Parents, we're gonna’ haveta’ keep leaning into these hard situations and process them in healthy ways. As the adrenaline rush of the global crisis begins to subside and we move into processing these mid-crisis days, we need to check on ourselves and each other to see how we are handling these stresses (health, finances, cabin fever, family conflict, how to shop and stay safe, and isolation:our own and those that we care about). Because most of us don’t have to deal with these kinds of crises everyday, we may not have a lot of tools in our coping closet at our disposal.
Oh, I have lots of unhealthy ways to “check out” and occupy my mind when I’m stressed… I have already binge eaten so much that it feels like I have gained “the COVID 19,” its kinda like the freshman 15 some of us gained in college. I can also addictively binge consume social media, looking for that deceptive little dopamine shot that comes when someone likes or responds to something I have posted; we love the momentary validation, but never really satisfies our needs. As people formerly known as reporters/anchors with broadcast news degrees, Anita and I can binge watch the news for hours at a time, hoping for some new bit of information, as if someone will suddenly report something new that will solve all of our problems. Back in the day, I could binge workout a few times a day seeking an endorphin brain bath, eh, not so much anymore, takes too much energy. I could also sleep and nap for hours at a time just to escape from the world and its problems. We can try to cope by working more and harder and longer… We can begin projecting all our hurt and stress on those around us, and from personal experience, this does not end well! There are also much darker and more destructive escapes that we think help us, but they drive us deeper and further away from God and the relationships that can really help us process this whole thing. Brene’ Brown gives a nod to our lack of healthy coping skills when she says, “We are the most in-debt, obese, addicted and medicated adult cohort in U.S. history."
So what are the healthy ways we navigate this thing? The Apostle Paul has a good word for us, he says to start by remembering Who we belong to, tells us not to “check out” and reminds us of how much God loves us. Then He tells us to keep loving and helping each other.
He says in 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11, “You belong to the light and live in the day. We don't live in the night or belong to the dark. Others may sleep, but we should stay awake and be alert. People sleep during the night, and some even get drunk. But we belong to the day. So we must stay sober and let our faith and love be like a suit of armor. Our firm hope that we will be saved is our helmet. God doesn't intend to punish us, but wants us to be saved by our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ died for us, so that we could live with him, whether we are alive or dead when he comes. That's why you must encourage and help each other, just as you are already doing.”(CEV)
Hang in there people! God is with us! I’m praying for you all.
