We’ve asked a mum of one of our families at Dundonald Church to write a blog about what life is like for her and her family in lockdown
#6 – 10/06/2020 – Goals and Satisfaction
Adjusting to distanced school
We’ve been adjusting to new routines for the last week or so as we’ve navigated our year 6 child going back to school. The others really miss him on those 3 days and are very excited when he gets home. School with physical distancing is a very different experience – the kids have to arrive at a particular time, have their temperature taken, line up on spaced spots and be taken to their spaced desks.
But despite all the restrictions it’s been enjoyable to be with classmates, and we are super grateful that he’s able to go back and for all that the teachers are doing to make it work and to make it a relaxed atmosphere for the kids.
Mundane tasks and achieving goals
At home, I’ve become more aware of how I really like to accomplish things, and how I tend to feel better about myself if I feel I’ve done some useful things in the day. Sometimes I even add little things I’ve done to my to do list just so I can tick them off! So on days when I’ve managed to do some cleaning, or have read a chapter of a book, or ticked lots of things off my to do list, I feel happier and more satisfied.
While those are good things to do, in that God created us to work and wants us to use our time well, if my happiness is tied to achieving my goals, then a) I’ll constantly be disappointed when disruptions happen and b) I’ll be finding my joy in something other than Jesus.
“I think I can swing between making the completion of tasks an idol and despising those tasks”
On the other hand, sometimes I forget that the little things I do – the boring mundane stuff of cleaning the house, doing another load of laundry and cooking meals – are valuable in God’s eyes if done to his glory and to love my family. Often for me they’re tasks to be got through (and are frustratingly still there to do again the next day) rather than things I can work at with all my heart because I’m serving the Lord.
So I think I can swing between making the completion of tasks an idol, and despising those tasks, when a more godly attitude would be receiving this task (or this interruption!) from the Lord as good work that I can do to his glory.
I find that listening to Christian songs and podcasts as I make dinner helps me remember Jesus and find joy in his love for us, which is what I really need when joy in circumstances disappears so easily. Need to keep remembering to do that!
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natasha.small@dundonald.org
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