Visions form in my head every time I drive by. On the way to the post office I pass my favorite restaurant, closed during this corona crisis. A Mexican place, they cook up the best refried beans. I eat them in some fashion every time I go. Those beans appear in my daydreams, along with green chiles and a host of other delicacies.

These are days of fasting, forced upon us. All of us are missing parts of our lives we enjoy and I admit, take for granted. For me, no March Madness, no Cardinal baseball, no travel (trips cancelled to Vietnam, to Oklahoma City to see our kids, and to El Salvador), no movie theaters, no refried beans.

With the losses come surprises. Tons more open time. Time to think. Time to read. Time to pray. Time to listen to what God might be saying. Time to listen to what my wife might be saying.

I find myself walking throughout the day. Several times a day, often for a few minutes, other times an hour or so. I’m working from home, so I leave out my front door. My job is secure at this point, and I’m grateful. I’m worried for friends and neighbors whose finances are precarious due to shutdowns and layoffs.

In Hebrews 11 Paul introduces us to a great cloud of witnesses, who lived, and died, with faith in the Lord. At one point Paul writes that they “were made strong out of weakness.” Today we face weakness. Forced apart, no cure but time and social distancing, fear inching closer, we understand we are weak. Which is actually a good place with the Lord.

Believers throughout history faced plagues with faith in God and a commitment to care for their neighbors. Ordinary men and women, they felt weak, helpless, and afraid of death. Still, they quietly helped others, and neighbors noticed how these godly people practiced and lived their faith. We live in a similar time, and I hope to help others in a similar way. We’ll see how it goes. No matter what, a great cloud of witnesses cheers us on.

And when this time ends, I’ll celebrate with a plate full of beans.