13 May 2020

Did we need to rush?

Because of isolation rules and reflecting on the last few months, we have been restricted in doing just the essentials. It’s made me wonder if I was allowing life to just rush by? I have had the absolute pleasure of living with four grandchildren, all girls ages 10, 9, 5, and 2 with their different personalities, likes and dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses.

I had five children of my own but Bruce reminded me how we forget how busy life is, how noisy life is, how joyous life is with 1, 2, 3, 4 + children in tow. The shenanigans that go on in family life. Oh it made me laugh, chuckle. So much delight. Observing the sharing that occurs that melts your heart and then the next minute the squabbling over one toy.

We have tried our best home-schooling amongst the frustration of trying to work at home ourselves. I love how the 2-year-old Willow, is doing her ‘homework’ too, then she’s ready for a break. Her concentration is limited, so then she wants to play, and I am often her playmate.

Oh, so many adventures including the playing of hide and seek and if you take too long to find her, Willow yells out ‘Here I am.’ Then with a nerf gun, I am told to stay behind her, she creeps carefully around a corner of the house and shoots the bad guy. Oh, the smiles that enveloped my face at times. You should see her ‘creep walk.’ I have to hold my laughter in or I get frowned upon and told off, “You’ll tell the bad guys where we are.”

I had forgotten that feeling of dread and the screams when it was hair washing night! Children are all the same, no matter what generation. The best thing that came out of the weeks of living just at home was no rushing! We did not have to rush the kids to school so we could get to work on time. We did not have to put up with one of them crying, “I have not finished my breakfast,” as we dive for the car waiting impatiently in the driveway. For you know it was the car that was impatient not the driver – haha.

We did not have to rush to ballet or basketball practice after school because they were all on hold. It’s like we did not have to hold our breath anymore. We could actually breathe in deeply and enjoy the experience. Time was not like a bomb ticking away anymore, forcing us to go at a faster pace, to keep up. It used to say, “Dawdlers and daydreamers beware.” “You don’t fit in.” Into this fast-paced life. Now you could dream all you like (within reason).

Time actually felt like it stood still. We could breathe the fresh air. We really loved being able to walk down the road, to get that exercise in. Such delightful excursions down to the dry creek bed, exploring. Looking at the texture of leaves. Imagining where the animals slept at night. I felt like Peter Pan!

The children and I loved seeing all the teddy bears, monkeys, or any stuffed toy attached to a tree on our walks. For those of you who may have missed it, I don’t know who started it, but we were encouraged to put a bear out near a letterbox, in a tree or window like a scavenger hunt so children could find them when they went out walking. It was such great fun. I’ll miss those days when life starts up again. But do we have to miss them?

Can we not use this time to change the way we do life? Not rush, rush, rush but getting pleasure out of the simple things. We made cubby houses out of blankets and sheets. I remember doing that as a child too. Picnics on a blanket in the back yard. I sat down with the youngest two and watched monsters Inc., – a Disney movie. I did not get up and do the dishes at the same time, or put on the washing machine, trying to fit in all of the housework in the timeframe I had at home. No, I was now home enjoying the family, the discussions, the laughter.

The 5-year-old sitting beside me melted my heart when she leaned into me and said, “I love spending time with you, it’s been so much fun.” Then I had more time for my God, to pray, to think, talk to … In scripture it reminded me of Ecclesiastes 3 where it states, “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven… a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted…”

This is the season, if we notice it, of treasuring family relationships, friendships, people, even God more. (for He is the only one who can get us out of this pandemic, by revealing the vaccine to the scientists).

May we not lose this. May we not go back to our old ways. May we sit still over coffee with our friends, our families and not feel guilty that we are wasting time. May we treasure the moments we have with people, with our God. May we be still and know that He is God.

These days could be the most precious ever when we start meeting and sharing with people again. Forget how to spell that word. Say that word. (Rush). No, I did not say it. It’s gone out of my vocabulary. I’ve replaced it with Relax, restore, re-envision, renew, reward.

Yes, let’s Reduce the pace of Life and start finding delight in the simple things of life. Let’s Rejoice! Relish in the time we have with our Saviour, with our loved ones. So take a deep breath, in, out, let that blood pressure drop, put on that Lazy Sunday feeling and start making a list titled THINGS I’M KEEPING.

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What has brought you joy or a rethinking of life during isolation? What did you miss?

What will you keep in your life once things start returning to “normal?”

What will you get rid of? Is it time to make a keep/discard list?