Bobservations Column
By Pastor Bob Lawrenz
The neighborhood is eerily quiet this morning. Very few cars are out delivering folks to work. Schools shut down, many businesses are closed, and those still open are reduced to working with skeleton crews for staffing. All because of a virus. Over the weekend and for the past few days, it seems like the world has nearly stopped.
I wonder if our lives haven’t changed permanently? I think I’d like that if it’s true!
For the first time in 20+ years here, we saw kids outside playing in the neighborhood. Married couples were taking walks together (not just individuals). And if you did have to pick up something at the grocery store, everyone seems a bit more friendly. Moms and Dads were actually doing a few errands with their kids in tow, and for the most part, with smiles on their faces. I wondered how many families would actually sit down around a table and share a home-cooked meal together…
All these things work to bond a family together, instead of developing such independence that they barely pass in the halls because of their varied schedules. And with any luck, couples have bonded together too instead of rushing off to their individual careers. I must confess, I sort of like this slow down in our culture. Might we see a spike in the birth rate about 9 months from now? I hope so.
Now…what to do about cell phones and the kid’s video games…? Can Mom & Dad play too?
"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." - Deuteronomy 6:6-7
"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" - Psalm 133:1
