Just before my world became locked down at 5:00 this afternoon, I jumped in the truck for one last ride. I didn’t cross paths with people except the folks in my vehicle, and I certainly didn’t touch anyone. Just me, my husband and my mom out looking at the day… and what a beautiful day! Warm and breezy. Clear and sunny. Lower humidity than the past day or so. Perfect for rolling down the windows and letting the air flow.
As we drove, we noticed a roadside garden center with only a car or two in sight. Knowing that we had weeks ahead looking at a yard of empty flower containers, we slowed down and pulled onto the gravel drive. I jumped out, quickly loaded the bed of the truck with a few colorful selections, and jumped right back in while my love went inside to pay. A few minutes later we were back on the road headed to the house where we will hunker down for the foreseeable future.
I might have taken a moment to be sad about my last ride for a while. I might have felt isolated and wondered if I would become bored or lonely in the upcoming days. But then we were home, ready to sit down to a deliciously fragrant meal. We followed up with a fun and stress-free board game for a few minutes. Then, back outside to get those plants into the dirt.
A couple of hours later, I was back in the house scrubbing potting soil from beneath my nails when I realized how much I had enjoyed those moments today. We were relaxed, working together, waving at the walkers in the street, and getting things accomplished. The whole evening was a welcome change from my usual frantic pace, and I began to look forward to the approaching weeks when the blooms would be gorgeous and fragrant. With the thought of flowers growing throughout the summer, I felt a wave of bright hopefulness.
Ecclesiastes 2:22 asks: “What do people get for all their hard work and struggles under the sun?” The following verse shares a pretty grim answer: “All their days are pain, and their work is aggravation; even at night, their hearts don’t find rest. This too is pointless.”
That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear. Ecclesiastes has a bad habit of being cynical and negative, and I might have slipped into that isolated lonely place had I stopped reading there. My days are painfully long lately, and my work is frustrating. I certainly don’t sleep much. Have my efforts become pointless in God’s eyes?
Fortunately, I pushed forward and discovered a deliciously fragrant optimism that was bright and hopeful: “There’s nothing better for human beings than to eat, drink, and experience pleasure in their hard work… this is from God’s hand. – Who can eat and find enjoyment otherwise? – because God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please God.” Ah, there it is. A reason for living. God gifts me with celebration in my work, comfort in my day, and sleep in my night.
These days which we are facing have the potential to go one of two ways. Either we allow them to drive us toward cynical, negative, isolated and lonely; or we eat, drink and find enjoyment in our daily work which is a gift straight from God. I know God didn’t cause this virus, but I truly believe God can use it to regain my attention to holy living. Bet I sleep well tonight.
Enjoying life’s work,
Pastor Beth
As we drove, we noticed a roadside garden center with only a car or two in sight. Knowing that we had weeks ahead looking at a yard of empty flower containers, we slowed down and pulled onto the gravel drive. I jumped out, quickly loaded the bed of the truck with a few colorful selections, and jumped right back in while my love went inside to pay. A few minutes later we were back on the road headed to the house where we will hunker down for the foreseeable future.
I might have taken a moment to be sad about my last ride for a while. I might have felt isolated and wondered if I would become bored or lonely in the upcoming days. But then we were home, ready to sit down to a deliciously fragrant meal. We followed up with a fun and stress-free board game for a few minutes. Then, back outside to get those plants into the dirt.
A couple of hours later, I was back in the house scrubbing potting soil from beneath my nails when I realized how much I had enjoyed those moments today. We were relaxed, working together, waving at the walkers in the street, and getting things accomplished. The whole evening was a welcome change from my usual frantic pace, and I began to look forward to the approaching weeks when the blooms would be gorgeous and fragrant. With the thought of flowers growing throughout the summer, I felt a wave of bright hopefulness.
Ecclesiastes 2:22 asks: “What do people get for all their hard work and struggles under the sun?” The following verse shares a pretty grim answer: “All their days are pain, and their work is aggravation; even at night, their hearts don’t find rest. This too is pointless.”
That’s not exactly what I wanted to hear. Ecclesiastes has a bad habit of being cynical and negative, and I might have slipped into that isolated lonely place had I stopped reading there. My days are painfully long lately, and my work is frustrating. I certainly don’t sleep much. Have my efforts become pointless in God’s eyes?
Fortunately, I pushed forward and discovered a deliciously fragrant optimism that was bright and hopeful: “There’s nothing better for human beings than to eat, drink, and experience pleasure in their hard work… this is from God’s hand. – Who can eat and find enjoyment otherwise? – because God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please God.” Ah, there it is. A reason for living. God gifts me with celebration in my work, comfort in my day, and sleep in my night.
These days which we are facing have the potential to go one of two ways. Either we allow them to drive us toward cynical, negative, isolated and lonely; or we eat, drink and find enjoyment in our daily work which is a gift straight from God. I know God didn’t cause this virus, but I truly believe God can use it to regain my attention to holy living. Bet I sleep well tonight.
Enjoying life’s work,
Pastor Beth