I don’t remember where I first heard this quote from Geoffrey Chaucer, “Time waits for no man,” but I do know it resonates more today than whenever I first heard it. The original quote states that not only does time not wait for anyone, but it also claims, “Time and tide wait for no man.”…
COVID-19 has initiated the celebration of some very unique milestones. For me, the most memorable was the day I sat between two of my grandchildren and read them a story for the first time since we began sheltering at home. We celebrated the relaxation of strict quarantine here in rural Maine with our little group of…
I once lived in a second-story condo along a large river and if I’d had any arm strength whatsoever, it would’ve been a stone’s throw from the water. A pair of great blue herons lived within sight of what was my favorite spot—an 8×5 deck just off the dining room. I never grew bored of…
It was the second week of March 2020, when our local government issued an order for lockdown amidst ominous news being reported from China, and serious statements issued by the World Health Organization. Both Canadian and international networks broadcast daunting images of Italian cities that looked like ghost towns, alongside interviews with exhausted doctors and…
I can still picture the moment in March when I realized life, as I knew it, was going to be completely interrupted. Working nearly full time as a substitute teacher had become part of my daily rhythm. It was also my current calling, where I found fulfillment. In addition, my daily rhythm operated harmoniously with…
If the pandemic were an experiment, mad scientists would designate my family as part of the “control” group. After all, my husband and I have both worked from home for years, and I’ve homeschooled our four children for almost a decade. We haven’t had to navigate the huge work-week disruptions. Rather, the social media posts…
In April 2020, I wandered our local Walmart pushing a cart of odds and ends. I always feel a little separate from myself when I’m shopping, but this time, with the “lock down” extended another three weeks, my fellow shoppers mirrored my wide-eyed uncertainty. Toilet paper, flour, dry beans, hand sanitizer…what else? What else? Finding…
God can and does use all things, even deadly pandemics like COVID-19, to bring about good things; beautiful things that give us renewed hope. Romans 8:28 states this truth clearly: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose…
This is what the Lord says: They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son. Jeremiah 31:7, 9 (New International Version) It’s been…