Waiting for Normal

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We’ve all had Fall 2020 on our minds…more than usual. It’s like summer got skipped over. Don’t get me wrong — it’s already been a LONG summer. But with almost everything cancelled, my mind turned to September the second school ended. Questions swirl in my mind like a tornado — what will work look like with this Covid pandemic continuing? How about school, sports, church, holidays?

But in an unpredictable situation like this one, I’m spinning my wheels. The “right” decisions seem “mostly right” at best because I don’t know what the future will be. So I hold my breath and wait for things to go back to normal.

I woke up feeling very tense one morning recently, so unsure and almost angry. I decided to just sit and pray about it… God, how am I supposed to make plans right now? I don’t know what you want me to do. And then Jeremiah 29:11 popped into my mind – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

‭‭I opened my Bible and looked at the whole chapter, wondering, who was God talking to at the time? And what I found stunned me. 

God’s people, the Israelites, had just been exiled from Jerusalem (their home) to Babylon (a foreign city). They didn’t want to be there, and they didn’t know how long they would have to stay there. At the very least they felt stuck — kind-of how we feel with this Covid thing. 

But God sent them a message through a prophet. He told them: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper,” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:5-7‬ (‭NIV).

‬‬God told them essentially to plant themselves there and continue on with living life! Focus on peace and prosperity there, rather than hating where you are. Don’t sit and fret and wait to go back to normalcy in Jerusalem. (And spoiler alert, it’ll be 70 years before He sends them back.)

And I realized that like the Israelites, I feel like I’m in a foreign place right now, and I’ve just been waiting to live life until everything goes back to “normal.” But I felt like God was saying, “Stop putting life on pause. Live life fully today. Here, in this place. Stop wishing it away. You can still live and love here.”

Moms, no matter what choices you make for your family this fall, the most important thing is that you are still fully showing up for life. Stop wishing everything away. We don’t know how long we will be here. (Dear Lord, please let it be less than 70 years!) But here we are, in this place. We can still live fully here, even if it looks really different.

Put your roots down into this season and let God decide when to end this chapter of the story. He sees us. He knows we’re here. And he has GOOD plans for us.

Love you, Moms.

💜Anna

Back to School in the Time of Corona

Katie

So I officially registered my kids for our district’s virtual learning program for this school year.

Virginia

Congrats on making a decision! I think one hard part for me was just pulling the trigger.

Katie

Yes! I agonized about it, too! But once I actually made the decision, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders.

Virginia

I’m happy you have peace about it. How’d you decide?

Katie

Lots of factors. I have the flexibility to make home instruction work, so I’d like to minimize my family’s exposure to COVID where possible. We also feel the necessary safety restrictions at school will take away our favorite social aspects of school. And with virtual learning, our kids will still be connected with great teachers.

Virginia

It’s good that you were able to hone in on your priorities. 

We decided to send our kids back to school. H will be in our church preschool and my son, C, will be in public school. It took me a while to get there, though. We all want to make the “right” decision.

Katie

I think there are many benefits to being in the school building, too! I don’t think there is a right or wrong decision about school this year. So many uncertainties and no easy solutions.

Virginia

Yeah, you and I are in the same circumstance in that we are fortunate to have the ability to stay home. But, my daughter (preschooler) needs the attention that she missed when I was hustling to homeschool back in the spring.

Katie

I can totally understand that!

Virginia

And on the flipside, since my schedule will involve driving her to and from her school that may conflict with a potential virtual school schedule for her older brother.

Katie

Each family’s circumstances are different, so it makes sense we sometimes make different choices. Once I made the decision to keep our kids home and stopped worrying about what other people might choose (or how they may feel about my decision), I’ve felt more free to get excited about this coming school year and focus on making the most of it.

Virginia

So I’m starting to imagine some very cute Pinterest-y work stations at your house….:)

Katie

Hahaha … or some humorous Pinterest fail moments to remember at least.😂

Virginia

Lol! Please post pics. 

It’s impressive to me that you’re taking your child’s preferences into the equation. It can be easy to dismiss those. I remember you mentioning your two middles don’t want to go back to school.

Katie

Yes – and my oldest only wants to go back once he can play football with 30 of his classmates every day during lunch recess.😜🏉

Virginia

Well, I hope he doesn’t have to wait much longer for that.  

What I find funny is we’re both former teachers and I don’t want to homeschool and you do.

Katie

Yes! And that’s totally okay. You know, I never planned to homeschool. I’ve always been a public school advocate and active volunteer at my kids’ schools. So, I had to take a moment to grieve that “loss” as I made the decision to keep our kids home this year.

Virginia

And it’s okay to acknowledge that. God doesn’t expect us to instantly don a smile and prance around a flowery field when we learn that life isn’t meeting our expectations. We’re allowed our feelings.

Katie

Prance around a flowery field.😆😍😂

Virginia

Remember when Lazarus was really sick and Mary and Martha sent for Jesus? He took his time to return and Lazarus died. Jesus didn’t pop in and say, “Why are you ladies so upset? I’m going to bring him back to life!” He wept with them because his friends were in pain.

Katie

Jesus knows our pain and grieves with us.

Virginia

Yes, and He also shows us another strategy to get through tough times. In Genesis 1, we see him creating, then stopping. Then some more creating, and then stopping. It’s not like He needed a chance to take a nap. He is showing us how to move forward, whether the road is rocky or smooth.

Katie

That is so true! God could have created everything in one instant, but instead He showed us how to take it slow and value the process. 

I’m praying God will give me the strength and patience and wisdom to make the most of this challenging year. And just to be faithful with what He wants me to do one day at a time.

Virginia

Perfectionism will try to get us to question ourselves and our choices if we don’t hit the ground running and have everything smooth sailing by day 2 of this school year….

Katie

Here’s to letting go of perfect and just pouring our hearts into whatever God lays in our paths this year!

Soaking in the Truth

Scripture to encourage you:

  • “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23, NIV)
  • “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5, NIV)
  • “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” (Isaiah 26:3, NIV).
  • “He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.” (Deuteronomy 32:4, NIV)
  • “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” (Genesis 1:3-5, NIV)
  • “When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother (Lazarus) would not have died.’ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. ‘Come and see, Lord,’ they replied. Jesus wept.” (John 11:32-35, NIV)

Music to inspire you:

Readings and Resources to come alongside of you:

Related Posts on Texting The Truth:

Living Out the Truth 

Ideas to try:

  • Focus on the priorities of your family and move forward without guilt. Remember to take your own personality and desire into consideration as well. We’re not all cut out to be teachers and that’s okay too. Don’t try to keep up with anyone else. 
  • Please also remember that we may doubt our decisions from time to time and this is normal. Make sure you talk out loud to your trusted friends and family about these thoughts. Bottling the emotions up will not be helpful. 
  • Pray: Ask God for wisdom. Be honest with Him; He already knows what you’re feeling.
  • Ask Him to multiply your talents to give your children the best year possible. If He can feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fishes, He can surely help you in any situation.
  • Whether learning at home or school, stay engaged with what your kids are learning. The partnership between home and school really makes kids feel important, and teachers love to know you are involved and willing to help. 
  • If your children are going to school, consider giving them a binder clip to attach their mask on their shirt during lunchtime so it does not sit on the desk or fall on the floor. 
  • If you send goodies to school, make sure they are pre packaged.  Also, include the front office, bus driver, custodians, and administration. 
  • If schooling at home this year, here are some trusted sources and ideas from the Spring: Generic “Just for Fun” Educational Ideas.

Treasured Products we love: 

  • For school at home, it might be helpful to have younger kids get a handwriting book.
  • Especially if they are riding a bus to school, students may benefit from K-N95 masks.
  • Students might like to have hand sanitizer they can attach to their backpacks. 
  • In place of using school water fountains, stock up on personal water bottles that close over the mouthpiece, like this one. 
  • You can spoil teachers even if they are virtual. The Teacher Care Crate is an easy monthly subscription for elementary age students who have one primary teacher. 

{These suggestions are ideas from novice moms. Sometimes our life situations need more.  In that case, seeking out professional help is the right call.}

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