Today I want to say, I am impressed. This is a tough time. A time in which no one knows what will happen. We can speculate and compare to similar circumstances, but ultimately we don’t know. The number of small businesses who are stepping up to give away free food to those in need, during a time when they don’t know their own fate. The dedication and perseverance of those working to guide our country during this time and make difficult decisions to protect our fellow Americans, even when some might say they are overreacting. The healthcare workers who will continue to put others first and care for those sick and in need to help our country recover. To the schools and individual teachers who are reaching out to help continue to teach children while away from school, whether it’s for their own students or someone else’s. To the fitness enthusiasts who are sharing exercises to help those who are unable to make it to the gym. To the companies giving access to different learning and entertainment for free to assist in the continued learning and help with keeping the kids occupied. To those working in the trades keeping our electric on, our internet working and our toilets flushing. To every person out there making sacrifices in the ways that you are able. Thank you to everyone doing their part to save us as a whole. I hope you can all take a moment to enjoy the blessings you have individually, as a family, neighborhood and country. I am proud of our country and the unity I am witnessing. I pray that with everyone doing their part this will be but a short lived virus epidemic and our country can heal quickly and become stronger than before. I pray for those who can’t stay home or have to stay home yet don’t know how you are going to pay your bills. I hope we can find strength and peace in knowing that we have a creator who is so much bigger than this one virus. I pray for businesses and people to exhibit grace. People may not be able to pay all their bills or meet deadlines. People are stressed. Now imagine if you already have anxiety, right now it’s going through the roof. Have grace and patience because we don’t know the struggle people are experiencing. We don’t know if their loved one is sick or at risk. We don’t know if they are on the front lines battling this disease every day while we sit home. We don’t know what others are experiencing. We all have our own struggles, including the men and women serving our every need. Our government and military who are working around the clock as well as private corporations to give us what we need. When you go to sleep tonight, remember someone else is working to save you and your loved ones. So for today, tomorrow, two weeks or months let’s not get greedy or judgmental. Lets not buy more than we need. Let’s not buy things we wouldn’t normally. Let’s give, let’s be responsible, let’s care about others and their lives and families. You might not agree with the democrat or republican next door, or the atheist across the hall. But that doesn’t mean we can’t respect and love them. We all have families and loved ones. Let’s make sure they all come home safe and healthy. Let’s support each other and the sacrifices that are being made. People are doing things in a way they have never done before and therefore have nothing to go off of. Let’s give them the space to learn and grow. This will be a time of learning for everyone. Not just the people at the helm of this outbreak, but the mother who doesn’t get to be home with her children and watch them grow and learn, for the children who aren’t normally home without the ability to leave, for the people who have to make sacrifices they never thought imaginable. Most of all have grace and patience with those in your family. Your kids who might not fully understand this and might have too much energy and emotions for the house. Your spouse, because you are about to spend more time together than you have in a long time and you both will irritate each other. And especially for yourself, some rules or lifestyles will be challenged and need to be modified. Kids might watch more tv than you normally allow, extra cookies may be baked and routines messed up. Don’t stress yourself out to keep your kids routine when yours is turned upside down. Love on those you are able and pray for our country. No matter what you think about this current situation or those around you, let’s all step up, learn a little about yourself and others and do your part. God bless this wonderful country we live in and may we beat this pandemic with few lives lost and strength gained. Have fun and enjoy today with what you are blessed!