Memory Problems.

On a lighter note, let’s talk about coronavirus and memory. Particularly when it comes to homeschooling, we are having memory problems at our house. Namely the kindergartener tends to forget that 1. This is still school and 2. Mom is in charge. He remembers it upon cuing when he first wakes up, but somewhere between the breakfast table and his third writing assignment, he completely forgets it. Meanwhile, the “teacher” who is busy simultaneously unloading the dishwasher, explaining pre-algebra to the older child, and adding butter to the online grocery cart, has a memory lapse of her own as to our home school policy when such incidents occur. She begins counting to three, which totally confuses the child who is in the middle of the pre-algebra explanation, and gives the kindergartener just enough time to remember that he is hungry and needs a snack before continuing on with the school day.

Not wanting to let the urgent crowd out the important, the teacher decides a snack break is an acceptable diversion. After redirecting the starving child to a more nutritionally acceptable solution than initially proposed, she continues on with the pre-algebra lesson, admittedly fuzzy on math theory. The inquisitive pupil interrupts the lesson to ask how this kind of math can possibly be crucial to getting a job someday when the teacher at hand, who has oftentimes been gainfully employed, seems to have long since forgotten how to work these problems. The afternoon is similar to the morning with the possible addition of a phone call from dad, who is calling to “check-in”, but really to “check-out” the situation and see if it is safe to come home or if there are a few things he might want to wrap up at the office first. On the upside of our memory problems, we no longer have the problem of missing a practice or appointment we have forgotten about because we no longer have anything on the calendar.

I hope we remember 2020. These moments when the sun still shines (somewhere), and grace still flows...deeper than the oceans. In the moments we feel relatively unscathed by the Coronavirus, I hope we remember to give thanks. In the moments our hearts ache for those who hurt the most from the pain it causes, I hope we remember to pray. I hope we always remember that we do not know what tomorrow will bring, but we can know the One who holds tomorrow. I hope we remember why we do what we do, and I hope that has little to do with our own glory and more to do with the Glory of Him for whom we and all things were created. Most likely we will forget some of these things, at least I will. As for me, my kindergartner, who cannot remember if he brushed his teeth this morning or not, will have his own way of reminding me. He is quick to forget the moments I could have been better at life and parenting, and quick to remind me of the best things in life (like a hug at the end of the day) which we don’t deserve but are sometimes gifted to us anyway. Life is a vapor, but a precious vapor at that. Let’s remember to make the moments count.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12