April 13,2020 COVID-19- Monday after Easter

 

Hebrews 13:5 

  As if the Coronavirus mess isn’t enough, tornadoes ripped through the south last night and are still threatening those states today. My babies are in SC & NC! ❤️🙏🙏🙏 

  

  It looks like we are flattening the curve by staying home and washing our hands. Although the number of cases has gone up (which it will since we are testing more), the number of recoveries still exceeds the number of deaths. 

  Over 189,000 of that total is in NY. 

Currently, FL has over 19,000 cases, withthe majority in south FL (Dade/Broward counties). 

 NC has over 4,000 cases (my #2 baby girl lives there 🙏)  

 SC has over 3,000 cases (my #1 baby girl lives there 🙏) 

 Mr Charley’s family are also in SC. 

  So, that’s where we are as of now.  

  People are getting antsy from staying in. 

Our government is starting to send the per person stimulus money to those who are stuck home.

   They’re sending money to small businesses to pay their employees and keep paying the bills. 

  They’re sending medical equipment, building hospitals, rallying businesses to build ventilators, produce masks, gloves and hand sanitizer.  

  Truckers are trucking it. 

 Grocery stores, hardware stores, pharmacies and other “essential” businesses are open with limits in purchases. 

 

  And now, as if that wasn’t enough, they’re battling over the next phase of stimulus, playing politics. Humans can really mess things up  🤦🏻‍♀️ 

 

As I said, people are getting antsy. 

 

  Yesterday was Easter Sunday. After my “personal” Sunrise Service, I went blueberry picking with a few of the ladies! It was a beautiful morning, partly cloudy, a little windy but the birds were singing and so was my heart. I picked 2 buckets (about 10 lbs) washed them up and gave them to a few neighbors. I’m planning on going back soon (I hope). Between the virus, the birds and the weather, the owner wasn’t sure how much longer she’ll stay open.  

 

I’ve got more neighbors I wanted to share with, so I hope I can get back there one day this week. 

I’m not the “best” friend or neighbor there is, but, I do what I can, when I can. 

 

  Stay calm, stay safe, wash your hands and pray for our World.  

April 12,2020 COVID-19- Easter Sunday!!

 

It’s Easter Sunday. 

A lot of people believe it’s a springtime festival where we dye boiled eggs and the “Easter Bunny” takes the eggs and hides them.  Some think he hides plastic eggs  (some filled with candy and money). And he leaves a basket of goodies. Some baskets look like those packaged kind we see at Walmart and some look homemade, but in any case, candy & maybe toys are involved. 

  Most of the time, it involves new outfits to wear to Church. When I was young, my mama made my sister & I matching outfits and we got new hats & gloves. 

This is my beautiful Mama. The date on the pic is from July 1962, and I’m sure wewere going to church but I don’t know if they were taken on Easter & took until July to get developed. 🤷🏻‍♀️ (developing film isanother story for another time) 

This is a pic of “Mamas pride & joys”, me, my sister, Sara and my twin brothers, Ron & Rick. 

I didn’t realize (as most of us), that Easteris ” Resurrection Day”!!  Or, at least I didn’t realize what “resurrection” meant  Not back then, anyway. 

  The Hope from the Fear❤️

Jesus was crucified on the cross and rose from the grave, giving Hope of life after death. Believers have that Hope. Sometimes we forget that we’re here for a purpose. Sometimes we forget that we’re supposed to hold each other up. Sometimes we forget how much we love our families and friends. And, sometimes we forget that God is in Control. 

  Sometimes, He has to remind us. 

Here’s some screen shots of totals US and Worldwide. 

Thank God, recovered is still higher than the number of deaths. 

Thank God our babies are safe. 

Happy Easter everyone. 

(And my great grand!) 

Stay calm, stay safe, wash your hands and pray for our World. 🙏🙏

April 11,2020 COVID-19- Still Alone Together

 

I wrote this in my Bible a long time ago. 

It made me think, I trust it’ll do the same for whoever reads this. 

It hit me as I reflect on the message of Holy Week. Jesus’ crucifixion crushed the hope of His followers. He walked with them, He ate with them, He talked with them daily and tried to tell them! He said, “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14) and they still didn’t get it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It’s just like us today, we know the “whole story”. We know why and how and we still don’t get it. 

Hope and Fear, Fear and Hope. 

The longer we continue with our “Social Distancing”, it amazes me to see the contrasts in human nature. Some people look for the negative, gloom and doom; some look for the positive and good. I think a lot of that is the difference between Fear and Hope. Our human nature is to fear the unknown and this virus is not only unknown, but also unseen! A person can be “asymptomatic” (showing no symptoms) and “contagious” (able to get you sick). So, some people hide inside, don’t want anyone near them, mask up, glove up, hoard groceries and toilet paper 🤦🏻‍♀️   I understand those with underlying conditions (health issues),but ......... And, of course there’s those who “finger point” and blame others, I could go on and on. 🤷🏻‍♀️

  Thank God, there are some who are staying positive, trying to be safe, checking on others, running errands for those who can’t (or shouldn’t) get out. I’m trying hard to be one of them. Some days, it ain’t easy 😂 

Here’s some screen shots of totals:

Worldwide :

Worldwide : 

US:

Recovered totals are still higher ❤️🙏

Stay calm, stay positive, wash your hands and pray for our World. 

April 10,2020 COVID-19- Good Friday - 2020

We’re still in “lock down” due to the Coronavirus.  Still washing hands (like I never did before?🤷🏻‍♀️) Still “social distancing” (sending air hugs ☺️) And....still praying 🙏🙏🙏 

  Got an awesome text from my #1 daughter yesterday: 

That is a BIG relief and a PRAISE report! 

  They don’t have the 15 minute “easy” test, she gets the “stick it WAY up your nose” kind. So, PLEASE pray for us all, but say a special prayer for Nicole’s nose since it’s not a pleasant test. 

Here’s a screen shot of US totals: 

And.... Worldwide totals: 

Good, Positive things going on: 

In North Texas, a relief Facebook group sent out the call for help running errands and getting food and supplies for those who couldn't and over 4,000 people responded. In Florida, a woman at a Publix market checkout line paid for the groceries of the man in front of her who had just lost his job of over 30 years. She also gave him a gift card, so he and his family could continue to afford food for the next month.And, here’s a list of stories of some GOOD THINGS happening across the USA: 

We’re all getting antsy hanging around, but we’re so resilient, we can and will survive this. And, until we can move forward, we can and must stay positive. 

  So, today’s Good Friday of Holy Week 2020. We’ve gone from remembering Jesus‘ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on “Palm Sunday” to His Crucifixion. If we put things into perspective, staying home and washing hands ain’t nothing! 

Stay safe, stay calm, wash your hands and pray for our World. ❤️🙏🙏

April 09,2020 COVID-19-Yeah, I’ve been slack and missed a couple of days

  It’s been really hard to get focused and sit to write this. 

With all the “social distancing” and the end of “snowbird season”, a lot of our friends have left and our normal daily routines have been turned upside down. As you know, we get up WAAAAAY too early! Don’t know why 🤦🏻‍♀️ we just do 🤷🏻‍♀️. 

  Mr Charley usually goes up front to “coffee time” with his buds, I finish my 2nd cup and then I start on my morning stretches and yoga. It really helps my back and achy bones.  Well, now that Mr C isn’t leaving, it’s giving me the perfect opportunity to use that as an excuse to slack off, and boy am I paying for it!  Yesterday my back was so sore nothing worked, so last night I heated up my herbal bean bag pack and kicked back. It’s much better this morning, so I’m going to try to at least do some stretches, just very gently. 

  

  So, staying positive amidst this pandemic, here’s a pic of yesterday’s sunrise ☺️ 

And......US TOTALS: 

Recoveries are still higher than deaths!

🙏🙏 Thank God 🙏🙏

I try to check in with my babies (without being too anal), via group text. It’s just my way of checking in, saying “hey” and letting them know I love them. 

Not all my kids/grands are on Facebook and I don’t know if they even read this blog (I’ve sent them all the link), so at least I’ve tried. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

  My #1 daughter, Nicole, called me yesterday while I was in the Winn Dixie, she assured me she’s as safe as possible, wearing her N-95 mask on her Rapid Response runs at the hospital. She gave me a quick “science” lesson on the virus & germs (which makes sense when she tells me but I sure don’t remember) and hoped I wasn’t wearing gloves! People don’t realize wearing gloves is probably spreading it more than just handling things & washing your hands. The peak hasn’t reached SC yet, but she is in Richland County which is the highest number in the State.  Not to “favor” or limit my prayers to just her (I love BOTH of my girls and their families ❤️), I do worry about her more since she’s up front working in the hospital. 

  My sweet little great granddaughter, Braelyn  “Face Messaged” me yesterday while we were playing Pokeno, so a few friends got to say “hello”. She’s a sweet, kind hearted child that melts my heart ❤️

  And, my #1 granddaughter, Jordan, called and caught me up on her “stay home” job situation at Ulta. She’s been getting her full paycheck, (Thank God for the CARES stimulus) and now Ulta will furlough them, so they “keep their jobs”, but can apply for unemployment. Although unemployment generally pays 60% of your salary; the CARES Act pays $600 a week! This is fantastic to help her stay home & still cover living expenses without ruining her credit. 

  My grandson and my #2 granddaughter both doing school through online courses; both of my son in laws , grandson in law, and my baby girl are all still working (either at home or at their job site). Thank God my babies are safe today (health wise & financially). ❤️🙏

  Mr Charley’s babies are checking in with him, too. They’re all safe and well and in my prayers daily. 

  I will continue to pray and practice the CDC Guidelines (social distancing , wash my hands, etc) until this mess is over justas we all are. By the looks of the decline in number of deaths anticipated, it’s working! ❤️🙏 

  And, I will continue to see the good coming out of this. Families pulling together, friends helping friends, strangers appreciating and supporting essential workers. Not just first responders (May God Bless them all), but the truckers, store clerks stocking shelves, cashiers, restaurant workers and so many more for keeping things going as we all try to stay home. 

  The Earth is waking up for Springtime and Nature is promising new life and new hope, just as the promise of Holy Week and Easter 

Stay safe, stay calm, wash your hands and pray for our World. 

April 06,2020 COVID-19 -The (CARES) Act Employee Retention Credits

Another part of the CARES Act is the “Employee Retention Credits”. 

This portion provides that eligible employers may take an immediate and refundable credit against the employer portion of their Social Security payroll tax equal to 50% of qualified wages. 

  An eligible employer means any employer, including an Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c) tax exempt entity, that was carrying on a trade or business during 2020 and either:
1. the employer’s operations were fully or partially suspended during a calendar quarter due to governmental orders related to COVID-19, or2. the calendar quarter is within a period of significant decline in gross receipts (gross receipts are calculated using the gross receipts test under IRC Section 448(c))

The statute says that employers who take a PPP loan are not eligible for the retention credit; however, it is not clear is how this exclusion would work for employers who receive this retention credit and who subsequently take a PPP loan. Further guidance on this is expected.

  The intent of these different sections of the CARES Act, IF businesses utilize these as designed, is to help businesses and employees alike the ability to keep their jobs (& businesses) intact until they can open up and get back to work.  Of course,the key word is “IF”. 

  We’re still in “lock down” due to the Coronavirus. It sounds like all the “Social Distancing” and stay at home, wash your hands orders are working to help “flatten the curve”. (The “curve” is the graph lines of all the statistic charts). 

Prime Minister of UK, Boris Johnson has been hospitalized due to Covid-19. Our President, Donald Trump & Vice President, Mike Pence have both been tested, along with the entire Task Force and THANK GOD all are fine. I’ll write about the fantastic Task Force our President has put together at a later date, but I have to note they have ALL done a fantastic job getting a hold on this mess. In spite of all the “haters” out there who can’t come together even in the midst of this mess. 

I will stay positive, trust our leaders and pray daily that we will get through this. I hope whoever reads this can do the same. 

  I found this old bookmark in my Bible & thought it was a great reminder. 

Here’s US totals:

Recovered totals are STILL higher than deaths. THANK YOU, LORD!  ❤️🙏🙏🇺🇸

Stay calm, stay safe, wash your hands and PLEASE pray for our World. 

April 05,2020 COVID-19- Palm Sunday

We’re still in “lock down” due to the Coronavirus. But God is everywhere and my burdens are heavy. Not as heavy as our President, but still heavy worrying about my babies. So, I took my golf cart and rode out back away from everyone,  parked under a tree and prayed. I did that gut wrenching, crying, begging,  “mama” kind of praying that we’ve all done before. At least, most of us have.   

  

  The Bible tells us in Jeremiah, if we call unto Him, He will answer. 

  I’ll admit, I used to have a lot of faith. Things happened and I lost it, but I’m healing and things have turned out better than I ever imagined, and with that, I’ve gotten stronger. And, my faith is slowly coming back. 

If you look at what’s going on in our world today from a spiritual perspective, who else can we call on?  

The Bible tells us :  

  I am one of His people, so I humbled myself, and I prayed. After I had a good praying, crying time; I had an awesome singing! Sitting in my golf cart, with my ear buds in, good Christian music and I was making a joyful “noise”, singing and praising Him.   

I listened to a couple of different preachers from home and had a good Palm Sunday “alone together” with other believers all over the world. It was humbling and it was awesome. 

 Say what you want, I don’t care. I felt better. My heart and soul were renewed.  

  I have to believe my babies will be OK. Especially my #1 daughter, Nicole, a Rapid Response Nurse in Richland County SC. 

We all know Drs and nurses; truck drivers, grocery store workers, etc. and it’s time to come together and thank God for them and pray for their protection and health as we “ stay home” 

  

  So, I’ll continue to find Positive things happening. People helping people, because without Hope we have nothing. 

Today’s Worldwide totals: 

Thank God, recoveries are still greater than deaths. 

Stay safe, stay calm, wash your hands and PLEASE pray for our World.