“Loving God, Learning His Word, Living for Christ, Leading Others to do Likewise”

Don’t Appreciate it Until It’s Gone

Our cultural mindset for family’s pre-Covid was a fast-paced activity driven life.  A normal day embraced school, work, sports, activities, and dinner on the run only to drop in bed to get some sleep before we repeat the same thing the next day.  Our focus was our calendar in making sure that we could squeeze as much in it as possible.  With Covid 19, we have all (including our children) dealt with some level of loss, some much greater than others.  However, this opportunity has “gifted” us with time. 

Dad with child on pier

None of us are guaranteed tomorrow.  Historically many a deathbed wish has desired more time with family.  This quarantine with its many challenges, cancellations and changed calendars may have a hidden treasure.  Some may call it down time or flexible time.  Nonetheless we have been given time to spend with our children and those in our household; which may be the “silver lining” in all of this.  “Silver lining” is a term used to “emphasize the hopeful side of a situation that might seem gloomy on the surface. The common expression “every cloud has a silver lining” means that even the worst events or situations have some positive aspect.” 

The light switch flipped to no more running the roads to get from one activity to the next, work hours outside the home, parents and children being separated hours upon hours, dinner from fast food restaurants eaten in the car, and exhaustion from it all.  Suddenly all sports are cancelled, school is closed, and work is done remotely from home.  Do we now have an opportunity to be a family?  Sharing dinner around a table is available again. 

Time has taken on a new flexibility; we can take a walk or play that board game.  These gifts are priceless.  This is our time!  We have turned the clock back and are sitting on porches again.  Don’t lose this time and don’t fall for the trap of only appreciating it when it’s gone.  This did not sneak up on God.  Nothing happens that God doesn’t allow.  What might He desire for us and for our families? 

We shouldn’t live in a holding pattern until everything is restored.  We should live in abundance because we won’t get this day back again.  Next year at this time we may truly miss the quarantine and shut down because the fast pace has returned.  There is a time for now. 

1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. 3 A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. 4 A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. 5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. 6 A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away.  7 A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. 8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NLT)

Anita Blake

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