My mother is a high risk with the Covid-19 situation in our country.  She has asthma, has survived a spot of cancer on her lung, lost her spleen due to a car accident, and is 85 years old.  As a result of the potential risks, I was not able to see her for 13 months.  Finally, some of my family and I were able to see her in July.  Then life took another twist when the school announced they were moving my son’s senior night for football from the last home game of the season to the first one.  She has been here for all the other boys’ senior nights and wanted to be with us for this final one.  Plans were adjusted, and I went to pick her up on the last day of August, and she stayed with us for three weeks until I took her home.  Once we arrived at her house, I stayed there a couple of days to finish some projects before returning home.  All total, we spent four weeks together in the fall of 2020. 

During her stay with us over these weeks, she attended three high school football games, three worship programs at the Church where I preach, helped with youth group food, and joined me on a couple of fishing trips.  My boys made it home each weekend, and we were all able to visit.  We ate well and enjoyed pizza, fresh fish, steak, turkey and noodles, along with a couple of meals out on the town.  Evenings were spent watching TV, including some of the NFL season as it kicked off, and lots of Netflix.  Finally, we were able to share stories of life and fond memories of the past.  The time was enjoyable as new stories were created, and we were able to reconnect after our time apart.

I could fill up several pages telling you all about our time together, but there was a simple lesson that kept coming back to my mind.  Covid-19 has changed our lives, but don’t let it make you miss the important things.  There were risks in my mom spending a month with my family and me, so we wore masks, used hand sanitizer, and tried to be wise.  We felt the rewards far outweighed the risks.  Mom would have been safer at home, but is that the goal of life – to stay safe all the time?  She would have been safe but missed seeing my son play football, conversations, meals with family, worshipping Jesus, serving others, catching the biggest crappie (a type of fish) of her life, along with numerous small blessings and joys.

Don’t take this post as a challenge to throw caution to the wind.  We must be wise with those who are at risk during this time.  Still, we need to be careful that in an effort to preserve our lives, we do not forfeit them for safety’s sake.  God never promises us tomorrow.  Our lives are a mist that appears and then vanishes.  Be wise about your safety, but also be wise with the time you have been given.   Don’t let Covid-19 rob your of your precious days and the possibilities that each one holds.