With the chaotic mess that is happening in the world today it can be hard to focus on the positives and find the good. Many of our ordinary lives have been shifted to closed up at home and stuck in quarantine or have been changed in many other ways because of the Corona Virus . For myself, the first two days of this week I was ready to get out of the house and go somewhere, anywhere. Since I am a pretty busy person and have a daily routine, it has been difficult to slow down and just relax instead of heading full force into everything. I know I am not the only person dealing with this because this virus has affected our lives by closing our schools, work, gyms, nursing homes, restaurants, etc.

But as the week has gone by I have slowly realized something. What if this pandemic is our a wake up call? I realized this when I went outside yesterday and breathed in the fresh air while I sat listening and admiring the beautiful yet chaotic world we live in. I felt like I was more present in this moment than I have been in the past few months. In that moment I was so much more thankful for waking up that morning, more thankful for my family, more thankful for such a blessed life, and so much more. This has also made me realize how amazing the healthcare workers that are on the front line of this pandemic, and how they don't get enough credit for all that they do. None of them have the chance to work at home and put themselves face to face fearlessly with the virus that has our country terrified. Maybe this is one of the reasons that we are facing this crisis, God is trying to open our eyes that the world needs to slow down. Most of us have grown up where everything was right at our fingertips and with technology we can get what we need almost instantly. But as now that the viruses have caused shortages and closures it seems as if the world has slowed down and it's something we aren't used too.

Saying all of this I think that we have to find the positives during this time of a crisis, find the reasons that we are thankful, and find peace that God is still full in control. Many of us think that by stocking up and quarantining that is the way we are going to save the country from a virus. Although it is one way that can help, we have to remember that we must pray for those who are sick, our leaders, medical workers, teachers, daycare workers, the list can go on and on. There are so many people who don't have the opportunity to stay at home like a lot of us. I think that prayer is what will slow down the spread of the virus, and coming together in our communities to help one another. So go outside, do your favorite hobby, check on those struggling around you, and give God more time in your daily routine. Just trust in him that his plan is much greater than we will ever understand.

Verses to look at: 2 Samuel 24:21, Isaiah 41:10