So as I write this from my front porch, attempting to feel connected with the outside world, the phrase that keeps replaying in my brain like a rollercoaster loop is “Day by Day.” This is torture.  I don’t know about you, but initially I woke up happy. I went for a run, showered, and cleaned house. All the normal routines of a normal Saturday but then the weight of reality set in. I’m sheltering-in-place. What can I do today?

I haven’t blogged in a while; not much to say, I guess. But today, I do have something to say. As I pound on my keyboard, I see a FedEx truck start unloading packages, mostly bearing the famous Amazon symbol and I think to myself, This is hard.

Being an extrovert, I miss people. I miss social gatherings. I miss going to yoga class. I miss swimming at the Y. I miss hiking or walking with friends. I miss a simple dinner out with a neighbor. I miss THE EASY!

I know for a lot of us, this is HARD! I think the hardest part is not knowing when it will end. If you love the torture of a rollercoaster, you know eventually the ride will be over. I am remembering my own kid’s births. Yes, the delivery was painful but I knew eventually it would be over and I would have a bundle of joy placed on my chest. So how do we not lose the joy?

This morning, while still tucked under the covers, I started rattling off to God a list.

Thank you for SLEEP! Thank you for sunny days. Thank you that Tarah is here. Thank you I can still go for walks.

It is so easy with the constant barrage of news, viral feeds, and endless Facebook posts, for our thoughts to go negative. Believe me, I have had my moments of THIS SUCKS! Sitting in my wicker chair I thought I would share some of my joys and things I’m thankful for instead:

~My daughter,Tarah, is here from New York. Thankful she is not THERE but HERE.  Her sense of humor gives me hard belly laughs, plus she likes to dance so most afternoons we throw on the music and have a “dance party” on the deck. And as you will see, as I am writing this post, Tarah’s silly antics of dancing on the deck, once again has me in stiches.

~I am thankful for my single ladies in my neighborhood who daily we text each other or walk by each other’s house and ask to visit with each other from the sidewalk to the front porch.

~I am thankful for puzzles, endless “movie nights”, feeling the sun on my face as I walk Kipper, and pulling weeds until my hand aches.

~I am thankful for this time to Zoom with college sorority sisters, Chicago friends, and my women’s bible study group. Seeing smiles of people I love never felt so good.( I do miss hugging, though.)

I take a sip of tea, and a couple walks by my house, stop, say hello, and introduce themselves. We exchange small talk and agree that the best thing about this social distancing is that people are becoming friendlier, kinder. We all agree that we should continue this long after the social distancing ends.

Day by day, I am hopeful this will end and we will get to the other side of this mess but in the meantime how do you not lose the joy?  Please share ideas, recipes, activities, things that you are thankful for. I would love to hear how you are coping… day by day. Hoping you find some easy joy!

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

So appreciative of teachers! Within a short time they were forced to learn how to do ZOOM teaching. YOU are amazing and if you ever doubt your abilities. Repeat this verse.

Today’s verse of the day “ I will be with you .“ Exodus 3:12

God says this to Moses when he doubted his ability.

“God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. And so we need not fear even if the world blows up, and the mountains crumble into the sea.” Psalm 46:1-2 TLB

Today as the light filtered through my sheers, I sent a text to a friend .

Praying your week goes easy. Love you my beautiful friend.

Within seconds I received a text back .Thank you!!! Your prayers helped me last week so keep them coming .

A soft smile covered my face as I thought, God you do hear me .

Then I silently sent my own requests. Let the stock market go up,at least let it not be crushed today, give me wisdom to guide my clients, and protect the world from the spread of the coronavirus.

I started the workday, logged on my computer,and saw on Bloomberg, that stocks were opening up positive. Most market indexes were up. I sighed a sign of relief after last week’s steep market sell-off.

Before I called my first client I prayed, God let my words be your words .Give me wisdom .

And he did .

The day went on and when I watched the ringing of the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange, I couldn’t contain my excitement as the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed with a record gain, up 1294 points, a five percent market gain. YES!

Now, I don’t believe that God should be played like a magic eight ball and that we should keep shaking and praying until we get the right answers. I do believe; however,today that God wanted to show me that he hears me, he listens, and he is in charge. He gave me some hope and the hope was started with a text from a friend saying that her prayer was answered.

That’s the power of prayer.

What if we all took a moment to pray over our friends and see the power of prayers answered? Are you willing to see the proof of the power of prayers ?

Try it this week .Will you ?

“Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

“My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” written by Edward Mote.

Wishing you the Joy of Christmas from my family to yours!