Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:18
This weekend, of course, is Mothers’ Day. Yesterday I was thinking about a cat that we had when I was growing up. Her name was Little Spook. I remember when Little Spook had kittens. When it was time to feed them, she would call them all and lie down and they would come, snuggle up and eat. After a few weeks the kittens were big enough to go to their own homes so we sent them off to live with their new owners – except for one kitten, Simon, who we kept.
Little Spook would lie down and call her kittens every day at meal time for them to come snuggle up and eat but of course none would come – except Simon. Little Spook missed her babies. Every day she would call. Every day only Simon would come. One day when Simon arrived – everything changed. Instead of getting a cuddle and a meal, Little Spook would swat Simon and chase him away. Every day the same thing: she would call her babies, only Simon would come; so she would swat him and chase him away.
This has not been unlike some of the quarantine stories that I have heard. Husbands and wives are quarantined together but are missing children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents and so are maybe a little less gentle with those we are quarantined with. Maybe our spouse comes when we call and only gets swat when they were expecting a meal or a cuddle. It is tough to be quarantined – even with people we love – if we are quarantined away from people we love.
Today I would like to encourage us from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 in the Bible where we are encouraged to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. What this verse isn’t saying is that we should just ‘suck it up princess’; what this verse is saying is that life is tough. In this life there will be trouble (John 16:33). But everyday there is something good. God encourages us to look to those little victories and find little moments of joy even in the midst of pandemics, quarantines, and all the troubles around us. I encourage each one of us to allow yourself to take a break – even if just for a moment -from worry and pain and experience some small joy in the middle of all this.
This weekend, of course, is Mothers’ Day. Yesterday I was thinking about a cat that we had when I was growing up. Her name was Little Spook. I remember when Little Spook had kittens. When it was time to feed them, she would call them all and lie down and they would come, snuggle up and eat. After a few weeks the kittens were big enough to go to their own homes so we sent them off to live with their new owners – except for one kitten, Simon, who we kept.
Little Spook would lie down and call her kittens every day at meal time for them to come snuggle up and eat but of course none would come – except Simon. Little Spook missed her babies. Every day she would call. Every day only Simon would come. One day when Simon arrived – everything changed. Instead of getting a cuddle and a meal, Little Spook would swat Simon and chase him away. Every day the same thing: she would call her babies, only Simon would come; so she would swat him and chase him away.
This has not been unlike some of the quarantine stories that I have heard. Husbands and wives are quarantined together but are missing children, grandchildren, parents, grandparents and so are maybe a little less gentle with those we are quarantined with. Maybe our spouse comes when we call and only gets swat when they were expecting a meal or a cuddle. It is tough to be quarantined – even with people we love – if we are quarantined away from people we love.
Today I would like to encourage us from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 in the Bible where we are encouraged to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. What this verse isn’t saying is that we should just ‘suck it up princess’; what this verse is saying is that life is tough. In this life there will be trouble (John 16:33). But everyday there is something good. God encourages us to look to those little victories and find little moments of joy even in the midst of pandemics, quarantines, and all the troubles around us. I encourage each one of us to allow yourself to take a break – even if just for a moment -from worry and pain and experience some small joy in the middle of all this.
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