Family

What is the future of our future?

By Pastor David Bowen Families will have to continue to adjust. forced to slow down, some positive, good T he Summer Olympics have been postponed for a year. The “Happiest Place on Earth,” Disneyland, Standing Stones Community Church Standing Stones Christian Academy Before anyone had even heard the term coronavirus, statistics were projecting a future increase in multigenerational families, largely due to the high cost of living in major metropolitan areas. With many parks things have come out of this shelter-athome experience.

Professional sports have no clear plan to renewed and strengthened. mal” setting. If this virus has done anybegin playing, and when they do resume The hardest aspect of our new “normal” thing for our culture, I think it has made playing games again, will it be in empty has been for those who are ill, especially people more optimistic. I am hearing far stadiums? For the first time in over a 2,000- those who had to be hospitalized, because more people make comments like “we’ll get year period, churches were closed for Easvisitors are no longer allowed to sit and through this” and “everything is going to ter, forced to go to online-only services. add comfort to one’s bedside. In these casbe OK.” This is a welcome change from the

Kids—well, really parents—were forced es, I have seen friends and neighbors step common pessimistic, complaining attitude to make an abrupt switch to homeschool. up and bring meals to concerned family and behavior that snuck into our hearts and School graduations, birthday parties and members. I have heard people expressing life. Maybe we should schedule a time each even weddings were forced to be canceled how they are praying for one another. In year to shelter at home and enjoy quality or rescheduled. So, when life does get back this time of isolation, people seem to be time with our loved ones. Just a thought. to “normal,” what will “normal” look like? coming together. With our lifestyles being Stay safe!

As restaurants and stores begin to reopen and as people begin to go back to a regular work schedule, and in the fall when kids go has been closed since March 14. Recently and playgrounds closed, families have been back to school, what will our future look the New York Times reported Disney, and forced to learn how to play around or close like? Will we go back to the fast-paced, tooits 14 theme parks with an annual attento home. Despite facing uncertain circummuch-on-our-plates way of life or will we dance of 157 million, does not know when stances, I have found it encouraging that carry some of the habits and routines we or how it is going to reopen. Disney’s eight many adults are expressing how grateful have been forced to adopt into our normal studios, which last year controlled 40% of they are to have this family time together. day-to-day? I hope we do. Are we more isothe domestic box office, is also dark and Families are watching movies together lated when we are free to do as we please or at a standstill. Many primetime television and parents are working from home—and when we are forced to stay at home? I would series had to end their season several epiworking a little less. Board games are being argue that we are far more isolated from sodes early. dusted off and family connections are being neighbors and family when we have a “nor