March 97th

One of many memes I'm liking right now says, "In case you're wondering, today is March 97th." lol  It really has felt like a long month... we're all in a whole different world now than we were when it started!  I hope that April brings good news and continued health for you!

What have I been up to lately?  Oh, you know, staying super busy... ;-)

Today is National Crayon Day... because there's a day for everything now!  But in honor of that, I got the coloring book back out as I listened to Tina Fey's audiobook this morning. The book is hilarious, and the coloring is cathartic and brings back childhood memories. =)

Also been watching a lot of Parenthood lately... in case you're wondering, Haddie's the worst - all her reactions seem fake and unrelatable.  (This scene = her going off to college... byeeee!)  Sydney is second worst - total brat.  Amber is by far the most interesting and my favorite character in this show, followed by Sarah and Adam. Then Mr. Cyr - he's pretty great!

I've been extra-snacky, but I've also done lots of cooking lately, including this random thrown-together soup, tacos, lasagna, pasta, and baked goods.  I bought more groceries today, gearing up for a healthier April! 

I'm trying out online counseling through BetterHelp this month (so far, so good - I like my counselor, the price is good, and I like that we talk via writing).  Tonight, she wrote: "Success is cumulative--small steps leading up to something big. Your approach this go 'round will also be mindset. Lindsey, if we fall off... no biggie, we get back on the horse... each time.  That's success too." ❤ 

Everything at the courthouse feels surreal right now... multiple signs posted on each door, the main entrance is closed off, the side entrance is set up where a woman wearing a mask takes your temperature first thing when you walk in... then Shawn and Jamie (our sheriff deputies) were both wearing masks yesterday too.  And there's basically no one but a small crew of employees coming in and out, so it's all pretty quiet and strange.  Seeing this video of Tiffany and Devon making a hands-free drop-off to Shawn in the rotunda made me happy! #courthouseshenanigans

Last night, I had a virtual Zoom meeting with the Woodlake group!  No board games this time, but it was fun to see everyone and laugh and catch up! =)

And tonight I had a HouseParty app meeting with friends from the women's lifegroup, which was also really great! =)  *Multiple times this week with all these new virtual hangouts, I've thought of Kip singing to LaFawnduh, "Yusss, I love technologyyy, but NOT as much as you, you seeee!" lolol

Mom tells me the Jaceman had a Zoom meeting with his classmates today and he and a couple friends stayed on the call for over two hours! lol Anyway, I am thankful for technology and being able to connect and chat with friends and family (and counselors and teachers and classmates, etc.).  It's a gift, especially right now!

My earlier advice for Christians to exercise God-given wisdom still stands strong!!  Between some painfully arrogant and illogical FB posts by Christians (who claim to be pro-life until they have a choice between risking the lives of more vulnerable people vs. risking economic failure), Liberty University's idiotic decision to ignore basic science (HERE), Hobby Lobby's stubborn defiance of laws and mistreatment of sick employees (HERE and HERE), the Florida pastor who refused to close his megachurch and ended up getting arrested (HERE), and the church choir that chose to meet and ended up with 45 COVID-positive members where two have died (HERE)... the church is reeeeally coming off well here.  *Insert heartbreak and facepalm emoji*  To the wealthy men in charge of each of these organizations, God is not obligated to protect you from the natural consequences of your stupidity.  And if you must insist on being this arrogant and reckless with people's lives, at least stop putting God's name behind your foolish decisions!  *End rant.

* * * * * * *

Okay, reining it in, here's a comforting verse reminding us to slow down and seek God above all else.  Be PRESENT here and now in whatever God has for you today, and don't let your mind fall into stress and worry thinking about the future!

Happy last day of March, friends. Wishing you love and peace! ❤

Some Good News

Well, I'm here at the courthouse for another grueling workday!  (We're rotating and probably working a maximum of three hours a day, three days a week for the next month. It'll definitely go from one extreme to the other when everyone comes back together and we finally have to deal with all the cases that have been postponed! But for now, in the midst of a heavy atmosphere in the world, the light workload is nice.)

I wanted to share this awesomeness with you guys.  It's John Krasinski highlighting some positive news stories and interviewing Steve Carell on the 15-year anniversary of The Office, and it's all fantastic!! (Right down to the Anchorman news team poster in Steve's house and the Dunder Mifflin mug behind John. The sign made by John's daughters is also really cute!)  We could all use #somegoodnews right now!

I'm also a big fan of Jimmy Fallon, who's been filming The Tonight Show from his home lately.  His daughters are super cute, and it's a treat to see him and several other celebrities just hanging out at home, being parents!  So check that out if you're in need of something fun and new to watch. =)

And now, a quick update...

Lol it's definitely been interesting so far, but overall, I'm feeling a lot of gratitude and hope today.

Here's another encouraging quote from the 2014 Survival Kit:

The weather has been beautiful lately, so I've been taking lots of neighborhood walks (me and 95% of America, it would seem).  I also randomly decided to open my windows, since there's a screen to prevent bugs from disturbing my peace. lol  It's been really tranquil and nice listening to the birds chirping and the wind blowing and seeing everything blooming and turning green.  Creation is sending a pretty clear message about life and growth and renewal and seasons changing, and it's good to slow down and pay attention to it, even from the comfort of the indoors! ;-)

In non-workout news, I made a cherry cobbler this week. lol  YUM!  Thanks to Elizabeth for teaching me about that one and making me realize I'm a bigger fan of cherries than I thought!  (I think it's technically called a dump cake, but cobbler sounds much more appealing. lol)

The comment on this made me laugh out loud!

Speaking of, the Google Hangout with Holly & co. was fun!   Everyone seems to be doing well, and it provided lots of entertainment and quotable moments...

Holly (texting): "Everyone still good to chat at 2pm CT?"

Rach: "What time is that in Oklahoma?" lol

Holly: "I haven't owned a car since high school."

Rach:  "Holly, we live in America. Get a car!"

Also Rach: "This all could've been avoided if people would take my advice. Like, don't eat bats!!" lol

Homeschool is off to a good start... Mom put this shelf together for me to use when I'm there staying in "Kyndal's room," but it's come in quite handy as a notebook holder and school shelf right now!! ❤

This was one of their post-class activities this week. lol  Rainbow hair wax for the win!

Finally, here's a cute throwback pic from Easter 2016... and a reminder to *pray for my dad,* who is having surgery to place a heart stent this Thursday!!

Hope your week is off to a good start, friends!  =)

"May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance." ~Jude 1:2

Friday Favs

Fun Video:  A classic Debbie Downer at Disney skit... my fav SNL moments are the political skits and ones where someone breaks character and busts out laughing. Jimmy Fallon shares my tendency to find everything funny, so he's pure gold for that... and he sometimes causes others to lose it too! lol


Purchase:  Haven't done much shopping lately other than for groceries, so I'm going with fresh strawberries! lol

Recent News:  There are several uplifting stories lately of people finding ways to help out and be kind, sewing masks for doctors and nurses, couples who had to cancel their weddings donating flowers to nursing homes, etc.  This random video of a UPS driver taking a worship song break made me happy today: (HERE.)

Thing I've Heard This Week:  “Whenever I travel with my young children, I’m always reminded of an important travel lesson: Never travel with my young children.  The main responsibility for a parent of a toddler is to stop them from accidentally hurting or killing themselves...  Whoever came up with the term 'terrible twos' must have felt very foolish after their kid turned three." lol  -One of many quotes that made me laugh in Jim Gaffigan's Dad is Fat audiobook

Gift from God Lately:  Elizabeth invited me to try an online Zumba class with her  (taught by her mother-in-law) today.  My first time using Zoom, and it was fun! =)

I also have my first "Google Hangout" scheduled tomorrow with Rach, Megan, Holly, Kate!  So I'm thankful for technology and the ways it's keeping us connected right now! =)

Happy Friday, and I hope you have a lovely weekend ahead! ❤
I'll end this with an encouraging quote from my "Survival Kit" post:

Homeschool Time!

Among the people I miss most lately are my niece and nephews!  Ironic, since it's barely been over two weeks since I saw them, but not knowing when I'll be able to see them again makes me miss them more.

I texted Rach yesterday to suggest that she take some "first day of homeschool" pics to document this absurd and memorable year in their elementary school lives.  So they did, and I love it! =)

Here's Mamaw, their teacher extraordinaire, with her grandkids/students:

And the kids with Rach, the mom/teacher's assistant (her and my dad will both help out with reading and lunches and such)!

Love this posterboard Rach made - the books with masks was a really cute idea! ❤

LOVE and want to hug them all!!!

Pic below = a backyard mosaic they made a couple days back. =)

They've also done some Parrish family karaoke and lots of bike rides and playing outside.  I know they'll miss their school friends and several fun end-of-year group activities, but I hope that when they look back on this time, they'll mostly think about the good, fun memories!  Mom and Dad's pool should be open next month, so that'll add to the fun times (and probably make keeping their attention on school more challenging)!

Here's J&K learning the Macarena a few weeks ago -- Kyndal had it down pretty well, and he was trying to follow along. =)

I thought about them while trying out Peloton's new Dance Cardio class with Cody and Emma last night... fun times!! =)

Happy Thursday, friends!  I caught up on sleep, and I'm feeling happier/calmer all around today, so here's my short "Thankful Thursday" list: I'm super thankful for the joy and energy kids bring to the world, for awesome and mood-lifting Spring weather, for a lovely home to stay home in, and for the power of rest and sleep!!  I've decided to take Friday through Sunday as a three-day weekend OFF from Facebook, and while I know that'll be a challenge for me, I think it'll be really good for my soul to just stay home, find fun things to do, and turn down the volume on the panicky newsfeed for a bit!  

Hope you are well and feeling loved, joyful, and peaceful. ❤  As I just typed that, it struck me in a profound way that the fruits of the Spirit are exactly what our world needs more of right now... (well, that and a cure for the coronavirus)... but let's tune in to His voice and practice/share some love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control!

Jumbled Thoughts, Part 2

*Light-and-fluffy edition!

For starters, here are a few of my favorite memes this week:

"Goodbye, Toby!  It's been nice.  Hope you find your paradi-i-ise!" lol

This one cracks me up... being told you're supposed to stay home and stay away from others indefinitely has a prison effect that makes you miss people and wanna get out in the sunshine! lol  Fortunately, that's allowed -- yay for neighborhood walks and Facetime calls and such!

Me being dramatic on my day off tomorrow! ;-)

Me when I think about not seeing my family and friends for a while.
Work, on the other hand, I'm 100% fine with avoiding. lol

Truth: 

Okay, that's all for now on memes.  But it's likely there'll be new ones every week because this has been a time for them to shine!

In other news, I listened to this audiobook this week, and it was HILARIOUS!  So funny, and probably would be even funnier for parents of young kids!  (Libby app + library card = free audiobooks!)

This week marks the 20-year anniversary of Charlene working at Dad's State Farm office - yay, Aunt Charlene!!  Makes me happy that they're celebrating her!  
(*Fingers crossed that she and I still get to go to Alaska this September.)

One more meme bc I just remembered it. lolol

I haven't gone too overboard, but I did bake a Pioneer Woman (half) sheetcake last week... I ran out of cocoa powder for the icing, so I just skipped that ingredient and it was totally fine.  YUM!

I got to hang out with Steve and Sarah one last time (for the foreseeable future), and it was lovely.  We chatted for a couple hours and watched Jumanji: Next Level, and Chef Sarah made cheesy chicken enchilada soup and awesome chocolate chip cookies! Two thumbs up!!

They've made tons of progress on their new house, and Steve asked if I could make some collages of the work and the before-and-after pics.  The answer to that is always YES! =)

These are from our group painting party on December 14th:

This = them transforming their entryway (scraping the popcorn ceilings, removing the border, texturing and painting everything, painting the doors white, rugs and furniture).  I love Sarah's face on the bottom right. lol  It's a Live Photo and the slurpy sound the sponge makes is super-cringey and had me laughing out loud!

A very impressive before and after!!  
(*That screen door on the left is tinted - the real doors are both white.)

Hooray for Cody Rigsby and Peloton!!  *In case there's anyone here who didn't see it already, they are offering a free 90-day trial right now, which turns into a $13 a month membership that gives you full access to thousands of classes (spin, strength, cardio, meditation, yoga, bootcamp, marathon training programs, etc.) with encouraging coaches, so it's absolutely worth it for anyone feeling motivated to try something new!!

I know these workouts are helping me stay sane and positive in this season -- yay, endorphins!  When you use the phone app, it shows you all the people taking the class at the same time, and you can "high five" each other, so the virtual community there also makes me happy!!

A random Jaceman collage I made for mom when I saw those pics all from the same day on Google Photos. =)

Today = Mom's first day homeschooling all four of the Parrish children.  She said it went pretty well overall, so yay for that.  Prayers appreciated for her and for my presh niece and nephews!! 

In closing, here are some encouraging and calming verses (when taken in context and in light of eternity):

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him.  He is the one who will rescue you from hunters' traps and from deadly plagues…  His faithfulness will be a protective shield… You have made the LORD your defender, the Most High your protector, and no terrible disasters will strike you or your home. God will command His angels to protect you wherever you go…  The LORD says, 'I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My name.  When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.  I will satisfy them with long life, and will let them see My salvation.'”
~Psalm 91 ❤

Jumbled Thoughts, Part 1

Happy Wednesday, friends and fam! ❤

Okay, so first off, I highly recommend reading this article (click here for link): That Discomfort You're Feeling is Grief.  It's well written, and the collective grief idea applies to everyone, even those still in the stubborn denial stage.

My favorite part:  “The loss of normalcy; the fear of economic toll; the loss of connection. This is hitting us and we’re grieving. Collectively. We are not used to this kind of collective grief in the air... There is something powerful about naming this as grief. Emotions need motion. Fighting it doesn’t help because your body is producing the feeling... It’s absurd to think we shouldn’t feel grief right now. Let yourself feel the grief and keep going.”

I love that validation.  People need that right now!  This season is hard and new and confusing and frustrating and scary.  And we can acknowledge that without going to extremes or being overwhelmed by our feelings.  Right now, we're just beginning to see things we fear become the present-day reality for many Americans.  The number of confirmed cases and the death toll are rising (click HERE for up-to-date info specific to Oklahoma).  Yesterday, Governor Stitt issued an order for the Oklahoma counties with confirmed cases of Coronavirus (this affected 19 counties at the time).  Today, less than 24 hours since he issued that order, the number of counties has jumped up to 27, including 5 positive cases in Creek County!  That. is. crazy.  (And we know this is a low report because of the inadequate number of test kits available.)  For those still in denial:  No one has immunity to this, some are more at risk of death than others, and this thing is spreading rapidly.

We've currently closed the courthouse to the public, but all the employees are still coming in on altered, rotating schedules.  My mind has been busy trying to process all of this, so I haven't written much lately, but I'm back now - huzzah! lol  I listened to a podcast where they talked about how the initial adrenaline rush of preparing for and adjusting to this change is wearing off now, so the small losses we're all experiencing are feeling more real now, along with the continued threat of major loss and the mysterious ending/return to "normal" date.  So as the article posted above says, have grace for yourself if you are struggling with grief or feeling overwhelmed right now.  This is a massive adjustment for everyone, and honest vulnerability is refreshing.  And even though some beautiful things are coming out of this crisis and there are many things to be thankful for, it's okay and healthy to grieve the sharp changes that are difficult and painful for you.  You can be thankful and sad at once, and hold space for both emotions.

One of my neighbors started an online prayer group for Jenks neighborhoods, and it's been really encouraging and awesome to be a part of that and see Christians who live near me coming together in a virtual way to pray for each other!  Yesterday, one of my Jenks neighbors posted that her dad is having a triple bypass surgery today, and none of them are allowed to come visit him until he's released from the hospital.  As someone who spent several nights staying in hospitals to help my mom as she recovered after major surgeries, that is such a terrible, heart-wrenching thought to me.  I fully understand why they're taking those precautions, but it would be incredibly rough for any patient and for all the people who love them.  Same with the nursing homes and assisted living facilities.  It's lonely enough in there when you have occasional visitors, and with no one able to come check on them, I'm praying the staff will have extra compassion. And I'm saddened by the obvious reality that that will not always be the case and some will be mistreated.

On the topic of hospitals, it feels very surreal to see American hospitals becoming overcrowded and the staff overworked, stressed, and poorly equipped to protect themselves and fight this pandemic.  My talks with Sarah (my PICU nurse friend) have been eye-opening about the inexcusable shortage of protective equipment for our doctors and nurses, along with the shortage of ventilators, etc. for patients in urgent need of life-saving care.  What in the world?  Where do we live right now?  Let's step it up ASAP, American manufacturers!!  All that to say... far above all the cancelled trips, sports games, and routine inconveniences, many people close by you are dealing with legitimate life-and-death-level fear and stress these days.  And the "peak" number of patients needing hospital care for this COVID-19 virus is not expected for at least another month here in Oklahoma, which is a truly exhausting thought.  So even if the medical part of this crisis is not directly affecting your life at this point, it's a really great idea to stop right now and pray for our hospital staff, their worried families, everyone needing emergency care, and the family members who won't get to visit them!!  (And for those manufacturing things that will save lives!)

*I'm writing two posts today, since I have a number of deeper, serious thoughts to process, along with a number of lighter, happier things to share, and they don't really mesh well together. Clearly, this is the light-and-fluffy post. ;-)

So my final deep thought for today is this:  There is a lot that is outside our control right now, and that can feel scary, but we all control our reactions, and God gives us WISDOM!!  Or the choice to turn away from it toward death (see Proverbs 1:20-33, click here for link).  This is not a particularly deep or new thought, just one many seem to be unaware of lately.  Christians choosing to ignore most of the science-based warnings and/or government orders are often quick to boldly proclaim that they're not gonna live in fear because God is good and He gives us faith... and it's a level of ignorance and self-focus that saddens me.  (And for the record, it's not making God look appealing to anyone watching that behavior.)  God gives us faith and joy, certainly, but He also gives us wisdom, patience, self-control, and a sound mind.  Ignoring basic science and refusing to change your regular routine is putting yourself and others at higher risk, and although God is good, He rarely interrupts the natural law of sowing and reaping, and that should be a sobering thought.  So I would encourage you to pay attention to the facts and pray and seek wisdom from God, then act accordingly!

Praying that we let ourselves feel this and grieve whatever temporary or permanent losses we may be facing.  Praying we feel loved and supported, and that we will choose wisdom and find peace and hope in Christ rather than stewing in fear or anxiety about what lies ahead.  Also praying we will notice and appreciate all the small joys and blessings surrounding us in this hard season! ❤

Mmmkay, that's all for now.

Random Friday Thoughts

Happy Friday, dear readers!  My "Spring Break" week is officially over now, but we're certainly not returning to normal on Monday.

My Write-The-Word verse for today made me happy... verses about God's protection are always super calming to me:

So I've been in a pretty good mood through most of March, but late last night I had to sort through some sudden waves of anxiety and sadness.  This is all such new territory, which means there are so many things we just don't know:  How long will this pseudo-quarantine will last?  How long should I stay in Tulsa and avoid my family for their own safety?  Is visiting friends in their homes still okay, and if not, how long can I handle this level of isolation?  Will some of my family or close friends end up getting sick?  Will Sarah be okay since Oklahoma nurses and doctors don't have the proper masks and protective gear to deal with this?  Will they get Dad in for his surgery as scheduled, or will it be postponed along with a million other non-emergency procedures?  How much damage will all of this do to our nation's economy?  Will this wipe out Virginia's Cafe and Lori's tea room and other small businesses and restaurants I've grown to care about?  Will my fall cruise end up being cancelled, along with this spring's D.C. trip (which they did officially cancel today)?  How will the airlines handle that?  Will Triston get to go to D.C. at some point or participate in the sixth grade graduation?  How will the kids deal with suddenly switching to homeschool and being unable to hang out with their friends for the remainder of the school year?  Will work stay open or end up closing? (They closed the Tulsa County Courthouse for a full month, which is unprecedented and pretty surprising!)  

I am happy Spring is here and Summer is coming.  And I'm very grateful to be in a position where I have real job security, youth and health are on my side, and I don't mind being homebound for a while.  But even then, my concerns for the health and financial well-being of others is causing some stress (which is always a good time to turn to God in prayer!)  The unknown "ending" or "return to normal" date is also especially difficult -- there is no predictable pattern for dealing with this situation, so we're all navigating new waters at the same time.  Those responding with extreme fear, greed, selfishness, and superiority are only adding to the stress and the mess.  We all have our own ways of dealing with (or avoiding) things, and I'm especially thankful for the lighthearted memes and all the acts of kindness and generosity I've been seeing!  I hope people continue to pull together in spirit... while staying apart for now. lol  Anyway, I saw this on FB in the midst of feeling a bit emotional last night, and it was well-timed!

A few other posts I appreciate right now -- this one is from Mike Rowe:

Reading the first few lines below made me laugh and think, uhhh, no pressure! lol  I do like that last sentence, though, and I've been pondering that a bit the past few days... it's definitely a time to recenter and reassess things, and a good time for God-given desires and creative energy to flow!

OMG, so many emotions with that show! lol  It highlights the daily tough decisions and sacrifices parents make on behalf of their children, and it gets me every time.

In ironic news, I felt super-inspired by the Joy of Movement book to go walk outside more often and to participate in the "collective joy" of the free yoga, boot camp, and Zumba classes at SALT and Guthrie Green this season!  And indeed I went to one Holy Yoga class and had one lovely walk at the Gathering Place last weekend... right before they shut down all river parks and group classes for the foreseeable future. lol  So I'm super-thankful for Peloton rides and neighborhood walks at the moment, but when all this stuff reopens, I am SO IN!!!  

(Pic = me in the sensory garden, or me waving goodbye to the park. lol)

*Side note:  I've been going for neighborhood walks while listening to Annie Downs' podcast - she's been doing a daily half-hour podcast while she's seriously quarantined, and I always enjoy listening to those!

Not sure if I posted this pic already, but this is Dad at a Saturday breakfast with the men's lifegroup he leads (along with Sean's family).  Sean is suffering with ALS, and as a sort of adult Make-A-Wish thing, he had gotten backstage passes to meet MercyMe at their concert in OKC, which has now been postponed to September.  I feel really sad for him, and I hope and pray he is still able to go this fall!

My last meme for today - this one made me laugh out loud, as that's one of my fav quotes from Anchorman, and feels so true right now!

Okay.  I'll end with this Donald Miller quote I've been thinking about lately:

“Humans naturally seek comfort and stability. Without an inciting incident that disrupts their comfort, they won’t enter into a story... The character has to jump into the story, into the discomfort and the fear, otherwise the story will never happen.  Here's the truth about telling stories with your life: It's going to sound like a great idea, and you're going to get excited  about it, and then when it comes time to do the work, you're not going to want to do it. It's like that with writing books, and it's like that with life. People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen. But joy costs pain.”

~Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

Let's live a great story, friends! ❤