“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Mt 24:13
When we were in lock-down in the spring, and schools went remote, my teen boys struggled. It was understandable: It was brand new territory. They were stumbling in the dark.
When our schools opened this fall, they went hybrid: alternating in-person days with remote days. Armed with their experience from the spring, and with a determination to do well, both boys started off with the best grades of their school careers. Like everything in 2020, that just changed on a dime.
It’s perfectly normal and expected that teachers will increase the pace and their expectations as the school year progresses. It’s the only way to get our kids to the next level.
That means my kids have to up their game the deeper we get into the school year. It’s human nature to prefer the easier path. But I can’t let them take that path and backslide. It would undo everything they’ve worked so hard for up to this point. It would put them on a completely different trajectory, one that wouldn’t lead to better things.
We parents are in the same boat. Every single one of us was thrown for a loop back in March. We spent months stumbling in the dark, navigating the new territory the pandemic put us in.
But we’ve learned so much! We grew more resilient, and came to appreciate the good that came with the bad. We got back to basics, shifted our priorities for the better, and drew closer to our families.
2020 is almost over, but it may get harder before it ends. We can’t backslide. We can’t default to fear if and when COVID cases rise. We can’t let anxiety and discord rule our days.
That would be an enormous waste of all we’ve learned, and all we’ve worked through up to this point. If and when the going gets tougher, we need to muster what we need to meet the new challenges, armed with our new wisdom and the armor of God.
Questions for Reflection:
- What hard earned wisdom have I gained from this pandemic?
- How can I apply that wisdom so I don’t backslide if things get more difficult before they get better?
If and when the going gets tougher, we need to muster what we need to meet the new challenges, armed with our new wisdom and the armor of God.
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Shifting My Perspective 
“If and when the going gets tougher, we need to muster what we need to meet the new challenges, armed with our new wisdom and the armor of God.” This says it all
… for you, Claire, and every parent out there who has faced and continues to face such enormous challenges with the children’s new and difficult path of education that they’ve walked and continue to walk during this pandemic. Not being a parent, and retired from my long teaching career, I look at my friends who are both parents and teachers in awe and admiration for what they’re all enduring at this time, and all I can do is pray, pray, pray for each to stay the course with God’s armor, as you so inspiringly put it in your closing reflection. And your stunning image of the young lady leaping high in the sky over the challenging landscape again sums up the challenge you parents, teachers and students are living. With such faith, hope and determination, you and your children will definitely reach their educational goals of true success and accomplishment!!
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Jackie, you make such a wonderful point about how hard the teachers are working. I’ve heard that many are working late into the night, and still wake up to mountains of work still to be done. Although I’ve tried to show my gratitude for all they’re doing, I need to step it up and show them just how thankful I am.
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