Building Community Another Way when Everyone is Elsewhere
My #OneWord for 2020 came out of the idea that I needed community and interaction with others? Gathering and connecting. How ironic that March ushered us into a pandemic and shut-down. More isolation than ever! Instead of increasing my exposure to people and events and building community, I donned a mask and stayed home.
What’s up with that, God?
Sure, I have gotten a little more creative. I bake batches of cookies and then take walks to deliver them to the neighbors. I am interacting more with them.
But still, this is not something I envisioned back in January.
Instead, I imagined more outings with girlfriends. Building community over lunch. Coffee. Day trips. Connecting at a deeper level through sharing and prayer. Getting to know them better and letting others know me better through all of life’s uncertainties.
Life is definitely uncertain right now.
Well, funny thing, I am discovering more about myself in the middle of this pandemic than about my friends.
I am discovering more about myself in the middle of this #pandemic than about my friends. I don't like #isolation Share on X
I don’t do well in isolation. I consider myself an extrovert, though not the life-of-the-party kind. I enjoy my quiet times, but I can’t go very long before I am squirming. I just need to get out. Even if that means strolling through TJMAXX looking for gift ideas and not buying a thing.
But in the middle of this social-distance, stay-at-home, what-can-I-do question, I sought ideas on how to build community from others. Other than Zooming with groups, Skyping with grandkids, sending notes to people, and delivering cookies, I felt at a loss as to how to flourish while I wilted.
Other than Zooming with groups, Skyping with grandkids, sending notes, and delivering cookies to #BuildCommunity, I felt at a loss as to #HowtoFlourish while I wilted. Share on X
My online friend, Kelly Wypych wrote a blog this week that really spoke to me.
Here are a few ideas that were shared from others:
A friend from the UK: Our street had picnics (with afternoon tea type food) in our front gardens and out on the street for VE day today, with music blasting out from an old gramophone..Lived here 32 years and never known anything like it! 🙂
Mary Packnick shared: Tonight I pretended we were have a BBQ; Cheeseburgers, corn on the cob, baked beans and coleslaw! If we went out it would probably cost us $25 plus tip. This probably cost me $5 for the two of us! Imitating Restaurant meals.
Jane Dearborn Rattray says: Zoom meetings with my children and grandchildren have been a joy during this time! We will be on a meeting for 1-2 hours and the time flies! We played games together using Jackbox which was hilarious! For my 60th birthday my son and his girlfriend set up a family Zoom meeting which was in actuality a surprise birthday party! They invited many of my friends to join us and share birthday greetings. It was a fantastic gift!
Melissa Goode McCall shared a great idea: Friends from Arkansas, Massachusetts and Texas knit together on Friday afternoons using Zoom. This has been a blessing for me to combine my knitting circles.
So many ideas…car rides for ice cream, keeping a journal, drives to the coast, cruising past a shut in’s home and beeping the horn to say hello…
I would love for you to share your ideas (scroll down to leave them in your comments)
We need to get creative with ways to keep our spirits up during this #Pandemic #ShutDown. Join them to navigate the isolation. Share on X
Keeping Spirits Up
It is evident that we need to get creative with ways to keep our spirits up during a time when it is easy to feel defeated and worn.
This weekend was #MothersDay and early in the day I has wallowing a bit. Yes, just a small #PityParty on the porch. Share on X
This past week was Mother’s Day and early in the day I has wallowing a bit. Yes, just a small pity party on the porch. I miss my children and grandsons. A few tears shed. By the end of the day, I felt that spirit lift.
Our son and daughter-in-love called from out of state. Always good to talk with them and catch up with what is going on in their world.
We had a Google Hangout session with our daughters and three grandsons, ages 4, 6, and 6. Connecting with these little guys boosted my spirits. And I realize I have so much to be thankful for.
Are you longing for #normal? #PandemicBeGone We need to encourage one another each day. Share on X
How about you? Are you longing for normal? Please share you thoughts in the comments below. And include your ways of connecting during this time of isolation. I know they will encourage others.
Jeanne
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Hi Jeanne,
I am keeping connected through online sites. It was a real gift on Mother’s Day as I preached. All of our livestream videos are done at the Pastor’s house. Although we all had to wear masks, it was wonderful to physically be around others. I also have a friend who lives in Nevada. Although we have been friends for 30+ years, we rarely connect with one another. I decided to reach out to her and we are going to connect tomorrow online. While its still a far cry from face to face interaction, I am thankful God has granted us the technology to keep in touch.
Baby steps, right, Sheree. Little by little we will gain momentum in this new normal. In the meantime, I think we all have discovered how much we value connectedness, our health, and the abundance we have in this country. This shut down has been an eye opening experience to how fragile things can be. But also how important people are, compared to things. I hope we don’t go back to the way it was in some ways…we need to maintain our sense of day to day dependence on God and one another. And also keep our grateful spirit.
Love this post, and thank you for the mention! I smiled broadly when I read about the party in the UK. What a great idea! I may adopt that one. In ever-changing times, we must be willing to adapt to the current standards while still maintaining connection. What an opportunity for us to get creative!
Kelly, it was my UK friend who suggested we do something like that here!! How fun could that be to gather some neighbors, put some music on, and grill burgers together. I hope these pop up everywhere as we become more aware of the blessings in each day.
Our Prayer Shawl Ministry has been meeting on line along with friends from Singing Hills. So we have ladies joining in from VT, NH, MA and CT. It’s a great way to keep in touch.
Also, with the weather getting nicer, I’ve started “Yarning in the Yard” once per week on my pond-side yard. I set up chairs at least 6 feet apart and we all wear masks to stay safe.
Linzi, those are both great ideas to connect over a common interest. And while stitching, you are staying connected with one another on a deeper level too. Blessings on these!! And thanks for sharing your thoughts
Yes, it is getting old. I am ready to get back to our regular routine, but like you, I have found things to be thankful for in the middle of all this. It’s sad that we don’t realize what we have until we lose it. But God does bring good out of the chaos and show us blessings that have been hidden before.
I agree Barbara. I think after this simmers down we will have a different view of things like connecting, family, friends, busyness, etc. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Hopefully we will see this pandemic wane soon so that we can begin living more fully again.
I’m ready for the pandemic to be over, also, but I am enjoying hearing about the creativity of some people. I hope we’re learning lots of good lessons that we’ll take with us for quite some time.
So true, Julie. A friend was just saying that she thinks there will be marvelous new innovations and inventions coming from this time of necessity. And I do think that people will be more mindful of people and relationships more than ever. Thanks for sharing your heart.
Always encouraging Ms. Jeanne. Isn’t it funny how when we seek one thing, God brings us to another? Like you, I’ve sought to learn by interacting with others this year, but have found I’m learning more about me in the process. Thanks for always sharing encouragement ma’am.
J.D. I believe in my heart that God never wastes a thing. Every situation is an opportunity for Him to reveal a bit more about ourselves and about who HE IS in the middle of it. Thanks for your encouraging comments – you always say the nicest things.
I’m an introverted introvert. I don’t mind the isolation as much, but I want to be using my time for God’s glory, so I found a setting on Facebook that allows me to sign up to mentor people. I set myself up as a Christian mentor and have already been mentoring two women!
Jennifer, what a wonderful thing!! I had no idea there were mentor sites like this available. I understand wanting to be a good steward of our time…I feel the same way. So glad God is using you in this way. Thanks so much for sharing this encouragement.
Thank you for sharing your heart about receiving the opposite of what we plan. Then you showed us wonderful examples of creativity in making connections. I loved this post!
So glad you enjoyed it, Jeannie. And thank you for stopping in. Your comments always encourage me