A Corona Wake-Up Call

Posted on by beautybeyondbones

Hey friends, I hope this finds you healthy, positive, and not stir crazy! As you can imagine, thanks to COVID19, I’m rattling around my 500 square foot Greenwich Village studio apartment in a Corona Quarantine stupor! (#StayHomeChallenge)

Things here in Manhattan are truly, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The sun is out, it is a beautiful, picturesque day — the ones we New Yorkers salivate for in the dead of winter — and yet the city is a ghost town. People are all holed up inside, fending off the coronavirus by sheer will. The bars and restaurants are closed, shops dark. The only things open are the fearless bodegas, grocery stores and pharmacies. Taxis are all vacant. Buses empty. There wasn’t even one person on the ferry from New Jersey I saw come in.

I’ve gone running every day, and even then – the only people out are walking their dogs, many in face masks.

But the most eerie thing of all, is that all of the churches are closed. Which for many is an unperceived effect of COVID19, but for someone who has literally never missed Catholic Mass in my entire existence – (except for once in Iceland) – I really felt the extent of this quarantine, as I watched a livestream of a random mass in North Dakota from the comfort of my couch in PJ’s.

And that got me thinking a lot about this whole pandemic.

I think the whole “why” question is on everyone’s mind. Like… why is this happening? How did we get here? How is it possible in the 21st century that we are not sufficiently prepared for a pandemic of sorts?

Especially here in America, the attitude is almost arrogance…How can a virus bring us to our knees like this? We’re Americans, damnit!

Image: Forbes

I mean, I’m guilty of it too! This week I’ve found myself annoyed that the only way we can control this novel virus is by literally locking ourselves away from the world!

But sitting on the couch, longing to be at an actual church, I realized how much I missed God. Maybe it was the foreignness of the priest’s North Dakota accent, maybe it was the fact that I’ve been social distancing for almost a week straight, or maybe it was because I was feeling scared and anxious about this whole ordeal, but my need for God has never been more.

I’ll admit, I’ve been pretty lax in my relationship with God in the last several months. He’s been Someone that I just visit on Sunday at church, maybe a little prayer here and there. But with the fast pace of life, and my own -admittedly- often selfish existence, I’ve given God the backseat.

And I was thinking about it, and the times in my life when I’ve been the closest to God, were when my world was crumbling around me. During my recovery from anorexia…where I literally had to rebuild my life, I clung to Jesus. To go from 78 pounds, terrified of food, trapped in a destitute existence – to where I am today as a healthy and thriving young woman…I depended on Him every single step of the way. Every terrifying moment at inpatient. Every morsel of food I was petrified to eat. He was my strength and my rock. And I wouldn’t have my recovery without Him.

And then during my mother’s stroke, watching my dad carry her lifeless body, praying that she would live, He was there for me too, in a powerful, tangible way.

It took those dire tragedies to truly solidify my relationship with Christ in a life changing way.

The truth of the matter is that He is always there for us, but pretentiously, it took a life-or-death moment of need, for me to really earnestly turn to Him.

And only looking back now, from a state of hindsight and perspective, can I see the silver lining in all of that, and be grateful for the lessons I had to learn the hard way.

But sitting there watching Mass on a frigging laptop, I thought to myself, how cruel of a joke, that at this time of fear and uncertainty, we can’t even go to church.

Part of me wonders if there’s any shred of truth in that? That maybe this is being allowed as a way to bring people back to God?

Not that God is causing Corona. Or that this is some rathful exercise by a jealous God. No, not at all.

But I wonder if this is going to be the “recovery/stroke/dire moment” for a lot of people, that brings God back into the picture.

Because, let’s face it. The world has all but left God behind. And I’m guilty of falling prey to busyness and self-focus, and convenience, too. I mean, my faith life recently has been checking off a to-do list item on Sunday, along with laundry, meal prep, and changing the sheets.

We’ve created an existence where we don’t need God: We’ve “mastered” science. Have access to every possession or comfort in this world. We want for nothing. Take nature for granted. Food, shelter, running water, clothing, technology — we are incredibly comfortable, and seemingly masters of our own universe.

Coronavirus is a wake up call that we are not in control.

That’s why you’ve got people buying enough toilet paper to supply a small army: it is something one can control.

Photo: ABC

But toilet paper isn’t the answer.

It’s recognizing Who’s jurisdiction we are actually under.

Look, I’m not saying that this is something that prayer itself is going to change, or that if we all “come to Jesus” that Corona is going to *poof* disappear.

No. I believe in God and I believe in science. Wash hands. Social distance. Get a successful vaccine circulating.

BUT. I also pray that this is a wake up call to people — myself definitely included — that we are not God. God is God, and He is ultimately in control.

And I pray that one day, when we all are, God willing, on the other side of this – healthy, happy, and with an economy that didn’t crumble – we can look back and say, that was the moment that solidified my faith. That when the chips were down, I found strength in the One who is in control. Not in my ability to stock up on canned goods and toilet paper.

“This is what the Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” Ez 37:5

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291 thoughts on “A Corona Wake-Up Call”

  1. I agree that fear has led us to hoard toilet paper, hand sanitizer and the like…but this past weekend, my pastor said something I won’t forget: Hope is not psychological, but it is theological. His point was that when our hope is in God, we can have assurance that the end result is His victory, and that should not be cause for fear. When we ransack shelves for disinfectant, it’s because we are operating out of emotion, not the power of the Holy Spirit.

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    1. thanks so much Lauren for sharing this powerful response. wow – how truly profound. taking this one with me. Thank you so much!!!! amen! Hugs and love xox stay well!

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      1. Hey! We got no loo rolls in the UK and unlike old Donald duck over there Boris Karloff ain’t shut the schools yet🤣

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      2. oh gosh, well may the force be with you! – but seriously, stay well Kenneth! Hugs and love xox

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      3. Old Boring Boris announced today ‘ travel when only necessary’ We’re supposed to be going on holiday (up north for a week in less than a fortnight) so don’t know where I stand insurance wise

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    2. What is this toilet paper obsession about?? Is the world going crazy? Afaik it is the CHEST that gets infected, not down south.

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      1. So true! hahah — i think it’s just one of those things that people feel some sense of control with. it is wild to say the least

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    3. Great point! God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. And since that’s true, then fear must be a lie whispered in our ear by the enemy. And he is so wrong!

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    4. I enjoyed this read and I agree the desire for Christ as it is for toiletries and day to day activities, has diminished amongst the masses. I’ve always had a desire for Christ and the more he gives off a spiritual awakening I tend to love him even more. May God bless your heart and mind and continue to bless your fingers and mind to keep putting out meaningful and spirit filled messages. God Bless❤️

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      1. Thank you so much Leslie! That is so beautiful. Amen – God bless you as well my friend. Stay well! Hugs and love xox

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  2. That is so insightful and very well written. Things in Australia are going crazy, like it’s the end of the world! I saw footage/s in Melbourne supermarkets (Coles and Woolworths) people literally fighting over toilet paper! That is definitely not human behaviour. People were even ‘stealing’ toilet paper from other people’s trolleys! What a shame! People think it is the end of the world. There have been flu’s that killed much more people than this coronavirus. But you are correct, it is definitely a wake-up call. Many Australians are now working from home and fear for their kids to even go to schools. What is this world coming to? 🙂
    Great work, keep it up.

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    1. Thank you so much Philip for sharing your thoughts on this. I appreciate it so much. Gosh – that is so scary. yikes – and so sad. I will be praying you and your community! stay well! Hugs and love xox

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    1. thank you so much J! Amen to that – always good, even when we can’t understand His ways! stay well my friend! Hugs and love xox

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  4. AMEN! You are so correct! I truly believe, if we draw near to God, he will certainly draw near to us!!

    2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV)

    14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

    Blessings, Georganna

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    1. Thank you so much Georganna!! What a kind thing to say. Amen – He always will be there for us! Stay well my friend! Hugs and love xox

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  5. So that’s what I was wondering. Can you go outside and exercise during this quarantine? I can handle being at home if I’m allowed to walk my dogs and run but I wasn’t sure if that was allowed?

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    1. thank you Lindsey! Yes – as of now, we are only being told to social distance ourselves. There is no curfew or lockdown in place. So i go jogging while being cognizant to remain 6 feet from people. stay well! Hugs and love xox

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  6. I hope that you are doing fine. In the part about turning back to God, I recently heard a preacher say that many people are hear God from behind them. Why are they hearing God from behind and not in front? His answer is because they turned their backs on Him. As you mention, maybe this is a wake up call.

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    1. thank you JB, I appreciat that. interesting!! oh wow that’s a powerful message. stay well my friend! Hugs and love xox

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  7. I miss church too. There’s something about corporate worship that restores hope and brings glory to God in ways individuals can’t. And yes, cling to our Father in heaven. 😉

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    1. you’re so right about that – there’s something really beautiful at church you can’t get anywhere else! stay well! Hugs and love xox

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  8. Every now and then we all have to readjust…….”But with the fast pace of life, and my own -admittedly- often selfish existence, I’ve given God the backseat.”

    God has an amazing way of slowing us down, in order to help us refocus.

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    1. you’re right about that – and sometimes readjustment can be painful. thank you so much for this. stay well my friend. Hugs and love xox

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      1. painful, but well worth it…. Take the leap, turning away from all that besets you….

        Therefore Caralyn, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares or besets us, and Caralyn, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking DAILY unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God…Hebrews 12:1-2

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      2. yes!!! run with endurance! that is so encouraging. thanks again my friend. Hugs and love xox stay well

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      3. We’re in this race together, and we’re part of that great cloud of witnesses, cheering and encouraging each other on!!

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  10. After hearing how so many people in service industries are going to be out of work while travel shrivels up and restaurants close, my first response is gratitude to God for being in a doable situation. Even after going to the grocery store today, where it quickly became apparent that those of us late to the game – like me – may have to survive on junk food, because everything else has been taken. The butcher department? Empty. I couldn’t find so much as a can of SPAM! No hot dogs, nothing.

    Still, I’m thinking gratitude first even while I’m starting to get nervous about how bad this might get. And I mean the hoarding. I’m more concerned about that than the virus! Gratitude for my job, for my medical bennies, for not being infected so far… whatever I can think of.

    After that, THEN I start on my wants and needs to bring to God.

    My church is still having services so far, but they are only offering individual cups. No common cup until this is over. Common sense precautions go a long way. If you church is closed, well, the internet is a substitute no matter how poor. How far are your friends from you? Have your own church with them, because wherever two or three are gathered, etc.

    Definitely in uncharted territory! All the best as you continue to cope!

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    1. oh gosh!! i’m sorry Jeff!! The good news is that groceries get shipments often, so hopefully if you check back tomorrow you’ll have better luck! you’re right – there is still a lot to be thankful for. i have been keeping you and your family in my prayer. Stay healthy my friend. uncharted territory for sure! big hugs to you and your girls xoxox

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      1. Thank you, Caralyn. You remain in my prayers also! So far, we remain healthy. Julie is bringing her computer equipment home tonight to work from home until things start getting better. My plan is to be at the grocery when they open, and we’ll see what we can find! Stay well!! Hugs back!!!

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  11. Your post was right on spiritually and intellectually. Thank you for always keeping it real. Also, your consistence in your blogs posts, keeps your readers informed and spiritually uplifted and challenged. Thank you! 🙂

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  12. The way this played out, if there’s ever a diarrhea epidemic, the stores will be out of nasal spray… I did think it was quite funny that churches were closed along with all other non essential services… 😉

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    1. thank you so much! i surely hope so too. it is a blaring fog horn if you ask me! stay well my friend! Hugs and love xox

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  14. Such a well written post which touched on how many of us are thinking. This morning I turned a page on my Gratitude Journal and it read “I transform my fear into faith by trusting the the Universe has my back.” I thought that was so apt in our current troubled times. Sending you love and peace. xx

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    1. hi Miriam, oh wow, thank you so much for your kind words! oh wow — what a powerful and timely message. i love that. thanks for sharing. stay well my friend! Hugs and love xox

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  15. Great post during these uncertain times my friend. Fear and panic when acted upon produces some impulsive behavior for sure. I myself have retreated to me inner world of spirituality that allows me to have conversations with my soul’s voice coupled with faith in God. Since I have been on this healing journey for 10 years, I understand the importance of keeping this muscle strong and in daily practice so that I maintain a clear channel. It’s like a vitamin, we don’t just take it when we aren’t feeling well but daily to maintain strength and resilience. I’m not perfect and have defin6fallen away from my practices but experience has taught me that it’s easier to keep going, prioritize what keeps my faith and hope strong so that that muscle continues to grow stronger and stronger.
    We are human, we have feelings that flow through us and are naturally imperfect. However, the more we stay grounded in a spiritual (for me) practice that incorporates a belief that a higher power is ruling over all, the more clear reality is. It’s taken me years to learn this and I can feel the difference when I stray. For me I am choosing to let love guide me, radiate from the inside out while allowing fear to fall away. Fear does not rule my world today. With trust, belief, hope and of course faith …..we will all rise. Love & light to you my fellow recovering friend🙏😊❤

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    1. hi friend, thank you so much for sharing your heart on this. You’re so right about that — we will all rise with trust, belief, hope and faith — what a powerful, powerful message! Hugs and love xox stay well!

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      1. I really enjoy your perspective on things and find pleasure in throwing in my own 2 cents. We are all connected and that’s the big lesson here for our planet right now. This virus is not discriminating who it affects. We must all work together, in love to get through it with patience, kindness and always love😊

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      2. hi friend! oh my gosh thank you so much for your kind words! amen – work together! stay well! Hugs and love xox

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  16. In 2000 I read a book called “Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public Health” by Laurie Garrett a Pulitzer Prize winning author. True then, true now. Great book. Decided to re-read it. This COVID19 pandemic will seem like child’s play once other viruses are released from the thawing permafrost and the viruses there that are millions of years old. One of the problems with COVID19 is the lack of an integrated Public Health Network to fight the disease.

    As to why this is happening now. Many indigenous prophesies – Mayan, Aztec and Hopi have already predicted this. New mathematical calculations of the Vedic texts of the Yugas now say that the Ascending Kali Yuga is ending in 2025 followed by a 300 year transition period to a better period. The Kali Yuga is about divisiveness, greed, people feeling separate, wars etc. The Ascending Dwapara Yuga is less so – peoples moving more toward being more moral…

    When cycles end, such as the Climate Crisis, the terror produced by the fires in California where I live, floods, hurricanes rising sea levels and the COVID19 pandemic create terror producing events. When people are afraid and panicked then revert to fight or flight behaviors, that’s what has been building over the last 15 to 20 years. Try not to get polarized into this or that camp. Work at being compassionately neutral. When I facilitate peace in myself and allow that feeling to grow I have found that over the years people are attracted to that peace especially when I don’t have agenda. Feel it, be it or not.

    This is the new normal. God helps those who help themselves.

    1. Time to work together for the common good, find places to agree and make changes where all peoples benefit (at the very least all Americans to start)

    2. Ask open ended questions to begin a dialog to help solve problems with others. Listen.

    3. Even if the Climate Crisis seems destined to kill us all off the very least we can do is work to relieve the suffering of the people around us. Offer help. Listen with compassion. Work at being at peace in the midst of chaos.

    There is much more of course

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    1. Hi Kai, thank you for sharing that. Wow – that is scary. Yes – time to work together for sure, and problem solve for the good of all! stay well my friend! Hugs and love xox

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  17. Love this, Caralyn! I’m the Community Life Pastor at Evangel Church in Scotch Plains, NJ, and we closed our building to all events and meetings starting this past weekend until further notice. We have LifeGroups where people gather in homes for fellowship and Bible study and have shifted them to online meetings via video conferencing. We streamed our Sunday services this past Sunday. COVID 19 has changed all of our lives but the Spirit still moves! We’re not a Catholic church, but you’re welcome to tune in to our services on Sunday at evangelchurch.live.

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    1. Hi Roy, thank you so much for sharing that. Gosh, i’m sure that was a really tough decision, but it was wise. I will have to check out your live stream!! thanks so much for the encouragement. stay well! Hugs and love xox

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      1. The service is streamed at 9am, 11am, 1pm, and 5pm. It’s great to be able to watch online but we have a beautifully diverse church and it’s sad not to be able to see everyone.

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  18. Communing with God isn’t confined to a church, God is with you 24/7–you are His child! Jesus Christ is God’s Son. The churches being closed does NOT prevent you from being in God’s presence, just close your eyes and know He is with you now.

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    1. you’re right about that! God is not confined to a place! I do miss the community though!! stay well friend! Hugs and love xox

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  19. I’ve seen some of my angry atheist friends sharing things like “If God is so powerful, then why does he need to cancel church? Can’t he protect his people from coronavirus?” While I don’t think that is necessarily how God works, it is a valid point. And it’s scary.

    What concerns me is the implications for the Constitution and freedom. Even some of my friends who are normally very mistrustful of government are cheering on all the mandatory quarantines and being just as condescending to people who disagree with them as my other friends who are always condescending to people who value freedom. As far as I can tell, this is a legitimate public health threat, but it’s scary that all it takes is a perceived threat to get people to surrender their freedoms and give the government more power. It’s like the quote from whichever Star Wars prequel it was (2?) where Padme said “So this is how liberty dies… with thunderous applause.”

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    1. oh gosh, that’s not a helpful response from them during this time of uncertaintity and fear. thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. definitely something i hadn’t thought of. stay well my friend. Hugs and love xox

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  20. As usual, a beautifully written post. Thank you! I love the comment “When things get hard, warriors are born” Out of adversity, we are strengthened. My doctor said, he hoped that those who have will help those who have not. That has always been my observation during natural disasters, People do rally. I just hope that spirit continues.

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    1. oh gosh, what a kind thing to say, thank you Jolie! yes! we are strengthened! amen. me too. stay well my friend! Hugs and love xox

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  21. Caralyn, you sound like you’re getting on the page I’ve been ranting about for a while! Perhaps you and millions of others are ready to re-calibrate and focus on the fact that the human race has gotten too big for its britches as the old saying goes and feel too high and mighty or are living day to day like machines that don’t think so good, even though they are under the deluded false impression that they have the world by he, excuse the expression, by the balls! I’ve been saying this in many of my blogs too, how people are way too self-serving and arrogant and they went beyond ignoring God, but they instead decided to play God, be their own world upon themselves and figure they can do as they damn well please, and butt out everybody, even God! Don’t anyone take me wrong here, I can see why people got this way in our modern materialistic high tech world of convenience, being lulled into an almost zombie like pace and style of living; but we’ve had serious wake up calls before (9/11) and people don’t ever seem to learn or get their shit wired and make up their minds that they better live on the straight and narrow from now on. They just slip back into their old habits as soon as the dust settles and the dark cloud passes us by! I’m sorry to say, but I think it’s going to take a lot more than a COVID-19 scare to shake the “bejesus” out of enough people to come clean and fess up! Look at our National Seat of Power with people like, Schumer, Pelosi, Schiff, Nadler, Feinstein, Maxine the Crazy Machine and so many others that are so corrupted and dirty there is no going back now, they are going to die wicked and greedy pigs! Sorry, I hate to be morbid under such sad conditions but I may cool off and get back to seeing the light shining through, not the clouds, but though “human consciences” hopefully soon and have wonderful things to report to anyone who will listen.
    I do think there are still so many people that want to do the right thing and make a good world that is in tune with what Jesus told us to do when we was here. But, we have way too many bad people running things and that has to change I think before enough substantive change can occur! Sorry, people are ruining this world, so we better pray harder than ever to be delivered from this madness, especially for the sake of all the innocent kids and babies! I hope it is going to change for the better, I do!
    God Bless!

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    1. thank you Lawrence for sharing your thoughts on this. I pray that we can all come together and everyone be okay! stay well and hugs! xox

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  22. I don’t believe we’ll ever master science or rely on it for the final answer. That’s the thing about good scientists is not to state the concrete but ask better questions. Of ourselves, of all things. God, didn’t raise a hand. We did it to ourselves.

    Now, this is my personal opinion about faith vs science. I would much rather my doctor go to premed than seminary before a surgery. As one does put faith in them, when they are needed.

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    1. ask better questions — that’s very true!!! and i am right there with you. thanks for stopping by. stay well, friend. Hugs and love xox

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      1. I was a bit of a jerk while getting surgery. 😂 Too much time and not enough attachment to binge watching things. I read the journals on my illness and critiqued the hospital. We changed, the protocols I nudged. I said Stanford does it this way. It’s better and cheaper. They listened. 😂

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      3. We are both in high risk groups for this. So is your mom. I don’t make many friends but I think if you lived closer we could have disagreed more often in person. If I don’t make it I liked our conversations over the years. Even the ones where I really just wanted to never read anything you said ever again. 😂🙌🏽👍🏻

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      7. Trump. Runs a tight ship as far as public services. We’ve had, a strain of coronavirus since 1960. That’s when it jumped to humans. I’ve relied on public health services most of my life. Minus, the decade or so I had my own businesses. Those were cut drastically this term. Which, is how…I mean I just got out of the hospital. Then, this? I was rethinking if I’ll be okay. I really don’t think so. If I had to choose between my treatment or my kids. Or, some other kid’s sitting in those dingy waiting rooms. I think I’d just walk out and let them have my spot. You’re right, this is America. This is also choices that citizens in third world countries have to make everyday for their healthcare. I think, that’s why we don’t get the flu vaccine because some of us have healthcare. It’s also why some of us still die from the flu because many do not have healthcare.

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      13. It’s what I got from it. I guess, love could be a virus as well. Makes one all strange and odd to everyone around them. “Why did you pick him?” “But, she’s—.” 😂 We should, in those moments be never cured of love and may the virus last a lifetime.

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      15. What is the value of human life? That’s, our government in response to disasters. Before that, our value may have been zero because of the protections that were removed in place of Wall Street profits. Then, Amazon cleverly removed a layer of stores that would normally be open in crisis. Now, Amazon chooses to limit us and what we buy in this crisis. Ha. It’s all. Very strange

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      18. In my heyday, I could shoot a pie plate at about 200 feet with a handgun. It looks like, the end of your pen. They, also weren’t pie plates. I have wanted to avoid those confrontations outside, in the “real world.” It may be, the choice of others to defend themselves accordingly. It is, fear. Fear, is hard. If the world goes mad that is also, a choice.

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  24. This weekend I had a terrible spiritual thought and I pray I’m wrong: Satan is laughing. What better way for evil to get a foothold than to use an event such as this…isolate people from each other (even getting them to do it on their own), cause fear and anxiety on a worldwide scale, and finally close the churches. I have never witnessed the mass closing of churches before in my life. Pray is right. We have turned our backs on God time and time again. It seems fitting that Easter is around the corner. We need a rebirth, a revival, and we need it now. Stay safe, my friend. Good luck finding toilet paper. Keep reaching out to people and stay close to God.

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    1. Thank you Lisa for sharing your heart on this. Amen – a rebirth and revival. I don’t think it coincidence the timing. Stay well my friend. Hugs and love xox

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    2. And I agree – the evil one is for sure laughing. Isolating people is his best tactic. Jesus has power over him though!!

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  25. Thank you Caralyn, I needed to hear this! My mom, sister, and friends keep reminding me that I’m not in control, none of us are. So very true. I need to take a deep breath and pray. Makes me feel a ton better. xox

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    1. Hi Jenny Marie! I’m so glad this resonated with you 🙂 amen to that – i will join you in that deep breath and prayer! big hugs and stay well! xox

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  26. I live in a retirement resort on the Sunshine Coast Australia where we usually host international water events and its a tourist trap because of the close proximity of miles of prime beaches and of course the Crocodile Hunter’s Australia Zoo. My daughter and her family are visiting from California and are watching the world news with alarm. They wonder about all the restrictions returning to the US and how it will affect their return. They were amazed to see supermarkets being cleaned out every day here and around the world. Supermarkets here stock up two days a week for the aged and have that set aside exclusively for the aged who have to prove it before they can get in showing documentation. It’s a good system as everyone gets a chance that way. They restock through the night for every day and shelves are full. But most of the favoured foods are cleaned off shelves by afternoon. The world has gone mad! There is no reason for this as you can have your things delivered to the door if quarantined any time of the year.

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    1. oh wow! i’m glad your daughter is there with you. yeah – it is a jungle out there. stay well! will be praying for you and your community! big hugs xo

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  27. BBB,

    I was asked a few times why we closed our church this past Sunday…
    We streamed live, but here is a great response from Martin Luther…

    Questions have been asked whether Mountain View Presbyterian Church was backing down in fear by closing its doors on Sunday morning due to the Coronavirus.

    Hard to believe Martin Luther had a great response then and a fabulous response now…

    500 years ago, in the midst of an epidemic (the Bubonic Plague), the great Reformer Martin Luther wrote the following in his letter, ‘Whether one may flee from a Deadly Plague’:

    “I shall ask God mercifully to protect us.
    Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine and take it.

    I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance inflict and pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence.

    If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others.

    If my neighbor needs me however I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely as stated above. See this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.”

    Continue to Laugh often and Fear not!
    David!

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    1. Hi David, thank you so much for sharing that – wow it is truly a powerful message. i needed to read that today! stay well! Hugs and love xox

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      1. It’s a different reality at the moment but one things remains the same… Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Hugs (at an appropriate distance!!🤪) right backatcha!

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  28. I recall in 1999 the Y2K issue was afoot. People took their money out of the bank, there was a mild panic. This is far more severe then that but essentially we have a virus that makes people sick and a extreme reaction to it. We had bird flu, sars, swine flu on and on, every couple of years.

    This will pass, and the good that comes out of it is it will reveal for many of us our true character. Are we selfish? Are we empathetic? Regardless of what god you worship, they are watching.

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    1. you’re right – Y2K was another wild time. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. this will pass. stay well. Hugs and love xox

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  29. I thought 9/11 here was the worst thing ever. And it probably was. I saw it from the Bayonne side. 😦 then I thought about the Hurricane Sandy and how much damage and impact it caused for us here in Staten Island. Fortunately, we live in a elevated area and had minimum damage. But so many other families were badly affected. I remember me and Dad took a drive to our old neighborhood by the water and it was devastating as was the whole area by the beach. I’d never seen anything like it. I felt sad.

    I guess this is going to test us even more. And well, I did gym for the final night until who knows. Now, it’s outdoors and getting into better shape. I went 3 straight days. So I’ll have to get more creative. And do my part to stay safe. I got my music though to get me through and my sanity.

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    1. Oh wow thanks for sharing that Derek. Yeah those were devastating times. Yeah we’re going to have to get creative in terms of health and fitness for sure! Stay well ! Hugs and love xox

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  30. Well, I must say… I was struck by your statement of missing God. It is something to realize how busy we all find ourselves. Even those who are about the work of God sometimes work so hard at doing God’s work that we leave him out of it. When God says “be still and know I am God”, he means it. Peace and Grace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Fear not, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, so you are never without God. But we all sometimes ignore Him…

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    1. Thank you friend – yeah it can be easy to take His incredible gift for granted. And amen – the HS lives in our hearts. He is always with us. Thank you for the encouragement. Stay well my friend. Hugs and love xox

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  31. Ah Caralyn more wisdom from you. Wish that this could be shared with everyone. And you know what? God doesn’t need our churches tho he uses them. He wants our hearts. And I know he has yours. Thanks. Stay strong. John

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    1. Thank you John. You’re right – He is not confined by four walls. I do miss the community though!! Thanks for the encouragement. Stay well my friend. Hugs and love xox

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  32. Hugs Beautiful! You light up NYC even in its darkest days in years!! You light up every dark space everywhere.
    Something I want to share that I wrote weeks before Corona Virus
    Such Times

    Vibes are just going
    crazy these days
    so many directions
    of so many ideas
    of so many opinions
    of so many views
    going in extremely
    opposite ways
    so that so many
    who were friends
    for so many years
    now are fighting
    now insulting
    immersed in anger
    shedding tears
    no one agreeing
    or at least
    mutually seeing
    that what should be
    important is the
    common wellbeing
    that used to be referred
    to as “the common good”
    while now so many say
    “not in my neighborhood”
    while knowing perfectly well
    that are not doing the best
    that they could
    that are not doing what they
    rightfully should
    as if we were back
    to when so many wore a
    cowardly white hood
    so many are toppling over
    where humanity
    unity
    understanding
    and tolerance
    all formed a mutual
    community
    and all honorably
    once stood.
    ~Miguel
    Hugs and Love!!!

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    1. Aw thank you Miguel, I so appreciate that. And wow what a powerful poem. Thank you for sharing that with me. Stay well my friend!! Hugs and love xox

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  33. I agree that this is a come to Jesus moment for the world. We live too comfortably and conveniently on our own. This is a shake up, wake up to turn our hearts to God, repent of our selfish ways and follow Him, our Father, God, Creator. He so wants a relationship with His creation. I have fallen into the same patterns and repent daily for taking everything for granted and ask for forgiveness from letting fear enter my heart and mind. Thank you for such a great post. Be well, my friend.

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    1. Thank you friend. Yes a come to Jesus moment for sure! Amen to that! Stay well friend! Hugs and love xox

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  34. I’m with you, Caralyn. I join you in prayer, “May this be a wake up call to people — myself definitely included — that we are not God. God is God, and He is ultimately in control.” Bee safe. Bee well. God bless you. ❤

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  38. Loved this! I too missed my church on Sunday. The fellowship is so beautiful to me. And you are right, He is in control! Let us draw close to Him, not just now but at all times. ((HUGS)) to you ❤️

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  39. It has not gotten quite like that in my city but I can see it coming to that. My hope is to show the love of Jesus during this time. As someone who has asthma and chronic illness I need to be careful. The thought of staying home both excites me and concerns me. Excites me because I can finish a book I am writing. Concerns me because I worry about my refugee friends.

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    1. That is a beautiful hope. Thanks for sharing that. Praying for you and your community. Stay well friend! Hugs and love xox

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  40. “We’ve “mastered” science.” … that is the kicker, we know so little, we are literally this little marble floating in a random arm of one of a billion galaxies…. so what do we know? next to nothing, and we have to surrender to that, as “in control” as we think we are, we aren’t, it is a hard pill to swallow (especially from a secular perspective), I come at it from a different tact than you but the thesis is really the same, the universe is much bigger than all of us, some say it is naive to believe something is bigger than us, the older I get the only reason I can see or believe in is that there is absolutely something bigger than us… I could be wrong, but I am OK with that… at a time like this I have no choice but to just submit to chance, being in the middle/been in of all the hotspots (nyc, hackensack, teaneck, new rochelle), Faith hope love… maybe this is a time for all three.

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  42. Thanks for naming that the KING of the universe is what life boils down too! There’s a song I sang in my High School choir called “Give Me Jesus.” The main lyric went like this… “You can have all the rest, but give me Jesus.” I appreciate how you called attention to His greatness and how we can forget about it until our world puts us on our knees.

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  44. Interesting read! Coincidental that I opened up a draft of mine which I haven’t looked at in months and the title I gave it was ‘Another Wake Up call’ – nothing to do with COVID19 but! 😊 and the first read I come across is yours titled ‘A CV wake up call’.
    Im still struggling with the TP craze- are TPs meant to stop the spread od COVID19? Oh well! You take good care of yourself and as you say, maybe it’s time to stop fearing and letting God take control.

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  45. My dear friend Caralyn,

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the coronavirus.

    Regarding the coronavirus, I have just written a poem about it, which I would like to share with you.

    Take care, my friend in these difficult times.
    Hugs and love
    Didi

    Mankind: from a caterpillar to a butterfly

    Time is ripe
    To change mankind
    Into something better, higher
    Pupated world
    Within the cocoon
    Of a virus called corona

    Giving birth to a new world
    Accompanied by pain
    Morphing life
    Changing consciousness
    A butterfly of beauty
    Rising in the air

    Flying beyond boarders
    Mankind in the light
    Shining bright
    In new dresses
    Up to the light
    Humanity, in the corona

    Of higher consciousness…

    DidiArtist, 17.03.2020

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    1. thank you so much for sharing this poem, Didi. you’re so talented! stay well and stay safe! Hugs and love xox

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      1. You too, dear Caralyn – thank you 🙂
        Now we have had to isolate ourselves from other people to be sure not to get that virus as it is also risky for me.
        Stay healthy, my friend and take care, please.
        From heart to heart
        Didi

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  46. Thank you for your post. It is so true. I guess by not being able to go to church we are challenged into a very personal relationship with God. May your journey with God grow in depth and faith, may you know him like you have never known him before. God bless you.

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  47. Hi there from Australia.

    Yes, these are challenging times. And you’re right, toilet paper isn’t the answer. Out hope in Christ is.

    I also stumbled across an uplifting message from the Park Avenue Syagogue addressing the ‘why’…

    While we don’t have a direct answer, we do have hope in the Word.

    Blessings.

    W.

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    1. Thanks Wayne, you’re right – hope in the Word! stay well! keeping you and your community in my prayers! Hugs and love xox

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  48. Thank you for this post. I am totally with you. We celebrated a 20 people service in my little church in Germany last Sunday, not knowing if we’d be allowed to do so next Sunday. It was such a blessing for us. I pray that people will (re)learn what’s really important these days. Spending time with the family, looking after each other, playing with the children, singing together and – most of all – refreshing or starting the relationship with God. That includes finding out that He is not the responsible source of what’s happening right now, but He will use the situation to gather His children. Stay safe and stay blessed!

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    1. Hi Sylvia, thank you so much for sharing that – yeah what a powerful service that must have been. yeah i pray that too. Yes! stay well my friend. Hugs and love xox

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  49. Caralyn, so often it is not in the good times but the hard times we reach out to God. When we are doing well, we depend on ourselves instead of God. It is when adversity comes that we come face to face with our need of a close relationship with our Lord. This virus will not last forever and we will come out of it knowing our God loves us and is our refuge and shelter. Love and hugs!

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    1. Thank you so much 🙂 You’re so right about – He really is our refuge and shelter. that’s so important to remember these days when we’re scared. stay well my friend. Hugs and love xox

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