How I Keep My Sanity Through This

Hello Church,

This is day 22.... that is, the 22nd day after I realized that this pandemic thing was serious business; the 22nd day after I realized we were going to stop having worship gatherings; the 22nd day after I started getting really concerned about how I was mentally going to handle all of this.

My job aside, I'm trying to take it as a challenge:  how do I maintain my mental stability while, essentially, being a prisoner in my own home?  Here are my thoughts.  I'd be glad to hear yours in the comments below.

- keep my mind occupied.  Dwelling on this pandemic can become depressing and even paralyzing.  So I find other things upon which to think.  I'm binge watching the new show 'Picard' (taking me back to my obsession with Star Trek).  I'm also killing zombies on my VR; planning a bike trip (the Mississippi River Trail.... 1700 miles in 20 days from Minneapolis to New Orleans); and putting more effort in being creative creating church connections. 

- keep my body occupied.  I'm planning a bicycle trip tomorrow.  Don't know how far I'll get since my body isn't currently in shape enough to go very far.  Maybe it will take me all day to go from Milford to Lebanon.  Then again, I could just go to Lebanon and call Kim to come get me.

- keep my spirit occupied.  Though I'm not completely comfortable with the podcasts yet, I still have the opportunity to think through God stuff.  I prayerfully contemplate how to bring comfort to people.  It helps me bring comfort to myself.

- catch the mouse.  My cat is too dumb to get it done.  We haven't had a mouse in this house for a very long time. 

What are your ways to stay stable through this time?  I know that some of you haven't had your days changed too much through this.  Others of you, like me, have had your routines turned upside down.  Would love to hear from you.  Either way, know that God will get us through this and it will be really good on the other side.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe