Parenting In Quarantine

I can barely wrap my head around the reality that we are entering our third week of quarantine.  Schools and social activities have been virtually shuttered, and we parents find ourselves grasping for some normalcy for ourselves and our kids, but little is to be found.  Parenting was already challenging, tiring, and sometimes defeating, even with our regular routines and respite in place.  Now, we find ourselves getting to the end of our ropes – and what do we find there?

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

In my 11 years of parenting, I’m sure there were entire years when not a day passed that someone in my house wasn’t brought to tears. It can be so hard. One of my sons has some special needs, becoming emotionally dysregulated almost daily for a number of years, and making it impossible for our family to find any shred of peace. Now, many of the helps I had put in place so that I could gain some relief from the daily struggles – like my “night off,” and my “friend dates,” and even the leisurely food shopping trips alone – have been pulled out from under me like a carpet. 

Some of my hardest parenting moments led me to this song – based on a promise found in Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain…”  Sometimes I just need to hear Jeremy Camp remind me that, “There will be a day with no more tears.”

I know this is temporary, and we will get through it with God’s help.  We are in this together.  God sees us, he hears us, and He is making a way.  Hang on to Him.

Keeping it Real, Doing it Different, Following Jesus.