I wanted to write to say hello and to let you know that I miss you all. What I truly miss the most right now is the hugs, the getting together, the dinners and the physical closeness we shared. It seems so weird now that we can’t touch each other, can’t shake hands or give each other hugs. Thats what’s so hard for me. How are you feeling?
I’ve been handling the quarantine pretty well up to now, but this morning I woke up feeling a little sad. I haven’t blogged much lately because I felt everyone had enough on their plate, enough to adjust to and figure out. Now that some time has passed, and I have also had some time to adjust I wanted to write and ask how you are doing and feeling? Each day brings different emotions and challenges for everyone of us. We all have a different story to tell, and we are all experiencing this thing differently depending on our professions, if we have children at home or older children out of work now, if you’re someone on the front lines, someone working from home now or someone struggling how to keep your job or business running. It’s so strange to look at all of this and to think where we were as a country just 3-4 weeks ago. Life was good and as my husband and I would drive around, we couldn’t believe the things popping up all around us, everywhere, more and more restaurants, hotels, apartments, condos and houses galore. Things were so good, people were working and happy. In just a second it seems everything changed. Well, because everything did.
For me, in this moment, today…I woke up thinking about all the restaurants and places we love to go to eat, all the good times with friends and all the great memories that have been made. I think of Chef Lisa Dahl in Sedona Arizona with 5 award winning restaurants and her latest one called Butterfly Burger that had just opened. I think of all the local restaurants in San Tan Valley that had just recently opened and were doing so well. I think of all the Top Chef’s restaurants all over the country and in Las Vegas, I think about all the restaurants that I have done reviews on in the past several years and how they are doing. I got to know the servers, some of the managers and Chefs and I know how much they love their jobs and how they are like one big family. I had a lineup of reviews to blog about but somehow it doesn’t seems right to post them at this time.
I don’t know exactly what came over me this morning but this overwhelming sadness passed through me and I wanted to cry for everyone who is sick, struggling, unsure, depressed and confused. I mean this truly is like a whole new world now. We’ve never seen anything like this before in our lifetimes. It’s surreal, like we’re living in a movie or something, but what I’ve also come to see is that it is like a reset, a time to reflect and relax in some weird way. Like we have all been given permission to take that time off, to spend time with our kids or our spouse and to work a puzzle or play a game. It sort of brought us all back to a day when things were simpler and not so complicated. A day when we became more grateful for the things we have and are realizing we can live on less and reflect on what’s truly important. I don’t know about you but this has really changed me.
I’ve always loved my time with the Lord but through this time have really been endulging in his word and seeking his truth. In times like this, where does our help come from? It comes from him. He knows everything that lies hidden in darkness though he is surrounded by the light. He is our source of strength and our hope for the future. And there is one thing I know for sure and that what the evil one intends for harm our God will turn to good. Even though it is hard to see and the vision seems unclear, He knows all, he sees all and nothing is hidden from his eyes. He is in the middle of our pain, our struggles, our sadness and all of our joys. He is for you not against you, He is real and He is there for you always.
Today, in this moment, I ask God to touch you each in a special way as you enter into this new week, to somehow show you that you are special and cared for and that He loves you so much. In this time I ask God to show you something new, to show you that you are a gift, unique, one of a kind and that anything you can do for others during this time will not only touch that person but it will change you too. YOU are God’s masterpiece uniquely gifted to do things that only you can do. Maybe this is the time to follow your Passion, to ignite that dream that lies within you and to have the confidence to begin.
God bless you on this beautiful Monday, and I pray that his light shines upon you brightly.
Jules xo
