Attempting to get them outside, my husband told our kids that there were Xs and other markings painted on the streets in our neighborhood. He suggested they ride their bikes and go look for them. It would be like a treasure map or a scavenger hunt of sorts.
They bit on that logic and took off on their adventure. A while later they showed back up red-faced, sweaty, and aggravated.
“That was not very nice,” they huffed between deeps breaths and gulps of water. “There were no Xs out there, and what we saw has been there forever. That wasn’t anything special.”
I informed them that no one told them that it was anything special or new. (Side note: There are Xs. See Exhibit A – the main photo.) Just that there were things spray painted on the streets in places. I believe these various markings and numbers have been applied by the gas and water companies and other officials. I feel confident in saying they were not placed there by the X-Men or a spy on a super-secret mission.
There are a couple of things happening here that jumped out to me. One, they never paid any attention to what was right in front of them all along. We are all guilty of that from time to time. I’ve certainly been reminded of that during this summer of COVID. So much extra downtime at home has forced me to see what, and who, I truly value. I hope that has been the case for you as well. I pray that when normalcy returns, and the wide world opens back up to us that we don’t lose sight of what is in front of us all the time.
Two, they built up something in their minds and the reality couldn’t live up to it. They thought that a super adventure was waiting just for them. They were disappointed with the reality. Oh, friends I have struggled with this often. I just bet you have experienced some disappointments lately. A season cancelled. An event postponed. A vacation not taken. Time with our important people lost. This is certainly not the year most of us wanted.
My boys didn’t appreciate all that they got out of their trip through the neighborhood that day – fresh air, sunshine, exercise, time together, freedom, memories. It’s a surprisingly long list when you really think about it.
How about you? If you examine some of your disappointments can you find a way to appreciate some of them? I started thinking closer about some of my disappointments that have simply been a result of living during a pandemic.
We were scheduled to go to San Diego for this summer’s vacation. We had lodging booked and were planning all the fun things we wanted to do. We had to cancel. Whomp whomp. We did manage to rally and squeeze in a very carefully planned and executed vacation. We had a wonderful time together. We got about a thousand times more rest than we would’ve gotten exploring San Diego. We had a unique experience and made lasting memories together.
We have not had the full, active schedule that we normally keep during the summers. We were disappointed to finish a school year at home, not have a spring sports season, have trips to concerts and ballgames cancelled, lost time with many of our friends and families. All very disappointing.
We have been home and finding other ways to keep busy. The kids camped in the yard and have gone on neighborhood adventures. We have spent more time talking to our neighbors. We’ve had movie marathons. We did Bible School at home. We’ve made special treats. We had the most accidental, low-key fun Fourth of the July spaced out across yards with neighbors. We saw fireworks all around and lightning bugs in the yard. Who knew that you could enjoy both at once in your lot of suburbia? We spent deliberate time making the ordinary special.
When I look back, things that were originally disappointments have fueled some wonderful moments. I’m certain my children will grow up and remember a lot of fantastic times from a summer that has been so full of cancellations. I pray they’ve learned a little about what to do when life hands you lemons.
You’ve probably heard Lamentations 3:22-23 whether you realize it or not. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
I’ve had to remind myself of that a lot this summer. God’s mercies ARE new every morning. We don’t have to stay stuck in disappointment. It’s okay to be and admit we’re disappointed. To acknowledge disappointment. It’s not good or necessary to stay there. Let’s work to shift our focus off the disappointments and onto the promises of God’s mercies each day. It will be like your own version of a treasure hunt.
