Friends were here (but not really)
2 February 2022
Our family has been sick with one thing (*cough*, Covid) or another (*ugh*, Norovirus) for over two weeks now. Everyone is on the mend but there are some lingering symptoms that have meant we have been canceling and postponing events. Inasmuch as I dislike “losing” two weeks that could have been spent visiting with precious friends and family members, it has been a blessing to have so much time as a family of five. The kids and I are together All. The. Time (I passionately adore my job as a homeschooling stay-at-home mom–I wouldn’t trade it for anything!) and we love our rhythms, but it’s been a very busy season for David as he wraps up ministry at Northview and transitions to working on the Creekside Fellowship church plant, so we have been feeling the lack of Daddy Time.
Gross symptoms aside, none of us minded having so much forced down time where we bonded over playing board games, reading books, watching movies, taking very short (and slow paced) walks when the energy allowed, and sharing rolls of paper towels (erm, yeah, we’ve been out of boxed tissue for a while) for the constant onslaught of snot. The kids passed around vitamins, took each other’s temperatures, made countless pots of tea, and handed out barf bowls in turn. I have said three times now, “Looks like we are out of the woods!”, but in truth, that reality isn’t here quiiiiiite yet. Probably tomorrow. It has to be tomorrow...Right??
Things are starting to look pretty empty around here. We did a big pack back in November when we were dealing with the flooding (hey, if we were going to be moving so many things around, it just made sense to move them into boxes and start the process sooner rather than later), which will inevitably save us a lot of valuable time that we want to spend in seeing people before we leave. We sold some furniture and cleared off windowsills and shelves, removed wall hangings, and emptied the natural resting spots for household decor. For a couple of weeks, the bareness seemed pretty stark.
And yet this morning I was struck by how full our house is: full of evidence of kindness and love that has been poured out to us by those who are dearest to our hearts.
The kitchen window sills are overflowing with birthday cards, get-well-soon flowers, gifts of small potted succulents and violet primroses, delicately painted cards, and a smattering of things we’ve collected on nature walks including a handful of winter branches about to burst into leaf.
Lily-scented air wafts casually through the kitchen and living room, explosions of aroma from the gorgeous pink blooms which have meandered open over the past few days.
The fridge is full of items prepared for us by others: granola bars, hearty soups, healthy dinners, Emergen-C powder packs, cold and flu supplements, quick-grab snacks, and of course, chocolate (you know me well!).
Freshly washed dishes and containers wait in bags to be returned to those who cooked meals and brought fresh food for us to eat when cooking (and even eating) seemed like an insurmountable task.
Newly bathed children gather on the couch amidst hot water bottles, cosy blankets, and a snuggly golden retriever, clutching new stuffed toys, thoughtfully given by those who know that sometimes sickness can be overcome by extra snuggles.
Friends were here.
We will take these tokens of love with us when we move, and we will remember that our hearts are big enough for new friends and yet strong enough to hold onto old friends. We will remember how we have been so lavishly showered with blessings and in turn look for others whom we can share the love.
We have learned so much from you, our dear friends. Thank you for being excellent teachers of how God’s children are to operate towards the family of Christ and towards those who do not yet believe in him. We will remember your love and carry it with us, and pass it along.
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