Over these past few weeks I have been trying to get outside as much as possible. I try to go for a run most mornings and then take a walk later in the day. If the weather is especially nice I might go for an early afternoon stroll, a late afternoon wander, and then an evening amble. I almost always see other people out with their dog, riding their bike, or going for a jog. It seems that many of us feel the need to be outdoors and to be active, maybe even more than before we were all staying home.
Of course, there are other ways to keep active. While I do sometimes find myself on the couch watching Netflix, I’m also spending time doing other activities like puzzles to keep my hands busy and reading to keep my brain engaged. It’s important to move our bodies and get fresh air if we can, but it’s also crucial that we keep our minds and hearts active, too.
While our regular routines are disrupted, perhaps we can make time for hobbies that we have been wanting to try, books that we’ve been waiting to read, recipes we have been saving to make. We might be able to reach out to friends that we don’t normally get to talk to and enjoy the company of our family members that we have more time at home with. One of our youth shared that they have been spending time reading the Bible every morning, something they never did before. We are all called to live an active faith and although that looks different when we can’t physically go to church, we’re still able to practice our faith on our own, and in community thanks to technology.
Many of us now have time on our hands that would usually be taken up with meetings, events, or activities that are not taking place at the moment. But maybe your to-do list is longer than ever. Maybe you are running out of hours in the day. Maybe this new normal has added tasks and responsibilities to your already overwhelming schedule. Whatever your current circumstances are, I hope that you are able to keep active in the ways that are life-giving for you, especially when it comes to your faith and relationships. And I pray that you are also able to rest. The first verses of Genesis 2 tell us that after all the work of creation, God rested. So let God be our example. After all the work of homeschooling/working from home/staying at home, navigating this new reality of our lives, and all of our activities, let us also rest.
