Well, now. We are bearing down on December, and wonder how we got here, don’t we?
If my mind isn’t failing me, and of course, it is, I have lost this year somewhere and I am not going to look for it. I don’t want to find it. It can stay lost.
In January of 2020, a calendar with unused pages sat on our computers or hung on our walls, looked promising, a bit boring maybe, but a preparation for the many activities in the months ahead.
But then? Pow! What happened? COVID-19 hit. It’s as though the entire calendar plans shredded into a million pieces and floated away. And all of our little security blankets and secure routines blew away with those shredded pieces. Who ever heard of school closing for the rest of the year?
Then came uncontrolled riots, lawlessness, businesses closing, masks, ball games with no crowd, and on and on.
And now, an entire year has rolled by. It’s been a nightmare for many. Some feel that it has been an eternity; others think “where did it go?” I imagine this comic-style drawing of all of us marching together, hand in hand, against the wind, our hair blowing in every which direction, our clothes all a flutter. We look like someone has taken an egg beater to us. One carries an American flag, the symbol of our great nation, and another steps out at the front carrying a cross. Some heads are bandaged, but basically, we are all right. We are forging ahead, figuring it out as we go, pushing on ahead. United. Resolute. Determined. Expectant.
Do you see it? We are not weaker from all of this. We are shaken, but we are stronger.
There’s no doubt that we are going through a shaking. Hebrews 12:27-28 talks about a shaking, and declares the removing of what can be shaken; that is, created things, so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
The essence here is that everything that can be, is being shaken, but there are many God-given treasures that cannot be removed or shaken. We are adapting, and becoming much more resilient. We are working together to figure this out. We are turning to those things that cannot be shaken.
What are they?
In our family, we have a saying that when things are tedious or overwhelming or just too much that we need to find an island to swim to. In fact, everyone needs an island to swim to and it’s good to plan one ahead of time.
That island might be a good movie, stepping away from all the hullabaloo and resting, taking a little sight-seeing trip down the road, shooting baskets with the kids, creating something (like carpentry or sewing, or painting or writing), I’m sure you get the point.
And now our island is Christmas, since it’s now December. Maybe we can save the last month of this traumatic year after all. We might revisit old customs, do some of the simpler things like baking with our kids, putting up decorations, inviting friends to come enjoy a hot chocolate and a bowl of popcorn with us. We can put together a food basket for shut-ins; those suffering with COVID-19.
We can turn our attentions from ourselves to others.
Let’s just confront the fact that there’s change, there’s some situations we can do nothing about, and let’s focus on the things that cannot be shaken. Then, let’s focus on December and Christmas!
And let’s remember that we can salvage this mess. One more month, and we can at least kick the old man 2020 good-by and good riddance!
Judi Tabler lives in Pawnee County and is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune. She can be reached atjuditabler@gmail.com or juditabler@awomansview.
