Easter: The Same, But different

Our Easter was both the same and different this year. 

What was the same:

• We celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What was different:

• We heard a total of three sermons--one by Stephen's brother, Michael, who is pastor of First Baptist Church, Marshall, Missouri; one by Joel Taylor, pastor of our church, Peninsula Bible Church in Cupertino; and one by Julio Contreras, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva, San Salvador.
• We wore comfortable clothes--not a thing new or dressy--all day and took a 2-mile walk.
• We had a "big Easter lunch" by ourselves. I roasted a whole chicken with potatoes, onions, carrots and celery.
• We watched our grandchildren  (from a safe distance) hunt Easter eggs in their yard.

Church in the Time of COVID-19

On Sunday morning we "go" to the 8:30 service at Peninsula Bible Church as we sit on the couch in our living room.  Our church, like many others, reacted quickly to get on board with the new reality.  This week we celebrated the Lord's Supper with our fellow church members and were reminded that "doing this in remembrance of his broken body and spilled blood" can take place in whatever situation we find ourselves.  

Our weekly Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) small groups are held on Zoom calls, and we watch the BSF recorded lecture on the BSF.org website. Our small group has not met during the month of March.  

It takes an effort to stay connected to people during this time, but it can be done through face-to-face sharing apps, regular phone calls, emails, texts or even by going "old-school" and writing letters or notes.  

What's even more important than staying connected to people is staying connected to the Father.  He's always there and easily found through his Word and prayer. He is not surprised by current events or our individual circumstances. He is faithful. He is and always will be in control of his creation.

How then shall we stay well?

These good questions help us focus on the fact that WELLNESS is more than just physical health.  Wellness takes the big picture into account; it includes spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health.  

Spiritually--I'm so glad that my Bible Study Fellowship class is still meeting every Tuesday morning.  It gives me the opportunity to connect with my Christian sisters and take some time to focus on the Word which is the source of all truth. 

Mentally--Since I love to read, I'm finding that I'm not feeling guilty for spending my quarantine time with my nose in a book!  It's easy to relax when I read because I can set aside the present and connect with the story. 

Emotionally--I'm connecting with family by phone/video as often as I can--probably more than I did when I was "really" busy.  I have to admit it's been a challenge not to spend time with the four grandkids, especially Little M as he doesn't really understand.

Physically--I'm getting my 2+ mile walk in on most days; cooking healthy food (no eating out), taking vitamins and supplements and generally staying "oiled" up. Of course, we're under a mandatory shelter in place here in California. It's Day 18 of 48, but I know that these restrictions protect us which speaks to my physical health.  Here's an interesting article that dives into the use of Nutraceuticals to Combat COVID 19.  It's a balanced look from a blogger I follow who has a doctorate in pharmacy.  

Drive-by Visits

We are on Day 9 of 21 (or more) of Shelter in Place here in California.  We're pretty much staying in the house unless I walk or Stephen runs.  Daniel has been doing our grocery shopping for us . . . . drops our order off on the back patio. We sure are missing the grandkids.  While video is better than nothing, it's just barely better!  

We've been in our car twice in the last 11 days. The most recent car trip was for a "drive-by visit" to see the grandkids.  It works like this....we drive over, park on the sidewalk in front of the house, stay in the car and they come out to the front yard and talk to us.  Everybody maintains the six feet distance needed to comply with the rules.  Actually, Daniel said he heard the term "distant socializing" and we all think it may make more sense than the other way around.  This is our reality until things settle down and get back to a new normal.


As I mentioned a few posts ago, we were lucky enough to get together for family pictures before the crisis really hit. Here's a look at another great shot from our photography session.  You can see just what we're missing, right?  

Shelter in Place Has Started

As a former teacher and school district employee I am familiar with the terminology "shelter in place."  We used it with schools and students when it was necessary to lock down the school in response to some type of threat, i.e. weather, police activity in the neighborhood, etc.  

As an individual, I now have personal experience with the terminology "shelter in place" because that's the latest requirement here in Santa Clara County.  For those over 65, the recommendation came out last week.  Today our county is part of a larger group of counties/cities in the Bay Area that are requiring this for everyone, not just seniors, as they try to slow down the spread of COVID19.  Here's the order if you want to read all the details.

Yesterday, I "went" online to watch services at two different churches.  At 8:30 Stephen and joined our home church, Peninsula Bible Church, in their very first live streaming service.  Pastor Brian departed from his series on Jacob and taught Psalm 23.  At 10:00, I joined Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva's Facebook Live service.  Pastor Steve and Pastor Julio taught from Psalm 91.  

In the midst of all of this confusion, information, misinformation, fear, we are looking for peace.  

Here is where we find it!  Ask God and He will give you peace in the midst of trouble.

This is my why!

I've been trying to get family pictures scheduled for more than a year; last Saturday we finally got everyone together.  We got a "teaser" proof and are really looking forward to seeing all of the photos. 

Given what's going on all around us, there's really no way for me to separate the parts of my life into the three categories of Jesus, Grandkids (family) and Wellness.  In fact, they have always been interrelated.  

First, God has given me the gift of salvation through belief in Jesus, his only Son.  This is the foundation of my life.

Second, I have been immeasurably blessed with family--from my parents/siblings, to my husband, to my sons, daughter-in-law and then to my grandchildren.  

Third, these things are the "why" behind my pursuit of wellness.  I want to be well to serve my Savior and to be able to spend time with my family. 

So here we are living in Santa Clara County, which happens to be the California county with the most COVID19 cases.  We're staying at home for a couple of reasons--almost all of our activities have been canceled or have gone "online" (BSF, church) and we are both "high-risk" based upon age group.  We are being prudent about the things we do and where we go. We are also consciously working to keep our immune system strong.  I have my diffusers running with Thieves oil, using Thieves fruit and veggie wash for all produce, Thieves cleaner for all surfaces and Thieves hand sanitizer at front/back door and in the car.  We're taking Inner Defense tablets, chewable ImmuPro tablets, extra Vit. C, liberally using Thieves Roll-on and being sure we get our daily dose of Ningxia Red. I have a supply of essential oils that provide respiratory support (Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Peppermint, Raven and more.)

On the other hand, we're not stockpiling toilet paper, rubber gloves or masks.  We are not in panic mode, but rather are trusting our gracious, loving Heavenly Father and his plan for us, all of his children and His world.

Grandkids and BSF

All four of our grandkids are part of Bible Study Fellowship. The two youngest go to the Tuesday morning BSF Pre-School Program while their mom and I are in our small groups and lecture. 

The two oldest go to the Tuesday evening BSF Children's Program with their dad and grandpa.

Tuesday Bible Study Fellowship is a family affair!  I encourage you to find and participate in a BSF study . . . . nothing can changes us like time in His Word.