Covid-19 – What does it mean? I was telling the kids someday their grandkids will interview them for some history project and ask them what they did during the world wide pandemic, much the same way our kids have asked us about 9/11 and I asked my parents about gas shortages in the 70’s.  So, I pondered what I will say when it’s all over. What did Covid-19 mean to me…

The Biggest way is the 19 pounds I gained!  Who knew feeding my kids at home for every meal when time wasn’t an issue would create a virtual feast for every meal?  It’s creative cooking…and it’s not light!  It’s using meals as entertainment.  We had hot cookies, cheesecake nachos, BBQ ribs, homemade sourdough pizzas, cobblers, crisps, kettle corn, cinnamon rolls.  My mouth is watering again….

Then there are 19 items that are missing from every store… face masks, toilet paper, Kleenex, paper towels, flour, sugar, dish soap, hand sanitizer, dry milk (but regular milk was tough to find, just not impossible), elastic, Vitamin C, Vitamin anything!, alcohol (but shockingly only the rubbing kind), feminine hygiene products, meat (you know, beef – fish was plentiful still, of course), fresh garlic,  Parmesian cheese (alright, most cheeses – I’m just still looking for this one), Hostess Donettes!! (that was a tragedy!), and even sheetrock mud!!

19 minutes a day – I got more than 19 minutes a day talking with my kids!  I finally go to the point I felt caught up on their lives.  On the flip side, I got less than 19 minutes alone with Jeremy, my husband, a day!

Lines of 19 people or more just to get into Home Depot?!?!  Since when did we have to wait to enter Home Depot on a day that’s not Black Friday!

Covid-19… at least 19 opportunities to look at my life different and wondering what will I do differently when the pandemic is over…

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.”

Romans 8:26-28

Early in the Pandemic, I had to cancel a large event. I drafted my email, but I couldn’t seem to say the same things everyone else had written in their emails.  I couldn’t write “stay safe”.  I’ve pondered my hesitance at the phrase many times since.  It’s at the bottom of every notice and public communication.  What’s my problem?

Have you noticed the fear factor around us of this “new” unseen enemy?  People can’t control, track, or fight it.  The best we know how to do is hide from it.  We cover ourselves and avoid everything so that we will be untouched by this enemy that is lurking everywhere, undetected.  It’s amazing to me the responses people have had. 

But this is not a new enemy or even a new pandemic.  More accurately it’s an old one.  An ancient one.  We live every day with an enemy who targets us, hunts after us, learning our secrets, discovering our weaknesses.  He seeks to destroy us through any means possible. If destruction isn’t possible, he will use shame or guilt to slow us down. The ultimate goal is to use us to spread his disease to others so that they will also be infected and destroyed.  Fear.  Failure.  Death.  And let me tell you, he is skilled!

But there is another.  One who lives to save me!  An Antidote, if you will.  He provides life.  It doesn’t matter at what stage I am in the process; He can rebirth me.  Strange concept – but He truly has the power to make me free from the disease of this unseen but very present enemy.  And once He provides me with this new life, He will never leave.  The enemy will continue to lurk around, but I am now free from fear.  I have the Antidote!

For years I have lived for the purpose of sharing this new life.  I am free from fear.  Free to live.  Why hide from the unseen enemy when I can live with the life giver!

If you are living in fear of this pandemic, I challenge you to ponder who you are afraid of and what you seek.  Safety?  Life?  Freedom?  There is only one true source – who is the author of it all – Jesus Christ.

1 John 4:4, Hebrews 13:5, John 10:10, Romans 8:11

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”

Romans 8:11

Our crew is a fun loving, Jesus serving, all in family! Wherever God leads, we go. There is nothing special about us, except that we all know we are created special and for a purpose by a God who adores us! We’ve taken up His dare to give it all and see what He will do. The Iridescence Studio is part of that challenge. We have created, partnered and now we put it out there to see what God will do next.

We have created this website with the hope that other families will be encouraged to live out their faith in the world with all that they have. It is our dream to provide resources for people and families so that they can serve to the fullest!