PANDEMICALLY SPEAKING, abnormal normal

It has taken a while to find the new normal, and it changes every day, so I'm feeling like abnormal is more fitting for so many routines that keep changing.

• Abnormal work schedule- Before all this, I often came in around 7:30 so I could check in with my boss to get any updates and plans for the coming day. What's the point when there isn't any update or plan?
• Abnormal grocery shopping- I like to shop early, right after opening, so I don't have to shop after work. Now, my favorite store has set aside that first hour for folks like me, the over-the-hill gang, so I still go early, but not so much by choice, and that is abnormal to me.
• Update on that- I don't go at all as of yesterday. It's delivery or nothing. Scariness preys on us out there anymore. Plus, when you have groceries delivered, you lower the chance of oreos and cheesy popcorn  'falling' into the cart. This also goes for Utz ripple chips and combos. 
• Abnormal walking buddy routine. There are a few friends who will come to work and walk with me during my lunch hour. I appreciate the fact that they come here, when I escape to a late afternoon "lunch". We used to walk side by side until this unfortunate virus let loose. At first, we distanced ourselves, raised our voices and kept up the chatter. The first time we tried this, it felt a little different, but not too bad.  We took turns  being the leader on hills. The caboose's job was to talk us up the hill, and then on the downhill, the leader could take over the convo. As the social distancing grew, I imagined what might happen. The neighborhood streets were quiet - no one in sight. The rules ramped up the 'distancing' and we  would have to separate ourselves on different sides of the street instead of a few steps ahead on the same side. I imagined us walking by speaking louder."I know, Cece- I don't know what they were thinking- I tried to call but no one answered, and after that last conversation, I became concerned."I could envision a few windows on a few houses on our path cracking open as our conversation became interesting for outsiders. By the third day or so, we'd probably be getting advice from those open windows. "You need to set that group straight, sister! If they gonna sneak off like that, you send 'em over here and I'll give them the what for fer ya."

(The truth is, the last time I walked with a pal, we tried to get all the news exchange we could -out right then because we knew it would be a while before we could walk in person again, and at the end of that walk, we both felt refreshed, but whoa be whoever walked in our wake. No telling what kind of excised energy we left behind us. Our goal is to walk and talk via phone, but since winter decided it wasn't ready to take its seasonal rest, I've not made it out this week. Abnormalness, ugh.)

• Abnormal worship- Churches fill so many needs for people. They tend to offer God, Jesus, faith, hope, love, and the Bible.    They also are a big part of being a community. Small examples of the world in nearly every way. So how do you build community and support the helpful message that WE are not alone, when we are quarantined?  
• Work church and home church along with many others have taken on the challenge! We may be socially distanced, but social media is so full it is blowing up the internet!   Working during this time is very interesting. From my church chick perch at the front desk, I see many talented staff finding creativity caches, and using them to provide support, worship, etc as if it has always been done this way. Many obstacles have been successfully overcome. 
• A couple have not. Communion, for one. Yes, I looked into hiring a plane to drop off mini cups with mini bagel bites and a mini bottle of grape juice to 3,000 congregants, but the cost was prohibitive, and you, know, I wondered for one tiny moment "Where is Jesus when you really need him? If he can feed thousands with one fish, he can figure out how to communionize a congregation, right?" My bad. I'm sure Jesus has been a little busy lately, preparing the way for us, and helping those who call his name. That's alot, I get it. 
• The other challenge has been "But what about EASTER?" "What about HOLY WEEK?" Let's be frank here. There will be an Abnormal Holy Week this year. Let's call it what it is and be done with it. Maybe we can skim through and have Easter in August, maybe we'll meditate our way through the week and awaken refreshed on that special Sunday.  Truthfully, what we are going to do about Holy Week seems trivial when I think about what Jesus is going to do. The same thing he does every year since that fateful first. Let's focus on that, so maybe, HE won't feel alone for a change.