Ok, yes, I am finally doing a blog post on COVID-19! I know, the internet has been blowing up with content related to the Coronavirus, and I’m pretty late to the party.
I have three reasons to defend myself:
(1) I haven’t really known what to say. A world pandemic is kind of unexpected and bizarre.
(2) I’m a little sick of reading nothing but Coronavirus blog posts and articles, so I haven’t really wanted to add to the pile.
(I’m guessing some of you might be a little sick of it too, but if you aren’t and you want more, check out the COVID-19 stuff of the Rebelution! I likely won’t be writing more blog posts about the Coronavirus, but the Reb has a lot of awesome Christian content covering this topic to encourage you during this difficult time.)
And (3) honestly, I’m enjoying my break.
My perspective is a little different…
I am sorry for all you dying extroverts, but being alone(-ish, if you count the ten siblings) has been good for me, my mental health, and productivity. My perspective is very different than all those articles for people who are freaking out. My dad works from home a lot anyway, so we don’t have as much to fear financially. We are all healthy, so there isn’t as much reason to worry about getting infected.
I know a lot of people are struggling financially and/or emotionally right now. Some people have lost loved ones and jobs, and a lot of people are scared or worried right now. If you are one, I’m praying for you. God has got the whole pandemic in His hands, friend, we’ll get through this. <3
However, I am not one of those people. The Lord has blessed my family up to this point, and we don’t even have to worry about running out of toilet paper.
So my perspective on COVID-19 is very different. This experience has been teaching me different lessons. Lessons of gratefulness, and lessons of not taking the little things for granted. I’m going to share these lessons with you today.
1: The Coronavirus is helping me learn to not take little things for granted.
A few weeks ago, the Coronavirus really turned life upside down. The simple guidelines to stay six feet apart and not gather in large groups changed our day-to-day lives.
My calendar was cleared. COVID-19 canceled so many events! The fun activities I had been looking forward to weren’t there anymore.
Those things getting taken away helps me to value them. From now on, I think I’m going to treasure those little opportunities a little more. After this is all over, I’m going to be more grateful for the activities on my calendar.
The Coronavirus has been taking so many things away from us that we took for granted. When life goes back to normal, let’s enjoy it to the fullest and not take the little things for granted.
2: The Coronavirus is teaching me how important the economy is.
Hehe, I blame this one on my dad (who is also my economics teacher). =P But seriously, the economy plays such a big part in our lives!
And no, I’m not talking about money–I’m talking about people. The first thing you learn in economics is that economics is the study of people and choices. And the economy–all these people making so many choices–makes our lives so much easier.
Think of how easy it is to run to the store and buy some toilet paper when the economy is running smoothly. Many, many people worked hard to get that toilet paper to you: the people who cut down the tree, the people who built the toilet paper making factory, the truck drivers who drove it from place to place… all the way to the cashier who sold it to you.
You can’t make toilet paper on your own. Well, you probably could make some scratchy, poor-quality toilet paper. But when we work together, life is so much easier.
The Coronavirus has disrupted the economy in many ways, but all the more reason to thank God for it when it is doing its job.
3: The Coronavirus is showing me what a blessing technology is.
Even if our lives are messed up so much by being stuck at home, think of how much we still can do!
For example, if we weren’t in the 21st century, you couldn’t do your school at home very easily. But technology lets us do pretty much everything you would have done in class. You can learn about any topic on the interwebs, your teacher can email you your homework in an instant, and you can talk to your teacher and fellow classmates on Zoom, FaceTime, or Hangouts.
Well, that’s a bad example because homework isn’t very fun. =P But if school were completely canceled for this long, you would probably have to catch up during the summer–which would not be fun.
If you are an adult, perhaps your job allows you to work from home. That’s thanks to technology. Can’t go to the library? Get an ebook. It is amazing how much technology allows us to do. So much of what was canceled can be replaced with a video chat.
The Coronavirus makes me thankful to be a member of the 2000s. Technology can’t replace everything, and it can be used for evil, but it is definitely a blessing in very many ways.
If God decides to give us a world pandemic, we might as well learn a thing or two from it. There are so many bad things, but let’s count our blessings all the same.
What Do You Think?
How are you all doing with this craziness going on? What have you been learning from COVID-19 and its side-effects?
Honestly, I haven’t really had a chance to digest this. As a Pastor’s kid, you’d think I’d be terrified to not see my church family. As an extravert, you’d think I’d be going crazy! But, really, I haven’t given much thought to this matter. We still have church through drive-in and livestreamed services, and as a homeschooler, I’ve become used to “self-isolation.” I just don’t have an overwhelming sense of fear from this situation.
Yeah, it still feels very sudden. That is good to hear that it is not making you fearful. I have not heard of a church drive-in before, what’s that? My church is just live streaming the services on Facebook and using Zoom for “Equipping Hour.”
I feel the same way. Great post!
Thanks! =)
Wonderful post, Eiana! This situation has been crazy, but it has been a blessing, too. God has been providing for my family in a numerous of ways. My dad’s job is considered essential, so we are still getting an income and we have been able to find food and other necessities to purchase at stores. One way that God has blessed me personally, is being able to rest and spend more time with Him. God has been teaching me a lot of things and I have learned to hear His voice. I am learning a lot and I am grateful for what I have been learning through His word! I agree, I have also been more grateful for the things that I have and not taking them for granted. During this time, we are able to reflect on how good God is. < 3
Thank you! That is good to hear that your family is doing well despite the circumstances. Yes, this is an excellent opportunity to spend time in the Word and prayer. It has been easier for me to find time to consistently read my Bible in the morning now that I don’t have to get ready to go anywhere. Overall, I am very grateful for this chance to slow down.
So glad to hear you and your family are doing well and that you are thankful for His provisions! We also appreciate that you are praying for the numerous people who are being so tragically impacted. We can also pray that God will use each believer to reflect Him to hurting people and many would come to personally know the loving God we serve during these difficult times.
Thank you! Yes, this is an excellent opportunity for those prayers. This seems to be a good time for God to work through to save unbelievers, with their schedules being cleared out. There is much more time to think!
I enjoyed reading your post. I am very thankful that is taking care of all of you.
The being grateful part is very important .I know God is working through all of this and looking forward to
hearing about how God has impacted people.
Being your Grandma I am very much missing seeing all the grandkids.; And not getting to hold Mathew.
Also missing out on the Bday gatherings.
(I missed this comment until now! Oops!) Thank you, Grandma! Yes, God has been working through this indeed! I’m so glad we can do birthday gatherings again, and it’s crazy that Matthew is almost 1 now.
~Eliana~
this was such an encouraging and eye-opening post. Sure, we can’t go places like we used to and it’s hard to find things like peanut butter, but there are definitely good things too! I feel like my family is closer, and I’ve gotten to do some things I might not have been able to otherwise. God is good, all the time, and He will see us through.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Hi Anna! I’m so glad you found my post encouraging. My family has grown closer through this as well, and it’s beautiful to see. Yes, God is good! And He makes our paths straight even when it seems like our lives have been turned upside down.
~Eliana~
I read about your blog in For Girls Like You! I just started reading it yesterday and I’m already finding it very helpful and fun. I wrote down some of your tips and did the Young Writers assessment too. Hopefully I can learn more about writing and how to make mine better. 🙂 thank you
That’s so cool, Anna!! I’m so happy to hear you are found my blog and are enjoying it, and that you took the assessment too. Let me know if you have any questions–I love to help fellow writers! Here’s a question for you: what do you like to write?
~Eliana~
Fiction! I just finished a story for Bible class, and now I’m brainstorming ideas. I am thinking a series about different girls in the arts? a dancer, pianist, violinist, etc. 🙂
Those both sound so cool! =D Was the one for Bible class based on a specific Bible story?
~Eliana~
no, I was supposed to write a short story about a shepherd and his sheep.
Oh, that’s so cool! I studied Psalm 23 recently, and it seems like the picture of Jesus as a shepherd seems to have been popping up everywhere (Bible reading, sermons, etc).