Crayon Ready by Deena McDaniel Positively Beautiful Blog

Close Is Good by Deena McDaniel Positively Beautiful Blog 4/11/2020

The restless days of this “stay at home” mom’s life continues as I embrace the new normal. “We get to be bandits!” my husband chimes as we head out the door. He sports one of my neon green bandanas for a face mask. The outdoors has been our rescue here in South Florida. Daily we venture out to walk the paths and experience the neighborhoods on foot. The trials and changes to our shelter in place challenge a perfect peace option. All the hurts from around the world are blasted out daily through the regular struggles of the media to explain this pandemic.

Back in 1917 families experienced the Spanish flue. Back in Missouri during our horseback riding days, we stumbled upon grave sites now and again. A particular stood out to me at Sharp’s cemetery. One grave after the next explained the pandemic of that era. Child after child with the same last name and death year brought me to tears. An entire family wiped out, but by what? Death happens. No one celebrates. Hearts are broken and changed forever. God is not caught off guard.

Just like you, the trek to the store these days is a battlefield. The mask and rubber gloves go on as I exit my car. No one chats in line. Not a glance to discuss which fruit looks ripe today. Heads are down and great distances are kept between shoppers and isles. I’ve even found myself turning down a place I don’t want to shop, just to avoid the approaching person. God sees.

On my daily walks or rollerblade excursion, I’ve noticed a beautiful connection, especially with the dads. One was snuggled up under a tree with his son as they shared a picnic "in place." Another father was doing calisthenics with his three boys. The non-stop life for some families has been refashioned. Families are forced to get to know each other. The distance issue has forced the family into a greater infection, togetherness. Romans 1:12-“… that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.” Just like a smile, this togetherness is contagious. You suddenly are transmitting love at a level unprecedented in your house!

Creativity is at its max in each household. Conversations have exploded on theology at our house. Granted I do live with two teenagers and we’re in that discovery mode of making your faith “your” faith and not your parent's faith. Moments that could be passed over are not, rather it’s a mode of contemplation of life. On the edge of defeat, only God can move the frustration level to a love level. The power of a parent is to keep the temperament of the home steady with words of encouragement and not defeat.  Such wisdom will dictate the day. Proverbs 18:7 -“A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.”

“Let’s make Ukrainian Paska bread!” I suggested to Rosey. She’s my baker!  I’ve always wanted to make this Easter bread, but you guessed it in the “hurry” of life I never got around to it. “We’re creating a new McDaniel family tradition,” Rosey chimed in. My father was raised in a Ukrainian family and only spoke Ukrainian until he was 5 years old. Many of the old country traditions have fallen away. Responsibility is on my shoulders to rekindle my heritage. As small as the task seems, our kitchen time was priceless. The Bread of Life was present in our kitchen, and I’m not talking about the Paska.

I’ve picked up my Ukulele again. I’ve explored the neighborhood on skates. I’ve walked miles with my husband. I’ve grown closer to my God by learning praise songs. I've also washed my hands 5,000 times!

The lives we live today directly affect our future. Rescue is on the way! Living in fear makes everyone, well fearful. Make the best of being a “stay at home” parent. Embrace the opportunity! Your words matter. Your attitude matters. Your leadership matters. And more powerful than your words are your worship. Are you worshiping the next news briefing and putting your trust in the government? 1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”  All of us can get caught up in the passion of the pandemic. Mercy is more meaningful with the knowledge of God’s faithfulness.

Instead of allowing the close proximity to pry your family apart, embrace the closeness and finality of the days ahead. We’re not promised tomorrow. We’ve been given a gift of a reset button. Life will never be the same and that’s okay. He (God) is in the business of making us more like himself. Suffering is part of life. We don’t have to like it, but we will grow from this experience.

Exploring life with a mask (bandana) doesn’t sound like fun to me, however, I see how Mickey’s leadership has taken the inconvenience to the next level. “We’re part of a giant video game!" Mickey exclaimed as we walked around the golf course.  "I'll call it Social distancing! The object is to walk around the golf course without getting within 6 feet of anybody else.  Of course, it would be more interesting with Zombies and weapons!" Mickey has quite the imagination.  The two of us have done some quite adventurous things together in our day.   Some of those deeds were quite dangerous!  Now they say that we could die from touching our face! I’ll take being a bandit any day.  (Zombie and the Bandit release date TBA.)