As the world seems to fall apart around us, many of us sit, wringing our hands….What to do?

Pastor Andy Stanley of Northpoint Church in Georgia recently asked the question: “When the story of covid 19 is just a story you tell, will your covid 19 story be a story worth telling?”

Because eventually, like everything else in life, what is happening now will come to an end, and then it will be a memory, and a story we tell each other and the next generations. Not unlike World War II, the Holocaust, 9/11, or any personal event in your life, good or bad. Not to minimize the importance of these things, but when they are over,  we have the aftermath, the memories and the stories we tell. They become part of our history, and hopefully, if we learn from them, not part of our future.

I like to try this: take a mental journey forward in time so you can have the benefit of hindsight now… what would your future self wish you would have done today?

So what will your covid 19 story be?  To be sure, some of us will be affected in the worst of ways. We may suffer with the disease, or have a family member or loved one suffer through it, or even succumb to it. Many will not come out the other side of this unique time in history unscathed. But even if you are affected in the worst way, this question still applies.

For the rest of us…Will you simply say we hunkered down and it was terrible! We were scared, and frustrated, the kids were so bored! We had to homeschool! People hoarded toilet paper! We were frightened every day. We argued, fought, protested, made it political, pointed fingers and blamed anyone and everyone we could think of…

Generosity From Gratitude

Or will you be one of the someones that makes something good come out of a bad situation? Now, to be fair, this IS a scary time, we ARE frustrated, bored, worried, lonely, annoyed, financially fragile and emotionally delicate at times.

But sometimes laying that all aside for just a few minutes to meditate on what you still have, what you can still do, and what you can be grateful for right in this moment, can be the thing that keeps you from going over the edge. If you can follow the logic of gratitude to generosity, you can ponder what you might be able to do to help someone else in this present situation. 

This is a great time to ask…What’s in my Hands? 

What do you have a talent or propensity for? What are you good at, what do you enjoy doing…what do you have access to, or an excess of?

Right now, for many of us, it’s time. We are stuck at home, but we are finding we have time we have never had, to do things we always wanted to do…cooking, reading, organizing,  calling friends we have lost touch with, spending time with the kids, the spouse, ourselves! What do you have that can help someone else? And,for real, self care does help others as well as yourself. When you are rested, peaceful, nurtured, nourished….you can be a much better version of yourself for those around you.

We All Have Something To Give

I saw a post on Facebook that said something to the effect of “Now we see that grocery store workers and truck drivers are more important than Hollywood actors, musicians and sports legends.”

It seemed a logical point to drive home in a world where we idolize people who have a talent and they simply entertain us, and are no real help in a crisis situation like this. Or are they?

One respondent on facebook answered to the effect “now more than ever, we look to those with talent in the arts to entertain, soothe, calm and distract us. Can we agree that every one of us is just as important as any one of us?”

Another great point. Which led me to think……we have all been given a gift or talent of some sort. We are all good at something whether we care to admit it or not.

We sometimes think it is humble to behave as though we are not good at anything, but it is not humble to deny a God-given gift that was meant to be used to help others. So now some entertainers are using their God-given gifts online to keep us connected, entertained, laughing…keeping fear and boredom at bay.

Let’s Get Busy!

What’s in your hands right now that can help this situation? More importantly, where is your heart drawing you? 

Some suggestions to consider:

  • Pray.  We sometimes hear there’s nothing left to do but pray. That is a flawed approach. Prayer should be the very first thing we do, as Christians. Pray for protection from the virus, pray for those who have it, for front line workers, pray to discern what you should be doing to help.
  • Can you sew? Since surgical masks are reserved for hospitals and doctors offices, other organizations, as well as individuals need masks, even homemade ones. There are groups forming online with info on how to make them and where to send them.
  • Can you  volunteer your time in some capacity? If your employer is joining the effort in some way, maybe you can help…distributing food to the needy, collecting donations, etc.
  • Do you have the resources to provide food to hospital workers? If you can order a tray of sandwiches or bagels and muffins to be delivered to your local doctors office, clinic, hospital, or police or EMS station, you can take one thing off their mind and lift morale. Be sure to call ahead to make sure they can accept the delivery.You will also be supporting local restaurants who are hurting so badly right now. So this suggestion is a two-fer. Also, if you can…Tip Big.
  • Check on your neighbors.  Drop off a casserole, pick up some groceries for an elderly neighbor, or perhaps get their prescriptions or drop off their mail for them. 
  • Do you have a doctor or nurse friend, acquaintance or neighbor? Offer to mow their lawn, check on their pets while they’re at work, or maybe  drop off dinner to their family, or a gift card for  take out.
  • If you have a housekeeper, dog walker, nanny or personal help at all, and are fortunate enough to work from home and still have an income, consider continuing to pay them. Even a portion of their wages. they were there for you when you needed them and they likely really  need your support now. 
  • Think about how to lift someone’s spirits in some small way. Can you buy a couple of $5 or $10 gift cards for coffee or fast food and give them to any of the hard working frontliners not in the medical field? Mail carriers, cashiers, custodians, trash pick up, UPS guy, truck drivers, or Anyone you know is still out there working in an essential capacity. They are all still risking their health -and their lives- to provide a service that we need. 
  • Can you write a letter to someone who is alone or lonely? Or call someone you haven’t heard from in awhile. 
  • How about helping someone with homeschooling, if you don’t have kids of your own? Maybe use Skype to read their kids a book, or demonstrate a skill: how to address a letter, make pancakes, do a magic trick, design a science experiment. 
  • Take a break from the news. It’s bad, we get it. Stay informed, sure. But as mesmerizing as it is, resist the urge to watch all day long. “You become what you behold” is so true, and it would be very easy to feel depressed and negative if all you feed your mind and soul is dire news.
  • Feed your soul. Make your favorite foods, read a favorite author, watch your favorite shows, take a nap, eat chocolate…whatever comforts you. And forget the guilt. A little self-indulgence is perfect right about now.
  • And again, pray. Oh my gosh, pray. It should be the first thing we do in a tragedy. But we often save it until there is “nothing left to do but pray” like it’s a last resort or something. Praying your way through your day, especially in tough times like these can bring comfort and peace that nothing else you do ever will.

When it comes right down to it, the most helpful, loving, proactive, life saving thing most of us can do right now, is Stay Home, Stay Safe, Save Lives. 

There will be tragedy and sadness. Too many families will not have a happy ending to their covid 19 story. But in the midst of our grief and frustration, our loss and anger…if we are Christians, we are asked to come up higher. We are asked to make something good come from something bad. Is there one thing you can do, one beam of light and love you can shine on to someone’s life?

What is God calling you to do, who is he calling you to help, what’s in your hands and what’s in your heart to do, to help someone struggling?

My prayers for you are for strength, wisdom and God’s peace and comfort no matter where this journey takes you… Really and truly – We will get through this. 

What will your covid 19 story be?

Please share in comments what  you have done, or what ideas you have to help yourself or someone else.