We have a big calendar on the wall of our kitchen. On a normal April, it is filled. Every single day has something written on it. Baseball games, track practices, Mom’s speaking events, Dad’s recruiting trips — every day is spoken for.
When school was cancelled in March, my youngest son, Ben, took a marker and crossed everything out and wrote CORONAVIRUS across the board. I was actually impressed because I could read what it said. (Handwriting is one of the things we are working on during this period of homeschooling.)
Anywho, in his 9-year-old mind he was being edgy and funny. Little did we realize the entire month would indeed be cancelled.
Here we are a month later, the calendar long forgotten because there’s nothing to add to it.
Or is there?
The other day, I tumbled out of bed and stumbled to the kitchen. I poured myself a cup of ambition. I yawned and stretched and tried to come to life.
(Thank you Dolly Parton. I love you.)
That was when I noticed someone had flipped the calendar to April and wrote “Praise the Lord” on every little daily square.
My heart grew three sizes and wetness leaked from my eyes.
I imagine my middle son, Charlie, was in a goofy mood when he wrote that on the calendar, but the thing is, it was exactly what I needed to hear.
My mind is a minefield lately and I struggle each day to keep it in a spot that is healthy and productive and inspiring to others. But people, it is tough.
I was talking about my runaway brain with Andrea from my Kindness Team and she simply said, “Nic, God is good at being God.”
I come back to those words again and again as a reminder that I am not in control, nor do I need to be in control, now or ever.
Charlie’s addition of “Praise the Lord” gave me an action to go along with that affirmation.
Sidenote 1: If you’re not sure how you feel about God or the Lord, maybe you can write “Get Grateful” on your calendar instead. There is space in this quarantine to be worried and filled with miserable thoughts about what we don’t have, but it’s a whole lot more freeing to focus on what we do have.
For me, that includes thinking about God who is good at being God and praising Him for his continual protection and provision.
Sidenote 2: Even if you don’t really like God, He still REALLY likes you.
In conclusion (this is my big finish), our calendars look different. Yep. But that tension between the way things were and the way they are now isn’t all bad. It gives us time to realize, there’s no place like home.