April 7, 2020
We all go through hard times in life, the pandemic was an extended season of stress. There are five things that can make a hard season manageable and I hope they can help you also.
1.FAITH
One thing that has been helping me keep the atmosphere happy for my children is my faith.
If all I had to go by was the daily news, I'd be deep in despair, but I keep repeating to myself Psalm 24:1 (the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof) and Psalm 121 (my help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth), and I am encouraged that just as God saved the Israelites out of Egypt, He can protect and restore us as well.
As I think these hopeful thoughts, I am able to be a happy mama to my children, and give them a sense of safety and security in this time of great upheaval in the world.
2. SKILL BUILDING
The second thing that can make a hard season happy for our family is the opportunity to learn or practice skills.
We planted a spring garden, got a new flock of chickens, tried some new recipes, written new songs, cleaned out our travel trailer, and pulled out our knitting.
3. MORNING TIME RHYTHM
Our daily morning time has also been wonderful for keeping a healthy structure.
During a difficult season, it's a little harder to keep a full school routine going, but taking the time to read aloud each day, to discuss what we've read, and to do a math lesson have been beautiful anchors to our day.
Our children won't fall behind in a couple of months, and many of them will see gains as they are given the freedom to pursue their own interests, but having a rhythm and keeping up good habits will help us come out of hard seasons stronger.
4. DAILY TIME IN NATURE
The homeschool mama challenge that I'm co-leading has been great for helping me get outside with my children every day, and that has meant all the difference in our attitudes.
It's hard to focus on the fear carried through the daily news when we are observing the trees in bloom, and the birds singing, and the lake water lapping at the shore.
When we are outside it seems that all is right with the world and we pray that it will be so, and soon.
5. THE EXPECTATION OF PASSOVER AND RESURRECTION
As we've been praying through the Lent season in anticipation of our Seder and celebration of the resurrection, we are reminded of all the miracles God has done.
He led the Israelites out of bondage, saved them from the plague, and sent a Savior to the world to rescue us all from the plagues that we face.
We don't know how this current plague will end, but we celebrate what God has already done in expectation of what He will do.
We wrote a simple Christian Passover guide, and if you aren't able to celebrate with us, at the very least read a Passover story to your children, or watch a movie about the Exodus and the Resurrection so your children can see that God is in the business of rescuing people.
We don’t pretend to be experts on the Jewish feasts, but we have found that our family has grown closer to God and each other as we have attempted to understand the Christian symbolism in these feasts.
If you'd like to learn more about ancient feasts and holy days, check out The Precious People, our world history resource.