Things to Do While on Quarantine
Be a Grace-Giver.
April 5, 2021
Huwag Mainip, Patuloy na Manalig.
April 5, 2021PITIK-BULAG: Things to do while at Quarantine..
1. READ BOOKS. Grab a good book and read. Relish and enjoy the rare opportunity of having lots of free time. Reading is something that we rarely do nowadays. Remember, we become what we think every day.
Reflect: If you’re a book, what are the chapters of your life? Are you happy to share your autobiography with others? Why? If the year 2020 will be your latest chapter, what will be your title? How do you plan to write this chapter? What do you plan to do? What do you plan to say or write?
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
2. CALL A FRIEND. Text or call your long-lost friends, relatives, and members of your family. Time to catch up with one another with our personal stories. In our busy moments, we tend to forget essential things in life, like relationships.
Reflect. When was the last time you communicate or say hello to your loved ones? Do you always get in touch with them? If not, why? How much time do you spend with your family? Is it quality time? Are you always in a hurry because of work or something less important?
“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
3. CLEAN YOUR ROOM. Clean and simplify your room. Sort out your things. Throw your garbage. Don’t hesitate to give away unused things. Most of them are dust gatherers and space eaters. Learn to let go of things. Keeping good memories is better than keeping things. Simplify your life. Aim for the essentials.
Reflect. If your heart is your private room, what are the things you need to let go of or throw away? Any ill feelings or bad emotions that you need to release? This emotional garbage simply eats space in your heart. Reserve those spaces for positive thoughts and good memories. Consider forgiveness as a cleaning agent to disinfect your heart.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10
3. SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY. Spend quality moments with your family and relatives. Wasting time with them deepens the relationship. Reclaim the adult’s tradition of telling myth, anecdotes, fables, and inspiring stories to children in our living room or even before sleeping.
Reflect. Do you have a regular “Me and My Family Time?” How frequent? If none at the moment, why none? What are the usual requests of your family to you? In moments like this, what do you plan to do to deepen your relationship with them?
“If a family divides itself into groups which fight each other, that family will fall apart.” – Mark 3:25
4. CLEAN YOUR STORAGE ROOM. Sort out your storage. Some of the things there is garbage. Some of the things deserve to be given away. These things rob you of good space in your garage. Then after throwing and giving away, start organizing things.
Reflect. What do you feel while cleaning your storage room? Why? If you have a storage room in your heart, what are the things you need to throw away? Any old dreams you’re still keeping? Are you still hoping to fulfill it? We need to accept that some of our dreams are not meant to be fulfilled. Let go of it and be free. Our past dreams hinder us to see the blessings of the present moment. Holding on to unfulfilled dreams distracts us to look forward and aim for something new.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
5. LEARN TO COOK. Learn to cook a new meal. Break the monotony of cooking the same meal and eating the same lunch or diner. Bring excitement to the table by introducing a different meal. Eating heartily and joyfully brings unity to the family.
Reflect. Many are hungry today because of the effects of enhanced community quarantine. Any plans of feeding the hungry, especially the children and the oldies? Do you share your blessings with other people? Do you fast so that others may have a feast? Let’s work for food that spoils. Aim for fulfilling God’s will, this is the food of Jesus (John 4:34).
“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” – John 6:27
6. CLEAN YOUR LAPTOP. Delete all unnecessary files, apps, programs, and old downloaded movies, videos, and documents in your laptop. Defragment your desktop and laptop.
Reflect. In the midst of this worldwide crisis where we are forced to stop and reflect our values in life, evaluate our own personal values, beliefs, and opinions. Social media have influenced our views, beliefs, and opinions. We need to unlearn this materialistic and selfish outlook we have unconsciously acquired in our lives. What are those bad values and attitudes that we need to unlearn and delete permanently from us?
“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” – Hebrew 13:5
7. GARDENING. Consider planting vegetables in your vacant lot or in pots. Try pechay, tomatoes, ampaya, okra, eggplant, or even sweet potato. They bring positive energy to your place, cleans the air, and bring oxygen to the atmosphere.
Reflect. Covid-19 brings fear and anxiety in our midst. Our minds are being polluted by the influx of bad news about the virus. We are prone to listening to fake news and forward them without checking the validity of the news. Why not consider planting good thoughts, encouraging words to ease the anxiety and fear in our midst.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10
8. READ THE BIBLE. Have you read the whole Bible? Do it now! Take time to read the Bible prayerfully and reflect on the Word of God. Begin by reading the four gospels, then proceed to the Letters of Paul, and then when ready, make an attempt to read the whole Bible. You may even receive enlightenment after reading it from Genesis to Revelation.
Reflect. Read the gospel slowly and prayerfully. What struck you most as you read the four gospels? Do you believe that the Bible is the Word of God? If yes, are you willing to commit yourself to ready it reflectively every morning?
“Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path.”
– Psalm 119:105
9. LISTEN TO THE WORD OF GOD. If you’re not used to long reading, try listening to the Word of God. Download the apps Bible. Is and be inspired by God’s Words.
Reflect. Are you attentive in listening to the first reading and second reading in the Mass? In a group conversation, are you a good listener?
“Speak, for your servant is listening.” – 1 Samuel 3:10
10. PHOTO ALBUM. Collect all your old photos and print memorable photos stored in your laptop, Facebook and Instagram. Then organize them according to themes or date and make an album. Old photos bring us back to our happy memorable days including the good feelings.
Reflect.
11. GENERAL HOUSE CLEANING. Organize all the members of your family and invite them to clean the whole house. Throw away garbages. Recycle things. Organize things.
13. MOVIE FOR VALUE FORMATION. Watch one or two movies with your family. Make the activity productive and formative. Watch documentary films and inspiring movies.
14. PAINTING. There is an artist in each one of us. Don’t hesitate to try all mediums like crayons, pastel, oil paint, watercolor, color pencils, or black pencil.
15. WRITE SOMETHING. Discover the writer in you. Write a poem, haiku, or short stories to console people from their fear of Covid-19.
16. BE A PRAYER WARRIOR. Pray for those who are sick and for all health workers in the hospital. The job of those in the hospital especially doctors, nurses, and staff are dangerous, as well as the soldiers and police who maintain order in our society. Offer a mass, rosary, or a short prayer for them for their protection against contagion.
17. SING DISCREETLY. Develop your singing skill by singing difficult songs with or without Karaoke.
18. CONSOLE THE SICK. Visiting the sick is discouraged to avoid contagion. But texting or calling them is possible.
19. CLEAN YOUR EMAIL BOX. Delete all useless emails. Reply back to old mails that need your attention.
20. WRITE A LETTER or a short note to someone that needs comfort and encouragement.
21. CLEAN YOUR CLOSET. Sort out your clothes. Set aside all clothes you are not using for years. Give them away to the poor.
22. PLAY WITH YOUR CHILDREN. We create beautiful memories with our children each time we play or spend time with them.
23. SPONTANEOUS FAMILY PROGRAM. Organize a short informal program with your family after dinner. Encourage them to present something as part of your family recreation.
24. RE-ARRANGE YOUR HOUSE. Re-arrange the furniture in your house. Wash the old curtains and replace them with new ones. Give a new look and spirit to your house.
25. CREATE A SMALL GARDEN. Bring some greens and life on your balcony, plant some plants in the pots.
26. LAZY BREAKFAST. Have a slow breakfast with your family or even with yourself. Don’t rush. We have all the time. There’s no work today. Just relish the food, enjoy the moment and enjoy the company.
28. ORGANIZE A COMMON RECREATION AFTER DINNER. Introduce to your family traditional group games like pick-up-sticks, scrabble, millionaires game, snake and ladder, jackstone, tumbling tower, domino, Uno cards, and others. Set aside for a while those computer games.
29. FAMILY ZUMBA. Organize a family Zumba in the morning. We need to stretch our muscles and promote good health and a sound mind.
30. MEDITATE AND REFLECT. When alone in the house, try short meditation using the Scriptures. Don’t underestimate the power of the Word of God to bring peace to our anxious hearts.
31. BE PROACTIVE IN SOCIAL MEDIA. Write encouraging words in your Facebook timeline. Think positive. Never forward anything in social media that will only add fear and confusion to our anxious community.
32. MAKE A COMPOST PIT in your open lot for your biodegradable waste. If you don’t have an open lot, create a compost bin. A big used plastic bin is a perfect alternative.
33. PRAY TOGETHER AS FAMILY. Introduce the Word of God in your morning prayer, rosary, or evening prayer. Pray for the whole world, especially for the eradication of the Covid-19.
34. FIX SOMETHING. Repair any broken things in the house.
35. SILENCE. Have quiet time with the Lord. We rarely have moments like these when we are asked to stay home. Sometimes doing nothing is doing something. Let’s take time to listen to God and to ourselves.
36. MAKE THANK YOU CARDS. Make personalized cards and give them to our health care workers who are actively involved in caring for patients with Covid-19.
37. PLAN AHEAD. If God is here beside you, what will he ask you to do to ease the effect of Covid-19 in your community?
