Today is March 16, 2020, and the world is strange…almost unrecognizable from the world I lived in just a week ago. It’s spring break in Savannah, Georgia. Instead of traveling somewhere with my family to escape the onslaught of drunk tourists that like to visit Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day, our family is following the CDC’s recommendation to practice “social distancing”. Admittedly, it’s not really a hardship on us. We tend to be homebodies anyway. We’re calling this our “Corona-cation”. And while staying home and finding things to do isn’t necessarily challenging, what IS challenging is fighting off feelings of anxiety about the future. They come in waves. My husband owns his own business and I only work part-time outside the home, so we rely on his business to pay our bills. If people are staying home, they’re not spending money with local businesses. My parents are both in an age bracket that puts them at a much higher risk of serious complications if they were to become infected with COVID-19. These are scary thoughts. I know many people are fighting the same fight. You don’t want to worry and be anxious, but you can’t escape the news and, now…you can’t even escape your house and you’re stuck at home with your thoughts. So…how can we keep anxiety from stealing our peace of mind?
Scripture says,
“whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8).
So, during my “Corona-cation” I have decided to intentionally reflect on a few honorable, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent and praise worthy blessings God has given specifically to me. And I’m sharing because I hope it will be a source of encouragement to whoever reads this.
My husband is the most honorable person I know. Before the national state of emergency over this current pandemic was declared, we booked a trip to St. Augustine, Florida at the end of May to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary. We may end up having to cancel our trip, but I don’t need a fancy trip to celebrate the man I love…the man I’m so blessed to share my life with. He is infinitely patient with me and our daughters (and we definitely give him plenty of opportunities to loose it). He NEVER criticizes me. EVER. I cannot say the same of myself. I’m critical of everything and everyone. I notice every shoe that’s not in its right place and every dish left in the sink. I like to call myself a “problem-solver”. Others might call me “difficult”. There are plenty of things he could find to criticize about me (and maybe he does silently), but he always says that words cannot be taken back. He just smiles and tells me I’m perfect. I’m FAR from perfect, but my husband is wise and knows that I will flourish in his praise and wither in his disapproval. My husband seeks to assume the best of others. He’s not necessarily blind to other people’s faults or shortcomings, but he presumes the best unless he has explicit reason not to. My husband is a hard worker. He does what needs to be done to provide for his family without complaint or grumbling. He is generous with his time at church and in the community. Sometimes I find this frustrating, but that’s out of my own selfishness. In times like these, when I can take a step back from the ordinary stress of life as usual, I can better appreciate the example he is setting for our children. So, today I choose to reflect on the blessing of my husband, the man I love. I pray that he will know how much he is loved and appreciated. I pray for his wisdom in the days ahead. I pray that he will not feel anxious and over-burdened. I pray that he will continue to trust God to meet our needs. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but today, I thank God for my husband.
I’d love to hear from you. Who or what are you thankful for? What is something true, honorable, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent or otherwise praise worthy that you can choose to reflect on during this time of uncertainty?
© 2020 Andrea Jarrett
Living Life with Joy, Intention, & Purpose 