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My family and I had imagined our 2020 year much differently then what we are experiencing now. This season of COVID has certainly changed our plans in a way that was completely unexpected. We never thought we would be forced into isolation during a Worldwide Pandemic. This year has been different then we had anticipated it to be, however I cannot help but hear God whispering to me: "find Joy in these unfortunate circumstances". 

During the beginning weeks when COVID cases were on the rise in Canada my youngest daughter who is immune compromised caught a virus and quickly grew unwell. I too caught this virus and fell unpleasantly ill. Our visits to our doctor’s office and Hospital Emergency rooms did not bring our family much comfort. I was stressed and beginning to give into the fear that we had caught this frightening COVID Virus. The only advice we received from the doctor’s was to stay home and isolate. So that is what we did. Unfortunately, my husband was away working in northern BC and couldn’t be with us. And our medically recommended isolation time hit during the same period school had shut down for spring break. So I had all my children at home with me full time. With no husband to lend a helping hand I knew that I had to stay strong for the sake of my family. Here’s the thing though: I was terrified, sick, and stressed dealing with all this and without my husband here to comfort me I felt alone.

So we stayed home tirelessly shifting through many hours of card games, video games and watching movies till we had lost all interest in them. It was safe to send my children outside to get some exercise and fresh air, but only in our back yard because we were at risk of spreading this deadly virus which we were unsure if we had. The feeling of not knowing was very troubling for me. I fought with these feelings internally all throughout our isolation. We often watched the news frantically sifting through the new advice publicised by our country’s leaders and medical professionals. We tried our best to be informed and help better ourselves with the latest news to navigate this pandemic safely. This brought us little hope and stirred up many fearful feelings.

Our days in isolation turned out to be not only a time of worry and uncertainty, but a time of redirecting our perspective. A time to rejoice and let God do his work. One evening we were surprised by a visit from our friends- they had brought us a much-appreciated warm meal. Even in this time of fear and panic these people found it in their hearts to deliver us a meal, risking their health and safety. How brave and awesome is that?! The virus made me weak and left me with such little energy for preparing meals. This was the very gift I needed. During our isolation, our children’s Spring Break Camp was cancelled due to the growing COVID restrictions, adding to our developing list of disappointments. Even during all this God had something better planned. The church throwing the camp, boxed up the Spring Break Camp and delivered it to our door, filling our home with a week of crafts, Bibles Verses and songs of praise and worship. I had been full of motherly guilt because we had been spending so much time sitting in front of screens, and God goes and does this for me. I had tears of joy while looking around and wondering to myself why does God love me this much. God's Love is Divine. He is ever available and freely gives his love to all who seek it in times of trouble. And that is not even the icing on the cake.

At the end of our 2-week quarantine we received the greatest news: my husband was returning home for six weeks. Can you believe that?! My husband who works away from home and has for as long as our children can remember, was coming home for a much-needed vacation. This was pure joy for my family. The light at the end of the tunnel as some would say. Jesus was the light that carried us through our stormy 14-day quarantine. He was the reason our friends brought us our hot meal, the motivation for the team who brought us our Spring Break Camp in a box and the One who brought my husband home. This is why, my perspective has changed this season and I‘m choosing to see Joy in all the unforeseen circumstances.