Out of control

Just like you, there is much out of my control right now...but not everything! I figure one way to combat the anxiety of what I can't control is redouble my efforts in what I can control.

Some things that I am intentionally working on that I TOTALLY control:

• My attitude! No one is allowed in my head but me!
• My Faith in Christ Jesus...I live in an Easter world and I am going to continue to lean towards Easter at all times.
• My personal responsibility. I decide how I spend my free time (I am doing a lot more reading!). I decide how I am preparing for different contingencies. The successes of tomorrow begin with my personal responsibility today. 
• Taking an extra step to stay connected to family and friends to let them know I am here for them.
• Participating virtually with Evangelical UMC by regularly worshiping with them and doing whatever I am asked by their Senior Pastor!
• Eating more healthy...nuff said!
• More exercise...I am down several pounds from when I started this deployment because of being intentional with physical exercise. 
• Being patient with others. I don't help others around me through their anxiety if I am short with them.
• Thinking creatively in how to be a good citizen in the 21st century. One of my early predictions was (and still it), that we are going to find out some amazing new ways to be the church, be in community, do good for the world around us, etc. by being forced to think outside the box. Not to put too fine a point on it, but I think there will be organizations and companies that will find out really soon that they could have been more efficient and effective had they be doing new things well (like they are doing because of COVID-19).  One example is the residential college experience...do all those colleges really need all those students living in all those dorms??
• Being more grateful...there is a lot that stinks right now in the world, but there is WAY more good right now as well. My hunch is that this pandemic will make many of us not take so much for granted. At the top of my grateful list is health care professionals! When this is all said and done I say they get an immediate 52 weeks of paid vacation!! 

What about you? What are you intentionally controlling in the midst of all that is out of control? 

One final thought that has been on my heart lately is that my life is not my own. I strive to say and live with Paul each day..."not me, but Christ who lives within me."