COVID-19 as a Tool to Reevaluate our Use of Time (From someone who's spent the last 6 months self-quarantined)

As I write this, it's day 5 since the Governor of Michigan declared all schools would be closed and social isolation began to slow the spread of COVID-19. Over the last few days, how serious this time of quarantine is to be has greatly escalated. Restaurants have moved to carry out only and most businesses that are service-orientated have shut down. We've been instructed to not meet in groups of over 250, then 50, and as of most currently not over 10. And when we do meet, keep our social distance of 6 feet.

This isn't just the case for Michigan though, but this is happening all over the world. I video chatted with my old roommate from Davao City (in the Philippines) and she said that the city was in lockdown mode. People were instructed not to leave their houses except for the grocery store and certain essential personal for work. So we, as a world, are all in this together.

As many are now saying, we live in unprecedented times. What does one do without the busyness of work and the normal schedule of activities? When the structure that we built our life around just disappears? For me, this actually isn't unprecedented but has been a big part of this last year. I just got back to work after a 4 month long sick leave where my life shut down before and I was living in my own sense of quarantine and social isolation. And I don't think I did it well before (I mostly watched a ton of Netflix), so I've been spending a lot of time over the last few days thinking about how I want to do this now during the second time around.

Now the first question on everyone's mind is what to do with all this time you suddenly gained? Well, let me share with you pieces of my Quarantine To-Do List. I'm going to finally decorate my apartment (it's really been a crazy year). So do that project you've been putting off. I'm going to read a book. I'm actually about halfway through my first book already, it's been so refreshing to read. I plan on learning more about online teaching tools to help prepare for the rest of the school year (my district is currently just off for the next three weeks, but I have a feeling we'll move to online as I think the quarantine will last longer). I'm going to finally set up a budget for living in America (I think I've finally stopped thinking in pesos so now is the time to do that).

In addition, at my church that met virtually this Sunday, we were left with this challenge of how we could be intentional about connecting with others during this time of social isolation. We're made to live in community and with technology, social isolation doesn't need to be a time of total isolation. One thing I'm doing is setting up a virtual game night with friends who live far away and we normally don't get to spend time together. If you're interested in how we're doing that we'll play Codenames sharing a board on our screens and video chat at the same time. I'm actually super excited for this. I'm also super open for Skype dates (okay, more Facebook messenger video) and have taken time to schedule those with dear friends that it's usually hard to get our schedules to line up. I've also found ways to share my expertise of teaching and help others who, all of a sudden, have their kids at home and have to play a big role in their education. So it's good to think about how you're being intentional to connect with and love on others during this time. In the face of hard times, how are we promoting love and hope, and maybe even cherishing this time as a gift?

I'm also considering how I can use this time to intentionally grow my relationship with God. If my excuse for not is normally a lack of time, well, I don't really have that excuse anymore. And neither do you. I already had decided for Lent that I was going to read the story of Jesus in Gethsemane as a way to just meditate on it. Now I'm considering memorizing it. It seems fitting after all to consider Jesus's attitude and way of preparing as he faced what would be his most trying hour. I'm pulling out my uke and spending a little time each day in worship. I don't know about you, but music tends to re-orientate my heart and remind me of what's important. In particular, I've decided the classic "Give me Jesus" would be an anthem that I give special attention to during this time. I want to sing them until the words ring true in my life "You can have all this world, just give me Jesus" since it seems like my whole world was just rapidly taken away and I want to take the posture of being okay with that. Of realizing I already have what's most important. I also, as of today, decided that I'd start listening to a podcast that the Bible Project put out about the Sabbath. It's about 14 one hour long episodes and can be found on Spotify. The Sabbath has been a theme that keeps coming up in my life as something I should probably see as important since partway through college and I think this is the perfect time to dig into that.

Now this is the point I was going to rant some on how this time of forced slow down and rest should lead us to evaluate how we can incorporate the idea of rhythm and rest better into our daily lives. How we can honor the very biblical idea of Sabbath in that way. But then I said, "Dang it Kacie, we're in the middle of a global pandemic! Your reader doesn't need to be chastised with a lengthy rant on how we all do a terrible job keeping the Sabbath."

So I guess I just want to give this questions to ponder instead:
1. During this time of slow down, what's been nice about how you're able to spend your time? Did you finally get time to read books, spend with your family, go for walks, etc.? How can you make time for more things like that in your every day life?
2. What do you really miss about meeting with others? How can you give special importance to those things after this time of quarantine is over?
3. Are there things you don't miss doing? This is me giving you permission to give those things up after this is over too. (Unless it's your job. You should probably keep that.)
4. How do you want a spirit of intentionality to carry over from this time of forced shut down into your normal every day life? What things are you becoming intentional about doing during this time and what does that look like when social distancing ends?

I think if anything this time reflects for many of us a time of Sabbath, a time to slow down, to rest, to see that life goes on without us working tirelessly to make it. Let's use that time wisely to reconnect with ourselves, with others, and with God.