No Joke

Well, here it is, the awful news we all got today.  It was pretty brutal, even though we pretty much saw it coming.  It's April Fools Day, but not many were in the mood for a prank or a joke.  

The Governor cancelled physically being at school for the rest of the year.  This resulted in tears, not just for Madison, but for many students throughout Georgia.  Our niece is a senior in high school, so you can imagine the disappointment.  The prom dress is already purchased.  All of this is just such a mess.  And things are starting to get a little tighter on lock down.

Here a few of us are on an app that we didn't know existed a few months ago, having an online meeting from our home.  This meeting eventually had about twenty-two of us, but I snapped this image to show Mommy and Daddy up there in the top right.  I just felt like wearing a fez.  Another participant wore a huge afro!  We're a little stir-crazy in the house.  In fact...

Daddy has made a new volleyball friend and has been talking to him a lot lately.  That's isolation for you!  Actually, Wilson has been in the house for many years.  We've brought him out because we're all castaways lately!

Despite this levity, it's been a somewhat somber day.  The news was fairly devastating about school, and again, we all saw it coming.  It's just a confirmation that this virus situation may drag on for quite some time.

We kept busy though, doing work on new messages, and keeping connected with friends, family and volunteers at the church.  We played some games today, including "Battlefront II" for a while, always a favorite.  There was plenty of school work to be done, and some editing for photography as well.  Schoolwork really does keep her busy well past school what used to be the normal school hours.  This is one reason for the statewide lament.  At least next week is Spring Break.  If anything, that simply means everyone can stop doing classwork.  But then what?  Mommy has plans, as do all of us as we scramble to come up with ideas for the perfect staycation.

Tonight we were praying for everyone's health.  Nana here in Gainesville has a surgery upcoming, and although there's nothing super critical about it, the idea of going to the hospital at this time is a bit intimidating.  Hopefully her shoulder will be better.  We were praying for her, and the sudden surge of new virus patients out there.  It's bad enough that there have been so many we know with various lung-related ailments, and now this.  We prayed for their protection, and for guidance for our leadership.  We're together at home, and we're okay for the time being.  God is still on the throne, and everything works out for those that love the Lord.  We're still praying for a miracle, a release from our quarantine, maybe over Passover.  Yes, it would be a miracle.  But that's what we're praying for.  We'll leave today's entry with this little bit here:

Read ACTS 12:3-18

Peter was in jail during Passover.  And so are we.  

We’re in quarantine “jail” over Passover (it's April 8th this year).

Thought #1

Reading this, I was reminded that each Passover, one prisoner was supposed to go free:  "It was the governor’s practice at the Passover Feast to let one prisoner go free. The people could choose the one they wanted.” Matthew 27:15

They got their freed prisoner, sure enough!  God chose to release Peter.  Jesus took our place, and God was saying, “Jesus has served that sentence.”  Besides, you people don’t know how to pick the right person.  We are not doing any of that Barabbas stuff again.

Thought #2

There were sixteen guards watching over Peter.  As if he was a kung fu master or something.  Which he might have been.  The Bible does not explicitly say he wasn’t a kung fu master, so we may never know.  I’m joking.

Thought #3

Here’s the part I like, the point, and the one I’m believing for in this season:  Peter’s escape was so miraculous that no one believed it at first!  

Get this:  

*  None of those actually praying for him believed it to begin with.  Read the story!  

*  The servant who answered the door for Peter was so stunned that she ran off and she forgot to even open the door!

*  And finally Peter himself didn’t even believe it at first.  He was walking to freedom, and he thought he was dreaming!  

*  His escape from quarantine was so amazing that nobody believed it!

The Point!

I’m believing for a miraculous escape for us over Passover, one so amazing that nobody believes it at first. 

I’m not a prophet or anything.  I just was reading this story, and never really paid close attention to the fact that it took place during Passover.

But it’s what I’m believing for, okay?!?