It’s the last day of 2020. I am sitting in front of a roaring fire, sipping a glass of red wine, and while this is my New Year’s Eve, it is not quite noon! I picked up a shift tonight for a colleague (a much younger and livelier colleague!) who has helped me with my schedule needs in the past.
So I’ve spent the morning defrosting icy waterers, feeding the animals, cleaning up after my new quarantining hens, filling up gas cans (in case the ice and snow predictions for tonight come true), and cooking for my family.
Many people are eagerly awaiting better things in 2021-and I understand why. Honestly, I’m pretty sick of COVID-19 myself. My family has remained healthy and quite untouched by this pandemic, so it hardly seems right to complain. We were able to spend Christmas in ND (MN) this year for the 1st time in years—but were unable to see many family and friends due to reluctant adherence to social distancing. No doubt work is where I have the most hardship to bear—the PPE requirements in the ER are awful, staff is overworked, resources stretched and there is not an end in sight. Working for months under this strain is taking its toll on the HC industry—but I feel blessed to have an essential job. So goes the ebb and flow of life, lamenting the trials but rejoicing in the blessings. Often they can be so intertwined you can’t tease one out from the other. Darkest before the dawn, rainbows follow the storm, etc
Which do you focus on? We try to take our direction from Jesus. And in our fallibility, we stumble at times, but always get back up and Praise God for blessings and hardships.
Our family wishes you many blessings in 2021—and above all else the clarity and faith to rejoice in all things. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
