April 2020 – Written by Anna Grace Clauch, HSHC Intern

I recently asked Sally Foster, who has been involved in HSHC throughout her time in seminary and is a regular participant in our Moving in Wholeness small group, to reflect on how she was handling the pandemic. This is what she shared with me….

“When Covid-19 began to redefine our lives everywhere and especially at CTS with staff and working from home and classes converted to online in a matter of days, I began to think very seriously about what I was going to intentionally do to make sure I was as healthy as possible.

Not being a “spring chicken” this is particularly important for me. I am blessed with not having any underlying health conditions, so now is the time for me to practice what I preach.
What I have realized about myself during this time is that I do not have any more excuses for not eating healthy and not exercising. I decided that not only because of Covid-19, but because it was the right thing to do, that I would walk around my neighborhood for 30+ minutes a day.

With the stay-at-home orders this was going to be very doable. I love walking outside and especially in my neighborhood as we have lots of trees and beautiful scenery. I have thoroughly enjoyed my walking as I have felt healthier, lost weight, toned up and met some new neighbors and dogs while I have been out and about.

Also, in eating healthier, I have focused on eating fish versus a lot of meat and I am eating a lot of fruit and vegetables with an occasional piece of chocolate!! I am a Lifetime member of Weight Watchers, so I decided to become more disciplined in tracking what I was eating, going to meetings (virtually), and drinking enough water.

All in all, despite the restrictions of going out, I have tried to focus on positive activities to stay healthy.”

April 2020 – When I (Travis) was growing up, and we had discussed an unpleasant subject for too long, my mother would redirect the conversation by saying, “Let’s talk about butterflies.” I don’t know about you, but I have consumed plenty of information about the coronavirus and the profoundly negative impact it is having on the world around us. Not to hide from reality, but I need a break! Perhaps it is time to talk about butterflies.

This spring has been absolutely stunning in Georgia. The blooming trees and flowers have been beautiful. The weather has generally been wonderful. While spending time in our garden last week, one of our hummingbird friends let us know it was time to set out our feeder for the season. Moreover, since we let our springtime backyard grow until the daisies go to seed, we also noticed that some of our favorite butterflies had returned.

Seeing the butterflies last week was very fitting, especially given that it was the first week of the Easter season. Butterflies symbolize:

Abrupt change: prior to mid-March, most of us were carrying on in our routines (the equivalent of a caterpillar just munching on its leaves), when everything suddenly came to a screeching halt. Now, people all across the world have been asked to embrace these changes – physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually, environmentally, etc. – while we shelter in place (forced to spend time in our cocoons, wondering what we and the world will look like when we are finally able to emerge).
Mystery: our expectations of how life is supposed to be have been completely altered, and we don’t know how God is going to use this situation (just like the mystery of how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly).
Transformation: we recognize that neither we, as people, nor the creation are the same as we were a month ago, and we will not be the same in the months to come. Seeing the butterflies reminds us of how something so magnificent comes from an ordinary caterpillar. As Christians, as Easter people, we trust that the God who brought resurrection from crucifixion can also work miracles in and through our current situation.

Christ is Risen! This fact offers us new life and new hope in the midst of our uncertain present and into the future.

Peace,
Karen and Travis Webster
HSHC Co-Founder

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash