April Quarantine Brings May Flower?

When we started this magazine in February, none of us knew what we were about to experience. We had no idea how many changes we’d be making over the next couple of months — in practically every area of our lives. I figured that adding a new “project” to my busy life was going to be difficult, but I felt pressed by God to launch at that time.

I was busy shuttling kids from school, to extracurricular activities to social events. I was excited to get this magazine on the web and I was trying to budget my time between my various responsibilities. I always said that the thing that I lacked most was time. I even said that I wish we could just put a pause on everything so that I would have a little time to catch-up on my long, seemingly endless, list of things to do. Well….

And now, standing here in April, looking back at my two-month younger self, I see someone so different than I am today. I was so busy (I really was so very, very, busy) that I barely had time to sleep. I was tired a lot. I was very behind on my list of things that “HAD” to be done and even further behind on the list of things that I “WANTED” to do. I longed to sleep-in or stay-up late to watch a little TV. I wished I had time to read a book and I was hanging-on to the thought that April might be my month to catch-up. Some extracurricular activities would be ending and there was the hope of spring break. Wow… was I naive! 

I had no idea that an invisible enemy so small, could completely uproot my life. It took away my ability to chat with friends when I dropped my kids off at school.  It ripped away my ability to casually walk the mall, drink a Starbucks (or Woods for those of you who are local). Gone were the hugs from Mom Friends at the pick-up line. Swept-away was the financial security of my husband’s job.

This tiny enemy that used to be “their” problem was here and waging war on my country and my social life. How silly I was to worry about that over-due library book or if I had the “right” pair of jeans washed for my son. 
Now, I am more concerned with protecting my dad and other seniors in my family. I’m concerned about the economy — both in my home and in my country. Those worries from two months ago look terribly First World, consumer fed and embarrassingly naive. 

And even though we are a little low on toilet paper and I don’t even remember where I put those library books…. And despite the fact that our hands are chapped from all the soap and I’m running out of Project Runway episodes to binge… I’m thankful.

I’m thankful that, so far, my whole family seems to have escaped this terrible virus. I’m thankful that I am finally catching-up on sleep and checking-off things on my “To Do” list (though not nearly as fast as you’d think). I am happy and grateful for this country and community. We are all trying our best to navigate unprecedented and frightening territory. I’m thankful for parents who homeschooled me and the years that my husband and I have homeschooled our own children. We are far better prepared, practically and emotionally, to deal with our current circumstances.

Even though my kids couldn’t shop for me for my birthday, they gave me incredible gifts. I’m thankful for that. I’m thankful for the X-box lessons, money for a download I’ve been wanting, an edited video of family photos, a homemade book and a dance choreographed just for me. I’m thankful for the nice Facebook notes, texts, gifts from my dad, aunt, cousin, friends. I’m thankful for a husband who knows how to treat me so wonderfully and is a very good chef.

I’m thankful for the special moments that this pandemic has given to me, our family and our nation. I love seeing our communities coming together to provide basic needs for each other. I’m happy to see that, at least for a short time, we are putting MOST of our political differences aside and mobilizing as a nation. I’m thankful for time to pick a flower from the garden and to bake cookies with the family.

And I am thankful for you! I’m thankful for all the authors who have jumped on board with this idea of a magazine for Christian women. I’m thankful for those who have had a similar desire and dream and who are willing to join me in this journey.

I’m thankful for the readers who have been consistently clicking on our links. For those of you have sent letters, left comments and shared our Facebook page.

And most of all, I’m thankful that God is in control. I’m thankful that He gave me the vision of this magazine and has carefully planned and orchestrated every step of the way. He has brought you wonderful people into my life and He is the one who has given us a common purpose and precise timing.

I hope that the magazine continues to bring you good content. But more than that, I hope that Christian Women Living brings you a sense of community. God was in the timing. He knew that we would soon have time to devote to a new and growing magazine. He knew that we would need a place for Christian women to promote their products. He knew that women, and people in general, would need a place to go for encouragement, fellowship and even a little fun. He knew. He knew that the timing for this magazine launch was February. He knew it all along.

And He knows. He knows when this pandemic will end and how… He knows that you are scared for your health, your finances, your family. He sees that you are lonely and afraid. But He also knows that you’ll be okay.

I hope and pray that by this time next month, when I am writing my little editorial comments, that our world looks different again. I hope that it’s back to normal, more or less, but with more compassion, appreciation and less “trappings.” 

Thank you, writers and readers, for joining this journey. It will be interesting to see where this adventures take us and to see what amazing things God has in store for us in these uncertain, and certainly not boring, times.

Check-out our posts that might help you through the next month of quarantine. Try a new recipe, keep fit with one of our workouts or dive into the Word with one of our devotions.

Let us know if you there is something you’d like to see on Christian Women Living.