I'm Very Blessed to Yall as My Family

Practicing gratitude has go something of a trend lately—as if developing an inner sense of thankfulness has numerous mental and physical health benefits is new data! Don't get me wrong; I'm glad information technology is 'trending' but puzzled to some caste, because I understand gratitude to be a formative procedure throughout childhood and beyond.

As we all tend to (I imagine), I had assumed others were raised with the same kind of emphasis on gratefulness that my parents instilled in me. Then, instead of discussing here 'ways to develop a more grateful child', I'd like to just lead past case. In a twelvemonth that ends the same style it started and a fourth dimension so foreign that it is a first for my lifetime, I would like to share with you the things I am thankful for this year.

one. A Interruption

The challenges of this yr accept been across stressful in many ways. Nevertheless I look out the window and catch the sun'south rays; I see a blue sky and notice the breeze moving the leaves. I wonder, 'Would I exist attentive to these things—would I be noticing the well-baked autumn air—if things hadn't unraveled as they have this year?' I truly doubt it.

I take been outside more this year, and my attending has been drawn to the simple blessings of the day. I've also been granted new spaces of time in my life because then many things have been canceled or reduced due to restrictions on gathering. If this weren't 2020, chances are I'd exist rushing nearly doing all the stuff of life, and I would rarely pause to notice the gifts of each day.

I am so grateful for the increased spaces in my life—for less busy and rushing hither and there, and more settled tranquility. Granted, at that place have been major disruptions to the placidity, like those first few months when all the kids were doing remote learning at home. This brings me to my second item on the list...

2. A School That Supports, Listens, and Cares

It was incredibly stretching to watch the world reel from fear and protocols and pandemic mitigation, and the stretching was felt non only in observing the exterior world but in our homes and schools—hitting not just shut to home just IN  our domicile! There were days of tears and frustrations, computers that froze and Zoom calls that glitched. The pressure to try to be good students fell heavy on our kids at commencement. The stress was palpable.

Fortunately, Clapham Schoolhouse monitored the online learning process advisedly, re-grouped, adapted the curriculum and expectations, and made incredible accommodations to ensure that both learning and peace were attainable. I have no idea how difficult information technology must accept been for teachers and administrators during the spring when the world seemed to be falling apart. Clapham went from a school with a no technology policy to a full-fledged online schoolhouse about overnight. My kids were sought out for one-on-one Zoom chats by their teachers. They had Zoom friend visits—initiated by their teachers. It was wonderful!

I am humbled by the flexibility and growth mindset modeled past the staff, and I am so grateful for this kind of loving intendance and support from our school.

3. A Kid That Wants To Acquire

Speaking of school, hither is ane surprising gift of 2020, at least for our family unit.

Information technology merely so happened that there came a day when our kids had to stay home due to corona-potential. This day was particularly challenging to connect to online school. 2 of my kids—each at a different time—got extremely frustrated and said, "I don't similar doing school online! I don't learn very well through the screen! I only want to go to schoolhouse and so I can acquire!"

It may very well be every parent's dream to hear their kid say something to the effect of: "I just desire to go to school to learn things!"

Enter 2020: a dream come true!

4. Refining

2020 has given ample opportunities for refining each of united states. I take felt it deeply. I thought I was somewhat of a patient person. Simply when you need to meet someone on a Zoom call where every half-sentence is cleaved, you are presented with a choice: patience or frustration.

I have felt these kinds of refining moments repeatedly, especially when I have to don a mask and realize I left information technology safely tucked away in my car. Returning to the car to think the mask (one more than time) is one more than inconvenience and nuisance—an interruption to my day and life. It would be easy to alive in lament manner about all the annoying things of 2020. It is why this practice of gratitude is so necessary: nosotros need to adapt our outlook.

All those abrasive inconveniences that take all of a sudden been thrust upon me take given me the opportunity to slow downwards and abound in patience. I compare it to the shock that comes with bringing home your start baby. No longer can you lot rush out the door with but keys and wallet. With a new infant, every last resource must be considered—modify of dress for y'all and baby in case you get spit up on, burp cloth, water bottle for y'all if you're nursing because that sudden thirst volition striking when yous don't expect it, the diaper pocketbook, the wipes, and on and on. People generally have nine months to adjust to some of the protocols of new-baby-season. Yet this year, the whole world was asked to make huge adjustments in a affair of days.

I believe we've all maybe grown more patient, tolerant and resilient (except, of course, when information technology comes to politics. In that, likely, there is no 'give'—tongue-firmly-in-cheek).

v. Collective Reflection

I have ever been, and hope to always be, a self-cogitating person. That is, I seek to live in awareness of how I live life. I am aware of how time is spent and how resources are used. I feel that this year, in particular, has lent itself to larger swaths of people engaging in self-reflection. I am not a go-become-go person, merely many in my life are. I've seen friends and family unit dull downwardly and yield to the restrictions of life-on-the-go. Travel has been dramatically reduced or canceled, business organization opportunities have been lost, and many have had to reassess the stop goal of their life's work.

While losses have been tremendous and disappointments abound, we are all invited to a collective reflection: Tin I trust God in these losses? Can I grieve in the infinite granted me past these cancellations? Can I employ this time differently than I have been? I'm grateful that more and more, I am noticing people slowing their lives down just enough to ask themselves hard questions.

vi. Peace

So much near 2020 has not felt peaceful at all. It has felt disruptive, challenging, stretching, even depressing at times. For some, it has felt a bit like slow torture or a marathon they never intended to run. Even with all the turmoil in the world—anxiety over affliction and loved ones, political upheavals, ruined personal plans, mounting losses and disappointments—I accept found a settled peace in my soul that 'All Shall Be Well' (to quote the great mystic, Julian of Norwich).

I hear Jesus' words in my ear, "Peace I go out with you, my peace I give to y'all—non as the world gives..." (John 14). This makes me laugh—'not equally the world gives '!?! The earth doesn't  requite peace—inappreciably any at all. It may attempt to. Simply it does non yield the kind of peace that confidently resides deep within me—that is a peace simply Jesus can give. Information technology is this peace I am grateful for.

7. Material Providence

In the Lord's prayer, we ask, "Give us this day our daily staff of life." And while I believe that this request refers as much to the Bread of Life (which Jesus speaks of in John 6), it as well refers to our daily needs and provisions. In traditions where this prayer is said often, I promise it is non passed over lightly—that all we need, we are to seek from the mitt of God. I live this way—daily seeking the God Who provides. I seek not only His provision but also His heart and grace. So, I would exist remiss in failing to give thanks Him for all He does provide—every unmarried day.

"All I accept needed, Thy paw hath provided - Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!" says the hymn author.

Our home is warm enough; nosotros have food on our table. We gather around our table each evening and enjoy a repast—sometimes as simple every bit soup and breadstuff, and sometimes grander with other provisions. Nosotros lack nada.

When you pare the apples for the pie this thanksgiving, maybe hold it in your manus for merely a moment—smell its rich sweet, reflect on the God who makes apples grow, and be glad for the unproblematic souvenir.

I'm thankful for apples, electricity, blankets, firewood, the gas in our tank, the few dollars in our bank, that all come from the hand of God. I'm thankful for a married man capable of working, for children who have strong bodies and minds and so that they can learn and grow, for vehicles to drive, coats to wear, and for a potted found in my window. All of these are gifts I'm thankful for.

8. Faithful Leaders

In this pandemic yr, I am particularly thankful for school and church leaders who have navigated and made hard decisions for our communities—even to the chagrin of those who disagree with their decisions. I am so grateful that I am non the one making decisions for others, that leaders 'take the hit', so to speak, for making hard calls. I and then adore their stamina, faithfulness, integrity, patience, listening ears, and steady leadership. I am less aware of the broader telescopic of political leaders or health department personnel, merely I know many of these are seeking means to brand the best decisions for everyone. They have to put up with cynical, suspicious, angry, and volatile arguments on both sides of the spectrum.

I firmly attach to what Scripture teaches almost governing authorities—that nosotros are called to submit to them (unless they inquire us to sin, of course). For church leaders, we should aim to 'make their work a joy and non a burden.' Office of this is thanking them. I am grateful for these leaders who protect and love those they lead.

9. Reclaimed time with our kids

Our home life is far from perfect—we have our friction and personality tensions—a lot! This past yr has been such a gift to our family—I almost wonder if God didn't course-right the whole world, if just for our family unit. (That'due south my existential theology coming through!) Our oldest was in his final year of high school. As the oldest and the most tired of existence in our family unit, I'm sure he was biding his time before escaping the dreariness of his siblings annoying him and me asking why he didn't consume his tiffin (etc.) Until the pandemic hit, he was filling his life with school, work, and a few church building/social activities. He begrudgingly sabbatum at our tabular array for supper, though non every dark of the calendar week. I am not saying he was ungrateful; he was merely tired of existence a child.

At the same time, our loftier school junior filled her life with school, babysitting, and a growing social life. We were seeing her less equally well. This is the way things progress, and parents acquire to accommodate and let become as their children sprout wings. But then God stopped the world (or so information technology seemed), our kids couldn't piece of work. They had few, if whatsoever, social gatherings. They even were home during the day for online schoolhouse. What started every bit a headache with online school logistics, and the inevitable personality clashed that arise from being cooped up together slowly started to alter. What didn't feel like a gift turned out to exist a approval! Slowly, merely consistently nosotros began to meet huge changes. Our kids played board games...together (oh my!). My hubby played a strategic game each evening with our soonhoped-for graduate. He would never have taken that time and so regularly when he could've been working and earning money! I feel like the last 6 months of our oldest existence at home were totally transformed by the forced changes in the world. Information technology was a gift we could never accept reclaimed.

x. God's Sustaining Presence

Hither we are in November. In March, April and May, we were all just trying to survive and could inappreciably think what life would be similar six months later on. Many of us probably did non believe we would still face up these challenges and that life would 'be dorsum to normal' (whatsoever normal may look like for you). And yet the sun still shines, we are here, nosotros are well (enough), and nosotros take what we need for today.

I am confident that God will continue to prove upwards each and every twenty-four hour period for the rest of my life—fifty-fifty in the coming weeks and months. I look ahead to 2021. Instead of wanting more predictability, more 'return to normal', perhaps there is a minor yearning for more exploration, more adventure, more resilience, more orienting myself effectually the things that truly matter.

Perchance 2020 has been a wake-up call—an invitation to return and renew, recharge, repent, re-collect ourselves, and be made anew in the image of our Maker. And I am thankful for that.

Now I ask you, Clapham community, let's encourage each other past sharing what you are thankful for in the comment department below.

Topics: Parent Articles, Thanksgiving

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Source: https://www.claphamschool.org/our-community/blog/10-things-i-am-thankful-for-in-2020-the-year-of-the-pandemic

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