Parent’s Corner- March 15, 2020

“Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” 

Psalm 147:5 ESV

My normal Sunday routine is pretty consistent.

I leave the house ahead of my family so I can arrive at church early.  I walk through the classrooms to make sure that they are set and ready to go.  I turn on the check in stations to make sure that nametags and pick up tags can print.  I check my phone to see if any volunteer has had a change in plans.  This is the day I expect, knowing that God knows what the day will hold.

Today is Sunday, but my routine has been changed.  Instead of being at church, I’m sitting at my kitchen table, coffee cup next to my keyboard, listening the sounds of a humming dishwasher and light pages turning as my kids do their morning devotions upstairs.  My husband is downstairs, and my oldest is on his way back to college to pick up the things he needs to continue classes at home for the foreseeable future.  This is not the day I would have expected, but God knows what the day will hold.    

Today is different in many ways, but one thing is consistent.  God knows what the day will hold.  That will never change.  As we look to the days ahead, there are many unknowns.  At times, there will be more questions than answers.  But, what can we know for sure?  God knows what the day will hold. 

Every family is so different.  Each one is made up of individuals that are so different, requiring different amounts of sleep and awake time, activity and rest, interaction and solitude.  These next days will look different for each family, but there will be one constant. . . God knows what the day will hold. 

Typically, after sharing a few thoughts, I would include the passages that were taught in Sunday school today.  We did not have any church gatherings today, but one thing is still true. . . God knows what the day will hold.  If we want to honor God in all that we do, how can we go about our day?  I believe that we can continue to love and honor Him and love others, even in the current days of social distancing.  How can we love others as we distance from them physically?  Here are a few ideas I have talked about with my family. . . what ideas can your family add to this list?

1.      Write a missionary a letter or an email.  Encourage them in their work, let them know you are praying for them, and then spend time in prayer for them.

2.     Send an encouraging email to a teacher or school administrator, letting them know that you appreciate the extra effort they are putting in to making school continue as much as is possible.  Younger children could include a picture that could be sent physically or digitally.  If parents are the teachers, give them an extra hug!  They do this all the time!

3.     Facetime with a friend.  If they don’t know Jesus, share the Gospel with them, and offer to pray with them.  Are they scared?  Are they anxious?  Are they angry?  These are great times to pray.

4.     Spend time doing something fun as a family.  You will be together a lot, so how can you make the best of it?  Family devotions, a long walk outside, completing a chore, a board game. . . many different ways to be together. 

Today is my youngest’s birthday.  Yesterday, I tried to make his birthday cake.  He loves lemon, and I found a great recipe.  The problem is, I didn’t read the whole recipe before I began.  I had the ingredients, but I didn’t have the proper equipment.  I had the time, but I didn’t have the right amount of patience.  As a result, the kitchen was a disaster, the cake didn’t come out of the pan properly, and my plans were changed.  Thankfully, he was so understanding.  We agreed that the pieces and parts would still be delicious. . . in the form of a trifle, not in the form of a layered cake.  We adapted, we chose to see the positive in the midst of the mess, and we looked forward to enjoying the finished product, even if it wasn’t as we would have wanted it. 

This is my prayer for my family, and for yours, in the upcoming days:  May the Lord bless your time together.  May the Lord give you the patience and peace you need to go about your time together, and may you glorify and honor Him as you spend time together.  God is in control.  He loves us, and God knows what the day will hold.  I look forward to seeing all of the ways God uses these upcoming days for our good and His glory.