Just a Thought

    

                   Strange times we are living in.

                         Pandemic

                            violence

                                Hate

                                   Fires

                                      Floods

                                         Death to our bodies

                                             Death to our Humanity

                                                 Death to our very souls

                        

                                                        source

         ...and what is left?

     What is left after all that? 

             

     What is there after being stripped, and left with raw skin and heart exposed.

In the swirling darkness of sadness and despair, hate, fear and despondency...There is a NOTHING that swallows us and destroys us until we're part of that swirling seething emptiness.

I have to keep reminding myself...

                       There is HOPE

                          There is healing

                            There is Kindness

                                There is LOVE

                                    There is disagreement without Violence

                                        There is beauty

                                            There is God

   And once we can seek and see and feel that

             Then those who would rather we hate and hurt will have no power

                       and maybe we can heal, forgive, and start again.

                      

                                                             source

               we can put down that stone and dare not cross that line.

                        and we can encourage others to do the same

                                      God please help us

                                         It can be done

                                            Let us try

               

                        

           

It's Like a Bad Dream

                      Hi to All,

                      I am praying all of you are well and safe.


                      Surreal... isn't it?

                      Like a bad dream


  When we were all celebrating the new year never did I think that the whole world would be in the grips of this thing, this virus.


I am not going to go into describing how bad it is, because everyone knows. Here in NY things seemed to have changed overnight.

Even though I know I have to stay home, I can't really. I have a mom in her eighties and she needs me to do a lot for her. I want more than anything to bring her home to stay with me, but since my husband is considered an essential worker....I don't want to take the chance of her being exposed in my home. So I wipe down her groceries and I pray that whenever I enter her apartment I am not bringing the virus in with me. 

I guess what has surprised me the most is the constant knot in my stomach.
Even during hurricane Sandy and Katrina, we could move to safer ground. We could move to a place where there was no danger if we needed to or were forced to. 
With this there is nowhere to run. Everyone in the world is dealing with this.

Here in New York we are on lock-down sort of speak. I live on Long Island so it is a bit better than the city. There's a bit more room and not as crowded. Every time I have to go to the store the tension and fear is on everyone's faces. People keep their distance and no one talks to anyone. I try to smile at people even though all I want to do is run out of the store, but I make it a point to look at people and smile. 

We need smiles

We need to feel a bit or normalcy

We need love and a smile says..."Hey, It's ok. You're going to be ok".

we need to pray.

pray hard.

shout it out loud

I look forward to every Sunday as my family and I attend our church online.

There, on our screen are our friends playing their instruments and a bit later is our pastor giving us encouragement with God's word.
I always feel better.
Our church is a "Huggy" church.
We give hugs freely and often. I miss those hugs and I miss giving them.

Many of my friends are hospital personnel and I worry for them too.

If you are living in one of the places where it hasn't hit hard yet...please take heed. Make sure you have what you need for a couple weeks stuck at home. I would say save a bit more than that quite frankly....

If you can't find stuff like purell or hand sanitizing wipes...don't panic. The virus has a fat coating that is washed away from good old fashioned hand-washing. Remember those commercials where it shows Dawn liquid being used to clean off oil soaked wildlife?

Don't touch your eyes, face, mouth when you're out or until you can wash your hands.

When you go food shopping clean and disinfect half of your kitchen table. The other half will be considered "dirty". The dirty side is where you will put your groceries and wipe them down with disinfecting wipes or if you don't have that... wash the containers off with dish soap. Dry them with a clean paper towel or super clean towel. place the now clean container on the "clean" side of the table. I open potato chip bags and fold over the top a couple of inches. Then I take a gallon sized baggie and pour the chips inside. Even if the sides of the bag touches the baggie....its ok, remember you have folded the sides over.

When all are clean, put everything away and clean off the "dirty" side of the table. Cloth bags are great because you can simply throw them in the wash. After that wash your hands and relax.

Whenever a person comes in from outside, wipe down the door knobs and make sure the first thing they do is wash their hands.

Have them take off their shoes at the door and put their clothes directly into a laundry bag or better yet right into the washing machine.

Don't listen to the news all day. It will only bring you down. Listen, for a few minutes then turn off the TV or watch something that brings you joy. For me ( believe it or not) it's the Andy Griffith show. I have many many episodes on my DVR and everyday I watch one or two.

I started painting again and I'm working on a new idea for a youtube channel. We shall see what happens.

My best friend sent me these three books and I can't wait to start them.
                          

It's a collection of fairy tales but with a twist. I think they are meant for a much younger reader but you know what? I need to escape reality for a bit.

I guess that's it for now.

I'll be praying for each and every one of you and if you can please pray for those who are in the grips of this horrible evil thing. Over and over again (in the bible) God heard the cries of HIS people. Lets humble ourselves before HIM.

Be Safe and Healthy
Blessings, Joanne