It’s been hard. That’s the gist of it. These past few months have been trying for all of us. I mean come on, all I’m asking is to be able to go on a coffee date with my friend, do a little (or a lot) of shopping, and be able to attend church on Sundays. It will happen, in time. I think many of us have been focusing on the countless things that appear to be wrong. It’s only natural, we’re living through a global pandemic after all and many of us don’t like change. I know I don’t. Have you taken the time to stop and think: Where is the good? The ladies at Noble Woman decided to dig a little deeper, and scrounged up raw feelings, real feelings to share with you about finding the good in quarantine. We want to be available to you in any way we can, and sharing our experiences seemed to be a sincere, heartfelt way.

“The good for me is that I don’t have to be so rushed in the mornings. I get to calmly drink my coffee, do devotions, and plan out my zoom meetings and videos for teaching throughout the day. And all of my family is home and safe...that is a blessing!” -Mindi

“I have to admit at first I could only focus on the negative. I was anxious all the time and kept worrying about things I could not control. Was I going to get sick? Was I going to lose my business? What if people I love get sick? What if I lose my mind??? 

I know it is natural to feel some anxiety during a global pandemic, but my fear was taking over my life. As the days and weeks went on, my focus began to shift. I started asking myself what can I control? What is important TODAY? I began to give my anxiety to God, and reminded myself that He is ultimately in control. His peace washed over me.

The last few weeks have actually been pretty special. I have been able to focus on the good. I have learned to appreciate every conversation I have. I began doing things that fill me up and bring me joy. I have let myself feel a sense of accomplishment instead of beating myself up for not achieving more in a day. I have begun to see myself through my Heavenly Father’s eyes instead of focusing on how I think the world sees me. I have felt a love from this community that I will forever be grateful for. I have learned to slow down and not fill my days with busyness. I have hope in the future. In addition, I quit Diet Coke and even learned a few TikTok dances!” -Courtney

“I think the biggest thing for me during quarantine has just been taking time to self reflect. It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life that often times we forget that slowing down is necessary. I’ve really just taken this time to re-evaluate what I spend time on and what makes me better and helps me grow. I’d be lying if I said quarantine has been easy. I’m an over-thinker so alone time isn’t always good, but processing those thoughts into what’s worth my time has been a growing experience for me and helped me focus my time on things I value more clearly.” -Skylar

“I am so grateful to have all my children under my roof again! I love seeing and connecting with them regularly and I really love feeding them! I love that all of us have been given a breather from our very full and blessed but often stressful lives and that we can have this breather together!” -Erin

“I have found that slowing down has made me enjoy the little things that I usually don’t have time for. Baking, reading, walking, and gardening! I have definitely found joy in getting to do those hobbies again. I’ve been re-evaluating who and what is important in my life. Also the amount of time spent with my dog and Taylor has been fantastic.” -Hannah

“Quarantine has honestly been the best thing that can happen for my relationships, my house and my pets! My closest family lives over 5 hours away, so I normally only get about a 20 minute window to FaceTime them. Since nobody has anywhere to go, I’ve gotten to FaceTime them a lot more than normal, which I LOVE. I also feel like I’ve been in contact with more people now than I ever was before. I’ve had long and meaningful conversations with friends via social media and phone calls and texts.

As for my house, we are renovating and updating something new each weekend. Being home this much has brought on so many ideas and a lot of discussions about what we can do to modernize our little old house. We’ve done a lot of painting, taken carpet out, and we are redoing the flooring and our kitchen soon!

I honestly don’t think my pets will ever let me go back to traveling to work every day. They LOVE having me around to cuddle them while I’m working from home and let them outside all the time throughout the day. They’re getting so much love and attention, I don’t know how they’ll ever adjust back to me not working from home.” -Julia

“I’ve been going on rollerblade rides! Being outside helps me stay positive and makes me feel free. I have also been doing a lot of online shopping.” -Lauren 

“It was really difficult coming home from college, especially since we left for spring break thinking we would still have a few weeks of the semester left. I think being home has helped me realize how thankful I am for Dordt and how much I appreciate my friends! Quarantine definitely makes us focus more on our relationships with others instead of all the other things that usually distract us.” -Lexi

“I was quite the Debbie downer at the start of all of this. These new terms like “social distancing” and “stay at home order” were now a part of our everyday life and vocabulary, and it was weird. I didn’t like it. I was not a fan of not being able to see my grandparents or even hug my friends. But I realized, although I may be stuck in my house for weeks on end, I shouldn’t be complaining. I’m healthy and my family and friends are healthy. Even though I might not get to visit those that I love in person, this separation has made me love them all the more. Waiting makes the heart grow fonder.

With the extra time I’ve had, I’ve gotten to do many things I hadn’t really been able to do much before. I’ve read lots of books, taken walks with my mom, tested my green thumb by planting some flowers, binge watched The Chosen (a must watch!), and practiced piano. And that makes my heart happy.

I find comfort in the fact that God is in control and He knows what’s going on. There’s no use worrying...He’s got it all figured out. He will never social distance Himself from me. That is good news. I cannot wait to get back to church!

Quarantine has made me appreciate everything in my life much much more. As challenging as this time has been, in a way I am grateful for it. I think it is a wake up call for everyone, a time to re-evaluate life.” -Meredith

We all have the time on our hands these days. Give it a thought. Where is the good?

Keep your heart up. 
Love always,

NWBlogger Meredith