What an interesting time we live in. Just a few weeks ago, Corona was a bottle of beer with a slice of lime peeking out of it, and I would have guessed COVID-19 was a distant planet just discovered that might support life. Now it’s a virus that is threatening life for some, and totally altering life for everybody else.

For days I tried to determine whether I should go attend spring training games in Arizona with the current scare going on, and then the day before I am scheduled to leave they up and cancel all the games. So at least I don’t have to make the decision, but I’m not sure I like that. They took my option away. Something about that doesn’t seem right. Something in me wants to go anyway, just to spite. Walk over to training camp in the morning and see what the players and coaches are doing. They’re all going to be there, I bet. They’re going to be doing something. They probably won’t let me near any of the players, but I know of a couple vantage points where you can look down on the whole training facility. I could at least see professional ballplayers in red spring training jerseys swinging bats and chasing balls.

These are the worst of times but they could also be the best of times. These are times that force us out of our routines and who knows what we might come up with then? One of our MemberPartner couples are ticket-takers at the spring games. I was planning on seeing them. Maybe I will see them anyway, only for a longer period of time. And one of our Accountability Commission members is in Tucson. Hmmm.

Tim and his wife, who live in Western Washington where schools are closed until April 24, are taking their two grandkids on a five-day road school trip to camp at a state park and do science, geography, biology and other life lessons.  “This way the children’s parents can maintain some sense of normalcy in their daily lives,” he wrote. And how about the grandparents? Sounds like a lot of fun for somebody! That’s creative, and it might not have even happened otherwise. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Online communities are suddenly the safest place to be together. We can “handshake,” “high-five,” “hug” … whatever we want. At least give me a fist-bump. Our Catch online community has suddenly become the place to be. Write your friends; catch up on your emails.

And what about all those crowds at church? What are we going to do about that? We’re going to attend Church at the Catch without leaving our houses, that’s what we’ll do. If you’ve never joined us, this weekend would be a great time. We meet at 6pm Pacific Daylight Time at www.facebook.com/thecatch. See? We can get creative, too.

The point is: don’t be trapped in your thinking. Be safe, but think outside the box. Who knows what God has for those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose? We are never trapped. We might be physically restrained in many ways in the coming days — even “trapped” in our homes — but our spirits can always soar.