This summer has taken on a strange tone and mood for me. After being home for several months as a result of the COVID pandemic, the normal school year detox and relaxing that would take place has been given a head start. Relaxing on the porch with a cup of coffee clad in my comfy t-shirt and yoga pants has been the norm for months. I have enjoyed soaking up all the downtime and letting the non-essential details of life take a back seat. So much good in our family has come out of this time, but there is one thing that can never be granted a lackluster determination. Relaxed living can’t mean relaxed parenting.

​Doors slamming, voices raised, looks of frustration and disgusted, and even the occasional silent treatment have been some of the sounds of our quarantine. I know this may be shocking to hear, but with thirteen people cooped up in one home for going on eight weeks, it is unavoidable. Try as we may to escape the conflict of many personalities, age ranges, and agendas, we end up seeing the clash of the Rossiters on many fronts. Yes, I know this flies in the face of the “Home Sweet Home” sign you may have envisioned, but transparency and real-life are winning out today.

​​The word background can be defined as:

Both of these definitions hold relevance to the current path we all find ourselves walking.

Our days continually mirror the day before. What, just days ago, was our “main thing” has been placed in the “behind the scenes” of our lives, and not by our choosing.

Today, let's explore four things we can learn from being forced to bring all we once minimized to the maximum “front seat” position in our new normal routine.

A Ferris wheel goes round and round. Up to the top you ride feeling the wind in your face and seeing all the sights. To the bottom you go, hearing the giggles of delight and smelling delicious popcorn and cotton candy. Just as you really begin to enjoy yourself, you feel it come to a stop. As you exit through the gate, you consider purchasing another ticket because it went by way too quickly.
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All of that would be true if you love rides and heights. I however, do not. The scene that I just described takes on a totally different tone and emotion for me. 

​S-T-O-P! Oh, I should not have said that!

• Does my face show the terrible selfish response that is running through my mind?
• Does my tone reflect the rude and frustrating way I am handling this situation?
• Can anyone sense the impatient way in which I am facing this crisis?  

Do you ever find yourself thinking these thoughts? Do those convicting questions run across your mind on more than one occasion during your day?

I have found myself camped out here lately. My words and attitude have gotten the better of me and have left me with a huge load of guilt. Since stopping this trend of sinfulness was my true desire, I sought out an acrostic to give me some direction. 

A New Year. . . 365 days. . . a new start, a fresh page, a clean slate. We have all heard the many clichés about the new year ahead. They bring a sense of hope, endless possibilities, and growth. The feeling of potential accomplishments and true change surround us. We begin to embrace the positive outlook that is portrayed. ​

Lights, tinsel, carols, hot chocolate, and eleven faces eagerly awaiting what they will receive. What an amazing and magically time filled with family and memories. Only a God of love and compassion would turn His ultimate sacrifice into a day of gifts for all mankind. Christ, the greatest gift, is still giving today!

​That being said, materialism and the hunt for the latest and greatest has tarnished, as it always will, the heart of this season. The fight to keep the focus both Christ-centered and ordered with moderation has all of us going against the flow of society.