Will this pandemic ever end? Each day it seems to go on and on. There is a lot of talk about opening the country again, and how and when. As retail stores gradually reopen, sporting events at some point will come back, and restaurants will be open for inside dining. Schools will possibly start back in the fall, and churches will eventually open again for services inside. Jobs will be returning, and perhaps employers will allow more parents to continue to work from home.
As our country begins to wake up again, many will be faced with issues of childcare if they get their jobs back, and how to pay past due bills. Many people will grieve for those they lost and look for some hope in the days to come. However, God’s faithful ones, his candles, will continue to shine. With prayers and aid, we can help those who need us now more than ever, offering the hope they seek.
But in spite of all that has been taken away, we have seen some good from it. How will the pandemic change your priorities, and what have you learned? What will be your family dynamics going forward? Will you continue to reach out to help those in need?
As things get back to somewhat of a “normal” life, will we remember the good changes? What did you think as you saw families taking walks, and spending more time together? Did you notice people helping others through social media, dropping off supplies at their neighbor’s doors, or tables randomly set up with items for those who need them? Did you see children playing outside, and their parents outside with their computers in temporary offices while keeping an eye on them? As you think about the struggles with home schooling, did you understand a lot more about your child’s education and how they learn? Were you touched by the stories of kindness and the sacrifices made by others, and did it make you think of something you could do for others? Did you notice a level of sharing and caring that you have never seen before?
We have all been impacted by the changes of the last few months including your children and spouses, and those close to you. Ask your kids what they think about all the changes they have gone through. Our children often have another perspective as they see life in a simpler way. They seem to have a wisdom we perhaps miss in our busy adult lives, or that we have forgotten. In asking my own grandchildren, their answers varied, but the number one answer was they got to see mom or dad more. Sometimes we may forget parents are the most important people in their lives, and good or bad, we influence our children far more than we realize.
As your life changes back to a version of what it was before, will you remember the positive changes that came about in your family, and try to keep that good as a priority? To use what we have learned can make an ongoing difference in your family and the lives of others in our world.
May we always show God’s love in all we say and do. We have all been in this together. Can we can now continue to help each other with what we have learned and discovered, and to always be a light for others, and positive energy for the world?
Copyright © 2024 Marsha Luke – Rights for non-commercial reproduction granted: May be copied in its entirety, but neither retyped nor edited.