Cassie Alston: A Letter to Fondren
Being Together While We’re Apart
Because we all miss our Fondren family, here are our Sequester Stories—a series of stories and photos by Fondren folks sharing what our “pandemic lives” are about.
Cassie and Sheldon Alston
What a great time for our sermon series on The Letter of James! The Epistles remind me that we are not the first Christians to deal with dispersion, separation, and a challenging social context. God brought God’s people through difficult times in the past and will do the same now. So to the Fondren church family during quarantine: Greetings. I miss you!
Way back in March, Sheldon and I enjoyed a spring break trip to Saint Lucia. Near the end of our stay, as coronavirus spread around the globe, flights coming into the U.S. from Europe were cancelled. St. Lucia is an independent country, so Sheldon and I were a little concerned we would be stranded. We made it home without any trouble, though, and looking back on that trip, I’m so thankful for our time together in such a beautiful place. Rainbows seemed to be everywhere, including a double rainbow that looked like it was protecting the whole island in a blue-skied bubble. Our time in St. Lucia felt protected in that way, too, and I’m grateful for the rest and happiness we enjoyed. It was just what we needed before the challenging months ahead. Tourism is the top industry in St. Lucia, though, so I’m concerned about the St. Lucians and am praying for them.
Fourth quarter of the 2019-2020 school year was all online, so I finished my six years teaching at Jackson Academy with “distance learning.” The way students, parents, teachers, and administrators pulled together to finish the year was inspiring. We all learned a lot and, even though it was challenging and we missed seeing each other in person, we finished the year strong. I’m so thankful for my time at JA and will miss learning with seventh graders.
Gray returned to Jackson from Ohio and finished his freshman year online. Miles continued his classwork at Hinds online, but his work at Sakura Bana was interrupted while the restaurant closed because of the virus. In June, he moved home as well. I was not-so-secretly happy to have them home, but it did remind me that more people in the house mean more mess. Sheldon, Sr. worked from home for a few weeks and then returned to work at his office—wearing a mask and social distancing, of course.
Gray and Miles both contracted coronavirus, so for two weeks they were isolated at home. Thankfully, they only experienced mild symptoms. Sheldon and I tested negative so moved to my parents’ apartment in The District. We delivered food and “supplies” to the infirmary that was our house and were thankful when our guys recovered and we could move home.
The four of us, plus Miles’s girlfriend Abigail, also enjoyed a getaway to Gulf Shores. I’m especially grateful for the nights we spent talking on the balcony of the condo. My cousin and her family, including three young children, happened to be at the resort at the same time. We expanded our “bubble” to include them and enjoyed days swimming and playing on the beach.
Columbia Theological Seminary, where I planned to begin work on a Master of Divinity in the fall, announced that all fall classes will be online. To help new students adjust to online learning, Columbia gave first year MDiv students the opportunity to take an online summer course. I took an ethics course called “Love and Justice.” It was just as fantastic as the name suggests and stands out as one of the best classes I’ve ever taken.
As summer draws to a close, Gray is beginning his sophomore year at Ole Miss, where he’s living off campus with friends. Miles has moved to Hattiesburg and is beginning work on an art degree at Southern. Sheldon, Jr., has remained healthy and strong. We haven’t been able to visit him since March, but he’s able to call us, so we get to talk with him most evenings. Psalm 23 reminds me that God is with us as we walk through the valley of shadows. We don’t stay in the valley, and every day that passes means we’re one day closer to the day Sheldon comes home. Thank you for the prayers as we walk through this difficult time.
Since my online classes at Columbia begin the day after Labor Day, Sheldon, Sr., and I are planning a Labor Day weekend trip to North Carolina: another trip together to bookend this strange spring and summer of 2020. While I’ve missed our church family, especially worshiping together, I’ve enjoyed the slower pace and time with my children. I know this time has been more difficult for those who are isolated, are especially vulnerable, or have lost loved ones. I’m praying for all of us and am thankful that God gives us comfort and strength and will bring us through. I love and miss you and look forward to the day we all can be together again!
