#MyPandemicStory: While my husband worked with coronavirus patients, God taught me patience through bluebirds
By Merideth Tullous
I found myself sheltering in our home in Texas with my two young boys and my frontline-working husband. It was mid-April and we had weathered about a month of the pandemic.
My husband is a registered nurse and was working the night shifts at one of the local hospitals. His department had been turned into one of the COVID floors, which meant he was working longer hours in an extremely intense environment.
In the beginning of the pandemic, I was worried that he and my children would become infected. Every time he arrived home from a shift, all of his clothes were washed with scalding hot water. His masks were hung like stockings out in the garage since he had to wear his own entering and exiting the hospital.
Out of precaution, my husband distanced himself from us at home as best he could until the hospital staff felt comfortable that their protective equipment was working.
Through this, we tried to keep a sense of normalcy alive for our children. We created a fun school table, went on nature walks and scooter rides, made a duct-tape hop-scotch, built a fort out of scrap wood, and had lots of laughter. But if I’m honest, it all was hard at times (and still is), but it also challenged me in a new way, spiritually.
I sought to keep my home organized but the dishes kept piling up and clothing erupted from the laundry baskets.
I had prided myself on being patient, but I found myself annoyed at having to sanitize everything, temperamental if my work call was interrupted, flabbergasted at the amount of times per day my children asked for a snack, and pressured to keep a 7 and 4-year old somewhat quiet so my husband could sleep during the day.
I would pray every evening for protection over my loved ones and for renewed strength, but sometimes I never made it to the Amen before falling asleep.
A surprise gift: A birdhouse
One afternoon during the lock-down, I stepped out to our front porch and found a small pile of wood, screws, and nails.
Our neighbor had decided to make birdhouse kits for the local children, so they could put them together. It was amazing. My boys were ecstatic, as they love to hammer things.
It was a day that my husband was off shift. The boys and their dad completed the birdhouse in about an hour. My eldest walked around the entire backyard, trying to find the perfect place to screw it to the fence. He chose the highest point in the yard.
“Mom what if a bird moves in right away!” he said. He didn’t form it as a question, but more of a matter-of-fact statement.
Trying not to crush his excitement, I simply replied, “Well, we might have to be patient. It might take time.”
He bounced away without a care in the world.
Then it hit me.
Do I practice what I preach?
I want my children to be patient, but am I?
That’s a huge NO!
Two days later, we were at our dining table, which looks out to the backyard. “Oh my gosh — look!” I whispered, as if I was going to scare the bird.
My family raced to the window. Not only had God sent a bird, He’d sent two birds—Eastern Bluebirds to be exact. Their feathers were a vibrant blue. They fluttered in and out of the small hole in the birdhouse building a nest, one stick at a time.
Okay God, I get it. Even the birds are more patient than I am.
Learning patience to trust God
The bluebirds became the highlight of our stay-at-home experience during quarantine. Mama bird settled in to lay her eggs, and my kids were positively busting a gut with delight. We were going to welcome a bird family!
Okay God, I’m hearing the message you’re sending. Now we wait for the eggs to hatch.
I believe God was telling me not only to be faithful during this time, but to search my heart. God sent those bluebirds to teach my family many lessons, but patience was the one I needed to hear.
The bluebirds are still tenants in the little wooden house out back. Now we see mama and daddy bird bringing worms and other critters to the little hole. We hear adorable chirps coming from inside.
I felt drawn to open the Word and study what the Bible says about patience. The most popular theme regarding patience is of course the “Fruits of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV). But my view of God changed, perhaps even matured, when I turned to 2 Peter 3:9.
This passage proclaims the depth and limitlessness of God’s patience. God is so patient that he does not want ONE person to perish. Currently, approximately 7 billion people live on this Earth, and He is waiting patiently for each one. That means He is waiting for them to open their hearts and souls.
Wow. God waited patiently for me. He waited until I prayed my prayer of acceptance, and I believe He is waiting for you, too.
Looking back, God also patiently waited for me to trust him during the pandemic. From the beginning, I knew in my heart that my husband was placed in his position for a reason. But God waited for me to work through my earthly worries.
Each time I see the bluebirds flying around, I know that spiritual patience is one of the keys to navigating this new time in our life.
God will wait and will not falter. God doesn’t just teach patience. God is patience.
Merideth Tullous has spent her career in the professional ballet industry. Her most notable contribution was redesigning and managing a now fully-funded community ballet program which reaches thousands of local children-giving them free access to the arts. She has a love for teaching children and has most recently released her first Children’s Christmas book, A Gift to Remember. To learn more about Merideth’s book or to contact for guest articles or speaking engagements, visit www.meridethtullous.com.