We are on week eight of quarantine around here. It’s been long and feels more like six months. We have done just fine through all of this. Schooling hasn’t changed much at all. Our daily lives haven’t changed either. But, many other major parts of our lives have changed drastically. We can no longer attend church services (we were going twice a week) or go on field trips or visit friends and family.
Even though these things have changed, we’ve kept our eyes on God and His plan through all of this. It did not come as a surprise to God when this virus spread throughout the whole world and shook us all to the core. He has had a purpose and a plan for each and every one of us through it all. Below, I will share the lessons we have learned in quarantine. Some of them are big and some are small. But we are learning a lot.
The first big lesson we learned (and are still learning) is how important family really is. We have been together so much lately and spent every moment together. The good moments and the ugly moments. We have gotten kind of snippy with each other and we have had times of pure joy. In the past eight weeks, we have gone on more family walks, bike rides, played more games, done more puzzles, and watched good movies together than we ever did before. Life gets in the way sometimes. This has been our opportunity to slow down and get our priorities straight.
Another lesson we have learned through all of this is how important serving others can be. We have had to grocery shop for my in-laws, buy groceries for a family who lost their jobs and income, pick up supplies for others in need, share what we have, and keep in touch with those who are alone during this time of isolation. We have always enjoyed serving others as a family. This situation has given us a tremendous outreach. There are so many people who are lonely, hungry, or just want to see a smiling face. It has brought so much joy to my heart watching my children put the needs of others before themselves.
We’ve also learned how important prayer is. We pray daily before we begin homeschooling. Recently, we have started praying specifically for the needs of others. If someone is ill, we pray for them to be healed according to God’s will. If someone has lost their job and income, we pray that God would provide for them. Sometimes God uses us to provide for them. My children have really started to pray selflessly instead of selfishly. We can all get into a prayer rut and only see and think of ourselves. With so many in need of prayer lately, it’s given us the opportunity to put others before ourselves.
We have a long way to go to get back to normal (if we ever do). We have taken this time to try to listen to what God wants us to hear and do His will. Whatever lessons He has specifically for you, pray, seek, and listen to His voice. We all have different things we can learn through this difficult time. Take the gift (this time of quarantine) that God has given you to slow down and get your priorities in order. I have personally witnessed my children growing in their knowledge of God. My youngest son even gave His life to the Lord a couple of weeks ago. What an amazing gift and such joy it brought to our hearts.
