ve followed this call as a follower of Christ and it has always lead me in the right direction. Yes, today’s path is totally different from anything I have ever experienced in my lifetime, still, I can place my hope and future securely in God’s hands.
So, how am I going to take control of my perspective as I head into the fifth week of home quarantine?
I will walk by faith and not by sight...I choose joy.
My Top Ten Joy Bringers
Listening in silence as my grown kids laugh and chat
We have been doing weekly family chats that unite our immediate family from three different locations, across two separate continents. I just sit back and listen.
A piece of dark chocolate at the end of the day.
I have heard a lot of people talking about the alluring draw of food when they are stuck at home. Of course, this is an issue I deal with extensively in my book, Find Your Weigh. It helps me to reserve my sweet treat for later in the day, so I have something to look forward to.
Shoes!!!
My oh my, how I miss my shoes! But, that doesn’t mean I can’t paint my toes and do a little catwalk for one.
A clear blue Manila sky.
We live on the twelfth floor of a high-rise, so we don’t have access to a yard. However, the slow-down of traffic over the past month has resulted in beautiful blue skies and views that go on and on.
The realization that God sees us all right where we are.
Sometimes, we can convince ourselves that we’re all alone in the world. I came across this clever “Where’s Waldo Coronavirus Edition” article and it hit me…this is exactly how God sees us! It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, God focuses right in on you as if you were the only person around.
Wondering at the innovation and courage of the human spirit
I have been so encouraged to see fellow believers pushing themselves into new areas. For some, it’s learning a new software program and for others, it’s summoning up the courage to leave family and friends to volunteer as a nurse in a New York City hospital.
Panda videos
Need I say more? They make me smile.
Hands lifted high in worship…anywhere, anytime
How awesome is it to have the opportunity to cruise several different church services, right from your living room!
Sweet fat baby feet
Sweet babies are born every day and they bring joy to all of us. Life goes on and each new day brings new possibilities.
Divine Appointments
I love watching God do what only He can do. He will use your joy to bring hope to the hopeless, but first, you’ve got to choose joy.
~ Shellie
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6 Comments
Thank you for sharing your sources of joy with us! I need all the joy I can get right at the moment. Dark chocolate at the end of the day sounds pretty good to me too! 🙂
Amen to that!
Some great ideas, and to appreciate the joy in our lives. We will feature your encouragement to find joy in our next Blogger’s Pit Stop.
Kathleen
Thanks Kath. I hope you are doing well and finding ways to find the joy in your days.
I am glad that you are finding ways to embrace this time. After all, we can only control what we can control so I agree finding what makes us happy is a nice way to create our own rainbows. I know we are lucky to be able to stay at home and be with our loved ones. But having chocolate at the end of the day is not a bad deal either! I hope you are having a great day and happy Thursday!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
As in everything, it helps to focus our energy on things we can do something about! Thanks for stopping by, Maureen.