I’ve checked all the clocks in the house, and yes, they’re all working. Time is moving so slowly, I would have bet money every one of them was broken. Except for two short excursions, we’ve been inside this house for four weeks. And I’ve discovered something. As much as I like my house, being forced to stay inside pushes me right to the edge of hating it.
When I bought this place, it was about 900 SF, three bed, one bath. The perfect size for me and my cat. Then, the first hubby moved in. He lived just long enough to see the first room additions finished. Eventually, Ed came along, and we added on more. Then more again. And again…etc. Now we’re in about 2500 SF and it’s so disjointed you need a map to figure out how to get from point A to point B.
I finally got it exactly how I wanted it, which is a good thing, because Ed and I aren’t at each other’s throats. If we were still living in 900 SF, I’m pretty sure a “dead body smell” would be permeating the residence, because one of us would be rotting in a closet. I’ll let you decide which one.
Tomorrow is Easter. This will be the strangest Easter I’ve ever experienced. Even as a small child, Easter was a time to put on a new dress (which my mother had lovingly sewed) and go to church. My childhood Easters were more about Jesus than the Easter Bunny. Probably because we were poor enough that it was either dresses or chocolate, and the dresses won.
That continued through my life, although a new dress was never my priority. I’d rather spend money on chocolate covered marshmallow bunnies than clothes. (We all have our priorities!) And then a pandemic happened, and people are panicking. Why? Well, other than the ready availability of toilet paper, some people seem to assume the only way to celebrate Easter is in a church and churches are closed.
As an aside, I find it remarkable that liquor stores are considered “essential” and church services are not. If you had a face mask on and set people far enough apart, you’d have less exposure than if you went to the grocery store. But I digress.
I wanted to make this week’s blog post a gentle reminder. You don’t need to be inside a church to celebrate Easter. Tomorrow is supposed to be about celebrating a resurrection. If you operate under the assumption that can only happen inside a cathedral, you’re wrong. You can celebrate inside your house, outside in your garden, taking a drive in the country and enjoying the beauty, and a bazillion other options. God is everywhere.
So, let’s spend tomorrow focusing in on what’s important. God’s in control and He has a plan. And that plan includes ONLY what is best for us. Even if we are experiencing enforced isolation, that doesn’t mean we’re alone. He’s here with us and tomorrow should be a day to thank him for His sacrifice and all He does for us.
Even if the current situation is depressing, that’s no reason to be down. If you’re going to be down about something, be upset at not having a chocolate bunny because you needed to spend money on bread and not bunnies. But don’t be upset because you can’t worship at church. You can worship anywhere. Just do it.