Making the most of this crazy time

So I never thought my first blog post would be about this virus, but that seems to be all people can talk about these days.

It's so east to get caught up in the negative, to give into the scary sounding statistics, to live your life in fear.

I have a better solution: make the most of what God has given you! You don't know why this is happening, when it will end, or how bad it may get; however, you do know that God is sovereign and in total control. Maybe this time is actually a blessing for your family. Maybe this is the break you needed from a stressful job to prevent an emotional break-down. Maybe this is the extra time you had been desiring for so long with your kids or spouse. Whatever this may be, choose to see the good in it.

As a kindergarten teacher, this has been so difficult for me when I think about the great strides my students had made and how this could impact their educational futures. I know it has been hard on my students' parents. I know this is not ideal. They are missing out on two field trips, cap and gown pictures, and kindergarten graduation. They are also missing two months of instruction. I know that this is not the best situation for them, but I also know that focusing on the negatives will get you nowhere.

Here are some positives to think about when you're wanting to be a Negative Nancy during this strange time:

* You have the time to focus on your family. This is the perfect opportunity to unplug from work emails, text messages, and business calls and plug into your family. Make the most of your time stuck at home to make lasting memories with your kids and spouse. Take time each day to have meaningful discussions about life. Look for chances to learn in daily tasks. Just because you're not in a classroom with books in front of you doesn't mean there's not a chance to learn something.

* You have time to do the things you never get around to doing when you work. For instance, we are currently doing little updates around the house that have needed to be done since we moved in (3 years ago!). I also intend on cleaning out my closet (yikes!) and the junk room (double yikes!). I have also finally had the time to start this blog (YAAAY!) which I have been wanting to do for a long time.

* You can now have more time for prayer and Bible study. What an important thing that so often gets neglected due to our busy schedules (I'm guilty). Now is the perfect time to get into a good habit of making time each day for intentional study of God's word and time in prayer. By building this time into your daily routine for the rest of this quarantine time, you will certainly see the positive impact in both your life and the lives of your family.

There are a few other positives I can think of, but I would rather hear from you! Send your positives to sweetsouthernmommablog@gmail.com and you just might see them featured on the blog!

Thanks!