CORONAVIRUS UNIVERSITY PT 2: Turning BAD NEWS to GOODI!

"Life and death are in
the power of the tongue"
(Proverbs 18:21)

I've always wanted to learn a new language. One semester of French in high school and two more in college and I still can't parlez vous.  I didn’t think I'd get another chance to learn one... until now!

Like you, over the past few weeks I've found myself catapulted into a brand new world with its own unique vocabulary.  I've listened carefully to the news, googled  strange jargon to grasp the meaning and learned to use it with comfort and ease.

Finally, I'd acquired fluency in a new dialect.  If I want to I can converse with anyone around the world and be understood. I call it... well I don't actually have a name for it,  but it's a patois of medical, media, and political buzzwords currently saturating the communication airways.   Unfortunately, nearly all of it is negative!  This concerns me and it should concern you too.

God's Word says that life and death is in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21).  Another passage,  James 3:1-11 takes a critical look at our speech and compares its potency to that of a horse's bit, a ship's rudder, and a fire flame. Each of these are very small but have the potential to be deadly. 

WORDS, the instrument of language can be deadly whether spoken, written or embodied as self-talk.  No wonder we are cautioned in scripture to handle them with extreme care. Unlike the coronavirus, we know quite a bit about their potential for good and a lot more about the devastating results. WORDS, after all can be very contagious! 

REDEFINE NEGATIVE PANDEMIC TERMINOLOGY

Why Not Change Your Perspective On the Coronavirus By Changing Your Words.

Although we cannot control the pandemic or the culture it has created, we can change how we communicate while experiencing it.  Perhaps even look at it as a life coach to help us become healthier and more productive.  Try these terms for starters and then clap back in the comments section with some of your own creations:

• New Normal - Eliminating old destructive lifestyles or habits replacing them with healthy choices.  Was what you were doing before the pandemic really normal?  Any bad habits you need to eliminate but never had the time or discipline? This pandemic may give you the incentive you need to make a fresh start!

• Flattening the Curve - Get moving: Stretch, Exercise, Jog or Walk to fight saddle bags, flabby thighs, and protruding tummies.  All the mental and health professionals are saying the same thing.  Now is not the time to gorge on high caloric foods and watch endless television. Our bodies need to be strong and fit to ward off impending diseases.  Flatten don't fatten those body curves?    

• Social Distancing -  Adaptation NOT isolation. You don't have to be lonely during this crisis, even if you live alone.  SD is about controlling with whom and how you interact! Connect or reconnect with others using technology: telephone, zoom, FaceTime, Skype, social media and don't forget, post offices are still in business, drop a card!  Encourage the elderly, others with chronic illnesses, or singles with no family nearby.  The pandemic has forced us to distance ourselves for awhile, but many who are sick and infirmed have been living it for years!

• Shelter In Place - A.K.A. Me-Time! How often have you wished you had a day all to yourself to do what you wanted to do? Read a book, soak in the tub, work on a project!  No excuses now! For some the pandemic has helped them to regain focus and really become creative. For others it's been an opportunity to learn new things via TED Talks, You Tube and the myriad of DIY videos available on line! 

BUT DON'T BE A COVIDIOT!

• Covidiot - Be responsible for your own health as well as others! Comply with CDC recommendations: DON'T: Hoard food, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, disinfectant items.  DON'T: Price gouge if you have an abundance of an essential item.  Pack out parks, beaches, and streets with large  crowds. DON'T: Violate social distancing parameters when shopping.   DON'T: Become rude or violent when asked to wear a mask. Waste what others could use.   DO: Wear face masks and gloves (don't forget the children).  DO: Clean and disinfect common touch areas. Share what you have with others. DO: Stay at Home if you feel ill. DO: Pray for our front-line and essential workers. DO: Use common sense no matter what your state officials say about returning to church, shops, restaurants, etc. 

WE CAN TURN BAD NEWS TO GOOD NEWS

WITH ONLY THESE "TWO" LITTLE WORDS!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

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