About twelve hours ago when the phone at my elbow blared a loud, piercing tone, I thought I was going to have a heart attack. The tone was a Severe Emergency Alert from the governor of New Mexico, informing us that we are not to leave our homes except for “emergency essential outings.”
The good news is that I did not have a heart attack. Uhm, I think that’s good news. 😉
These are trying times, for real. I believe it’s especially important right now to be very gentle with ourselves and with each other. Stay Safe and Stay Sane — that’s my new motto. It’s easier said than done though, right?
Please feel free to share in the comments below about how you are getting through this unprecedented time. Advice, complaints, all are welcome. Here’s a great big grandma’s ((HUG)) if you want one. With social distancing built right in. 😀
A Blog About Healing From PTSD 
((hug)) ❤
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Aww, thank you ❤
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Heavy on the naps and snacks! But if I am to be truthful I was pretty heavy on them BEFORE the virus hit us so not too much change there. Actually, in spite of all the negative repercussions, which are undoubtedly very serious, there is a peace to be found in resting in God. May God’s grace, peace and blessings surround you and yours.
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“…there is a peace to be found in resting in God” — Amen. Blessings to you and yours, too.
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Hear! Hear! Bruce!
I don’t have anyone sick with it-but my daughter is an ER nurse and it’s a little stressful on them! I shared 2 Timothy 1:7 with her and she posted up in the ER ❤️🙏🏻
Linda to you and your loving hubby
(((( ❤️ ❤️ ))))
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2 Timothy 1:7 King James Version (KJV):
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
That’s the perfect verse for a time like this, especially in the ER. I did about one month working in the hospital emergency room when I was a student nurse, and that was tough during normal times. I can only imagine what it must be like now. The doctors and nurses who put their lives on the line when they go to work every day are true heroes.
Thank you for sharing that scripture, Beth. ❤❤
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You’re welcome-they are pretty humble-Amanda knew when she signed on something like this break out was a potential-she is saying a lot of prayers and even gets opportunities to talk to patients about Jesus 🙏🏻❤️
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Oh, and one more thing, Beth: thank you for the hearts for me and my husband. Probably right around the time you were writing that comment, my husband was in a dangerous situation on his riding lawn mower in the back yard. I ran out to help him, praying that he wouldn’t be injured or killed — and me along with him, as I struggled to help! But we are both fine, and now the riding lawn mower won’t start. I think God answered my prayers and killed it. 😉
I’m praying for your ER nurse daughter’s safety and health.
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GOOSEBUMPS!!! Amen, Linda!!! Praising the Lord with you ❤️❤️
Thank you for your prayers! SO VERY MUCH!!
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Amen, praise the Lord God Almighty! I wrote my previous comment, before I saw your second comment. So now I know that when I pray for health and protection for Beth’s daughter, I am praying for Amanda. ❤❤
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Amen! And Amanda will be thankful to know that you are praying for her, too!!!
❤️❤️
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I love the pictures. Is that one of your dogs, Linda? The meme about Elijah is so true. (((big hug)))
💖
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Hi Lesley. Thanks for the hug back. 😀
Yes, that’s our Lady, an Australian Cattle Dog mix. She was a rescue. The perfect dog for my husband and me, as she had PTSD, too.
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She’s lovely. ☺
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(((HUG)))
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Awww. ❤❤
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How am I coping? Playing in the dirt and killing freakin’ snakes. (another one yesterday)
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Uhhh yikes!
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Right! Lol
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Have you found more poisonous snakes as you work in your garden? That would definitely take some of the joy out of gardening for me.
My dad used to tell a story about coming home one day from his job at a California utility company, and finding me sitting on the front porch, playing with a rattlesnake in my lap. Amazingly, I hadn’t been bitten. I was about two years old at the time, and I don’t remember anything about it, just hearing him talk about it over the years. But yikes, I can’t imagine playing with a rattlesnake today!!
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Bringing my tools in yesterday one was right there in the grass in the middle of my yard! I worked 3 days in the yard and each day a stinkin’ copperhead popped up. I still have 20 more Phlox plants to plant tomorrow then mulching etc. so maybe after that I won’t run into them much. The rattlesnakes are up north of me thank God but the copperheads are predominate in my area. You KNOW the Lord had plans for you when you can play with a rattler and not get bit.
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Wow, all those copperheads, yikes. Just before I turned three, my family moved from California to Missouri, where we had some copperhead snakes and also poisonous cottonmouths. I had a cottonmouth chase me once when I was swimming in a river, with its mouth wide open. I was married and pregnant with my oldest child then. Scary!!!
Most of the snakes we had in Missouri were harmless black garter snakes. I still hated them poisonous or not.
Thank you for the positive spin on me playing with a rattler when I was too little to know what I was doing! I never thought of it that way. My dad, who had a lot of mental health issues, thought it was an indication that I might be in league with the devil. Yeah, at age two. He was reassured to see me freak out at the sight of a black garter snake, a couple of years later!
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My next door neighbor just saw another one at the edge of our yards. Someone said this is their mating season. I think its past and now we’re seeing all the results! Grrrr
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Hugs to you too, sweetie. I’ve been trying my best to post positive things on social media. We don’t need to politicize any of this or play the blame game. What we need is to work together to destroy this enemy by staying safely apart for just a little while. We can do this!
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I agree — we can do this. 🙂
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Since I’m a homebody and an introvert, not to mention retired, this whole thing has been a breeze for me. I do the same things I do when there isn’t a crisis — read, write, listen to music, knit, crochet, watch movies, make supper for my husband…
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Awesome! I’m pretty much in the same situation as you, Bluebird, only with “struggling against an exponentially increased number of anxiety attacks” added to the list. 😀
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I don’t know if you’ve seen the movie “War Room,” but I loved the old woman that had so much wisdom and passion for God. I decided that prayer warrior was a role model for me. When we first moved here I set aside a walk-in closet to be MY “war room.” Closets have a way of getting full of irrelevant stuff, though, and this room had lost its original purpose…
Lately I’ve been clearing out my war room and getting my pictures on the wall, not the least of which is a map of the world, so when I’m praying for nations I can focus on each one as I go. I’ve been getting up before it’s light and spending the first hour or so in my (literal!) prayer closet.
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I LOVE this! Hmmm, now I’m wondering where in my house I can do the same thing…
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I heard Suzannah Wesley (with her dozen or so kids) would just pull her apron up over her head and pray. The kids knew that when Mama had her head covered, DON’T bother her! 😉
P.S. Do check out that movie if you get a chance. It’s on Amazon Prime. 🙂
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That WAS a fantastic movie, Ann! Kudos to you for preparing your own war room!
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We are struggling, but enduring…I seem to be going through a never-ending trial. 😞 I almost just wish Jesus would come back right now! I’m weary from blow, after blow, wave after wave of trial. I know that God has this all worked out in His plans for me; but I just want a respite for a minute! Either way, whatever happens, I will praise the Lord! And I will serve Him to the best of my ability. If my trials NEVER end…He is STILL WORTHY!! 🙌🙌✝️✝️✝️✝️
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I know you have a true heart for the Lord, Paul. I’m praying for you and your situations. God is good all the time, even when there is no fruit on the vine or cattle in the stalls, as Habakkuk says. Oh, but I am anxious for your trials to end. ❤
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Thank you so much. ♥️
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I was off work for a few days and then called back as I am helping build info structures for triage hospitals in New York City, it’s stressful to say the least. Other than that I go back home as we are also not allowed to go anywhere other than grocery store
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Oh… Prayers ❤
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Thank you
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Your meme, added to the lockdown is going to make it tough for my wife. She is an extrovert with a tremendous case of wanderlust. She could walk into the backyard, just to get rid of a bit of the cabin fever, but they are expecting thunderstorms with possible tornado activity in western TN today. It is sunny in PA, but like Bluebird, I’m an introvert and saying indoors gives me more time to do quiet stuff. Stay safe.
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Are you in Pennsylvania? My younger son and my grandson live there.
It looks like it may rain here in New Mexico today. Usually I love the rain, because without it we tend to get wild fires. I, too, love to get outdoors, which I can still do in our fenced back yard, even in the rain, under the patio cover. Yesterday morning I was sitting on the patio while our two dogs ran around the yard, when I heard what sounded like a single gunshot nearby. Scary. It made the dogs go nuts. We live in a small city that has far too many suicides and murders, for such a small population. So now, I am a little hesitant to go into our back yard.
I saw a meme the other day. Think of the State Farm insurance jingle: “Like a good neighbor — stay over there!” 😀
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Yes, I am in the greater Pittsburgh area. We’ve been here 24 years after leaving the high desert of Washington state, before that the SE US.
Last time that my wife (now in the Memphis area until maybe the first of June) heard a gunshot, it wasn’t one. In 1994 we were in northern Mississippi. I was cleaning ice off the satellite dish when it sounded like hunters were too close to the house. It was pine trees exploding. The trees knocked out electrical power and since our road was sparsely inhabited, we did not get power restored for three weeks.
Love the changed State Farm jingle.
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I have been busier than ever this week. One of the ladies at church suggested starting a 24-hour prayer shield, so she got the job of phoning everyone and I got the job of working on and typing up the prayer guide and sending them out plus a number of other e-mails to those who signed up for a spot on the schedule. Between miscommunication, a sometimes unruly computer, a printer that wouldn’t print, and an e-mail that wouldn’t send, it has kept me occupied, sometimes until the wee hours of the morning. I think we have it pretty well organized now, so it should be smooth sailing (or should I say e-mailing) from here. I spent most of today watching the live streaming of a day of fasting and prayer for Canada. It was over 9 hours, but I didn’t get on until about the second hour. It was quite inspiring to hear so many spiritual leaders praying. As I am quite happy not to have to go out for anything, I am content to stay in and do whatever.
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Smooth e-mailing. Lol, I love it.
I wrote 3,338 words in my work-in-progress memoir today. For me, that’s a lot, I usually only get a few hundred words down per day. I will be so glad when I have the first draft finished. Of course, that’s when the real work begins. The art of writing is rewriting. 🙂
The live stream of fasting and praying for Canada sounds wonderful. I’ve been doing a lot of praying. I believe I need to add some fasting time, too.
Thanks for your comment. God bless.❤
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The way your dog is lying on the couch…:D Lol
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I know, right? When I walked into the room and saw her like that, I was praying she would not move while I went to get my camera. I couldn’t believe it when I returned and she was still in that pose!
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Too too cute!! That is a natural born photogenic fur baby right there!
Great post! Stay safe and stay sane… really good motto at this point!
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Thank you, Renee. ❤❤
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Bless you my dear. I am so glad you did not have an heart attack. I can’t help feeling that the media and authorities are trying hard to make us afraid. This reminds me of the HIV pandemic in the 80’s and 90’s when many people died of ‘fraids’ instead of AIDS.
I love the tweet. Lots of hugs to you also and take care of yourself.
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Thank you! ❤❤
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I’ve been saying, “Stay safe” a lot, but I think your motto is better, Linda. “Stay Safe and Stay Sane” fits our time even better!
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Thanks, Mitch. It came to me in a flash of brilliance, while working on my memoir, Growing Up Crazy. 😉
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I’m loving all the humor that’s coming out of this: parodies, videos, jokes, memes, etc. Americans are not only clever and smart, they’re FUNNY! If only the political divide in the country could be dissolved…
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A nap and a snack helps! Like Nancy above, I’m liking all the creativity coming from these tough times. And also, gestures of kindnesses I’m seeing.
I SKIP the rants and other stuff – and try to dismiss the snubs.
Thanks for providing encouragement here and space to smile.
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Thank you, Marian. Skipping the rants and snubs is the best idea. ❤
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Oh I can not imagine having an emergency tone come on your phone. I’m not napping but the snacking…😋. Loving the creativity and communities we are seeing with people in their neigbourhoods, and their families. All while keeping social distancing. There are going to be some very sad and lonely pets when we do return to some semblance of our previous Covid-19 days.
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I know our little poodle will be lonely when things go back to normal. He always wants a lap to lie down in. But our big dog likes a certain amount of alone time. She will probably be dancing around, singing “I’ve got the whole house to myself yaay!” : -D
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I am imagining your big dog dressing up and singing and dancing all about while the poodle just runs and hides. be safe.
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My you have a line up of nice people. Some I know. Others I’d like to click and find out about. Thanks for reading my Mother’s Woe.
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