Who wants to play Pandemic?

I’ve been trying to find a way to express all the thoughts over the past few days in a way that makes sense. But after three days of trying, I’m just gonna write and stop trying to package it up in a pretty little post.

I find this whole COVID-19 pandemic morbidly fascinating. And also devastating. Watching it unfold is like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

The way many large scale tragedies do, it brings out both the worst in people and the best in people.

Suddenly all the minimalism evangelists become hoarders and stockpilers.

It stops “church” from happening and leads to “church” happening in new and totally unique ways. (How many churches in our country live streamed their service for the first time ever?)

It limits social interaction and makes space for family interaction that never would have happened otherwise.

Those of us who have tried hard to limit time online are now glued to our phones/computer/tech to stay connected and informed.

It causes people to think about things and ask questions they can normally ignore … deeper things – about life and death and spirituality and our own mortality. About to figure out what “loving people” actually means.

It levels the playing field and puts all of humanity in the same boat, regardless of country.

It’s like suddenly we all realize that we are one … humanity. The things that divide us (race, politics, religion, language etc.) … none of that matters anymore because we have a common enemy.

And none of us have any idea how to beat it, but we know we won’t unless we work together as one.

It puts us all on the same team. This virus has brought the entire world to it’s knees.

It’s unfathomable. And yet it’s happening.

When I think about the implications of this, both personally and communally, I get both scared and excited.

Scared because of all the unknowns and excited that this may be the thing that gets the world’s attention.

This virus will change things. Forever. Similar to how the events of 9/11 altered life as we know it. There’s life before 9/11 and life after 9/11. I’m guessing the same will happen with this. It will be a turning point in history.

Out of necessity and desperation, we’ve created new ways of connecting with each other.

Last night we Facetimed with my mom, for the first time ever. She lives one mile from us.

Yesterday my kids played Battleship against their cousins in Vermont. (And then, somehow, they figured out a way to play Hide and Go Seek over Google Hangouts.)

I’ve texted my siblings more in the past couple days than I would ever in “normal” life.

I’ve realized just how much I rely on my regular social outings and things like my job, church, small group and interacting with other moms at school pickup to meet my social needs.

Apparently I also have a need for spontaneity in my daily routine – stopping by the library, grabbing coffee on the way to work, going to the gym, meeting a friend for lunch – which I never realized was a need until it was taken away.

I feel lost, just staying at home all day. And disconnected. I am not exaggerating when I say that every 10-30 minutes I think “Maybe I should do this …” or “Wouldn’t this one thing be ok?” or “Why can’t I just do this?” Literally every half hour. And then I go online and remind myself of what’s happening and why we’re home.

I’m praying for an end to this pandemic. I’m praying for a cure to be found soon. I’m praying for a revival in this country and around the world – that this disease would cause people to turn to God.

That God would do the thing that only He can do and redeem this tremendous mess we’re in.

May it be so.