Dear ______________,

Please fill in your name. I’m thinking of this more as a friend to friend letter than a blog post.

Sometimes humor is a good way to relieve the stress of our COVID reality. Two friends sent this to me. How can you not laugh and let a bit of the stress evaporate?

But, if you’re like me, you need more than humor. What is it that meets you where you are in these anxiety filled days?

We’re using new terms: stay-at-home, sheltering-in-place, social distancing.
We’re obeying suggestions: wash your hands, don’t touch your face (or at least trying).
We’re following the news. Maybe too much.
We’re learning new technology. Zoom is an everyday occurrence for many.
We have multitudes of options to hear the Bible being taught.

But I’m wondering — How are you? Really? How has the pandemic affected you? What are your anxieties? How can I be praying for you?

I emailed those who officially follow Echoes of Grace and asked them, What are you discovering in these days? What are you appreciating? What are you thinking about? Their answers were amazingly similiar. Their words encouraged me and I want to pass them on to you.

The word connection (or a form of it) and the word fellowship came up often. What was so interesting was that some (and I get this) were actually feeling more connected to their friends and experiencing deeper fellowship. Are we being more intentional with picking up the phone or zooming with friends and praying for each other? We’re in this together. I was even invited to have tea with a group of church friends every afternoon at 2. So I pour my tea, zoom in, and enjoy chit-chat some afternoons. It’s fun and I’m meeting new friends.

Some mentioned the special connections with family. Reading to GRANDS via FaceTime, eating together across the country and catching up daily were some of the appreciated new practices. We celebrated our 10 year old GRANDson’s birthday with his Nana and several other family members via Zoom. Other than trying to sing Happy Birthday across computer lines, we all had fun.

I connected with my doctor on the phone (unrelated to Corona). Would you believe a doctor can look at your throat over a computer screen? Amazing.

Time came up frequently too. Some said they were thankful for more time to read, or organize their cabinets (I did a little of that). One friend said she was surprised at how full her days were because of connecting with others for friendship or work. So the free time she anticipated having was not her reality.

Noticing the beauty of God’s creation was mentioned by many. I’ve begun collecting pictures of beauty. Here are a few of my favorites. I wish I had the sunset picture one friend mentioned.

 

Thank you Kay Friedenstein, Clyde Laier, Shelly Miller, and Nadine Houston.

Let me close with one other piece of humor that came my way.

“Though we are in uncharted waters — the One we follow walks on water.” Ann Voskamp

“The Lord is near; do not be anxious.”
Philippians 4:5,6

So I close with my questions again, How are you? Really? How has the pandemic affected you? What are your anxieties? How can I be praying for you?

I look forward to hearing from you. Comment on this post or use my email below. Either way I will respond.
Sue

PS. When you sign up to “follow” Echoes of Grace, I jot you a quick email with the link to the current post. Or just email me, and I’ll sign you up, sue@suetell.com.

copyright Susan Tell, April 2020