Small things are saving me this winter. Just like they did last February when I wrote about how small acts of mothering and fathering add up to create a big thing– a caregiver's sacrificial life.
The small things saving me this year are more mundane, but no less crucial as the pandemic has not allowed life to return to what the rest of the world hoped it would be by now. Once the pandemic does wane, the lives of many parents raising kids with disabilities and special needs will still be marked by health concerns, sacrificial caregiving, and constant stress. We will still need to identify the small things that spark gratitude and help us persevere.
I created such a list to remind myself that God is at work in the small things of my life. Written in no particular order, it's obvious that the small things are saving me, and that many of them are very small indeed.
Photo credit: Yeti.com
My Yeti thermos. I like my hot beverages really hot. My Yeti keeps my tea or coffee hot for a really, really long time. That means I can sip whatever's in the thermos for an hour or more, something I also love.
Libraries. Reading is my favorite leisure time activity, and libraries allow me to read in whatever format I want–hardcover, Kindle, or audio–without spending a penny. I also check out books and movies to share with our multigenerational family and take my 3-year-old granddaughter to library story time every week, also for free.
Our Instant Pot. My daughter and I purchased one on Black Friday. I still have a lot to learn about it, but already enjoy throwing ingredients in the pot an hour before supper and serving up soup that tastes like it's been simmering all day.
Baking bread. When everything shut down in the spring of 2020, I began baking bread again. I've streamlined the process so I can make and freeze enough to last a month. Is there an aroma better than baking bread?
Zoom and FaceTime. Virtual meeting fatigue is real. Still, these platforms provide connection for people separated by distance, who are immune compromised, or homebound. We FaceTime with our long distance grandkids every month. I teach classes via Zoom to educators. I am grateful for this technology.
N95 masks. Yep, they make wearers look like ducks. My husband, who nursed at a hospital for 30+ years before retiring recently, often points out the significant level of protection they provide for us and others. That's worth looking like a duck in my book.
Visiting Mom. My mother has lived in a care facility since 2015. Indoor visits were off limits for 11 months after the pandemic began. Long term care facilities have since determined that this practice is detrimental to their residents' mental health and have changed their protocols. I appreciate that change and wear an N95 mask during visits with her. It's the least I can do to guard the health of residents and health care workers.
South-facing windows. We added a bedroom/sitting room on the back of our house recently. It has 3 large south-facing windows that make the space airy, bright, and warm on the coldest winter days. The 20 months of cost overruns, delays, and general construction hassles feel totally worth it now.
Online grocery shopping and pick up. Enough said.
Family meals. Living in a multigenerational household means we eat one meal a day, usually supper, together. The 3-year-old belts out Let It Go at least once per meal. The 6-year-old reports on his school day. Their parents and grandparents plan, problem solve, and share accomplishments. It loud, chaotic, messy, and my favorite part of the day.
Zechariah 4:10 asks readers this question: Who has despised the day of small things?
I love this verse because it focuses my heart on the mundane and ordinary things that are easy to overlook. The every day things that make our lives a little easier, a little richer, a little more joyful. I encourage you to look for those small things in your life and rejoice in your day of small things.
Jolene Philo is the author of several books for the caregivng community. She speaks at parenting and special needs conferences around the country. She's also the creator and host of the Different Dream website. Sharing Love Abundantly With Special Needs Families: The 5 Love Languages® for Parents Raising Children with Disabilities, which she co-authored with Dr. Gary Chapman, was released in August of 2019 and is available at local bookstores, their bookstore website, and at Amazon. See Jane Run!, the first book in the West River cozy mystery series will be released in June of 2022.
