Day 26- A Tale of Two Quarantines

So many times during all of this I have been reminded of the time I was on hospital bed rest before Rip was born.

For six weeks I was confined to one room (and really one bed, unless I was showering or said bed was being changed).

Obviously that quarantine would come to an end, one way or the other, and while this one will too the timing is less certain.

But there have been many similarities in my emotions during both of those times.

I am a big lover of both books and Jesus...but I found then and I find now I don't have the concentration for reading or really prayer. It's like my body is in this constant state of tension that can't be released.

I found that reading and prayer were my biggest sources of comfort in the aftermath of Rip's death, and I expect I will find myself there again in whatever "after" looks like this time.

The other lesson I learned when on bed rest was to enjoy the present.

I remember vividly- and listen, this happened while I was in the bathroom and I wish it hadn't but I was eight months pregnant and on bedrest, it was either going to be there or the bed- having this overwhelming feeling of gratitude. This feeling that no matter how things turned out, I was thankful for the time I had right in that moment and I would always be thankful for it.  I still am.

I am trying hard to remember that now. This time is scary and uncertain- and I really don't do well with that (who does?) but it can also be a gift. I can do things I know will ease my soul for the moment (long walks, watch Arrested Development, this time I can even drink wine!) and not worry too much about the things I am not doing or what will happen tomorrow.

Every day of my bedrest I wrote down what I ate and who came to visit in a little book with a bible verse on each page.

I thought about doing that now, but let's be honest- my visitor page would be pretty pathetic and my food diary would consist primarily of Doritos, Twizzlers and some wine. I did however look for a verse this morning. My favorite verse, Phil 4:8. I realized after the fact that is also today's date.

4.8.20

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Phil 4:8