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S. A. J. Lyttek, a multiple award-winning writer, always loved writing, but didn’t arrive at the profession in the typical manner. After college and graduate school, she plunged into government consulting. In this environment, she discovered a knack for writing tests, interviews and other measurements. That soon became the focus of her career—reigniting her love for the written word. Thus captivated, she spent evenings freelancing “fun” writing including short stories, poems, articles and cards. When her eldest was a toddler, she quit full-time work to stay home and write. Eager to spend more time with her children, homeschooling intrigued her. From preschool through high school, she homeschooled both sons while continuing to freelance. An integral part of the homeschooling community, she has developed and taught writing classes to a generation of homeschoolers. Married to her childhood sweetheart, Gary, Mrs. Lyttek loves to share her commitment to homeschoolers and her fascination with the written word.
I’m still in the throes of zero birthday blues. Frankly, it makes me a grumpy and less than pleasant person to be around. In last week’s post and others recently where I’ve focused on gratitude, I’ve tried to show the glass half full to overfilled. But indulge me for a moment, while I look at the glass half empty to all the way empty.
So, oddly enough, while I was sick, I would search the internet and plan a future cruise. Some people would say never again. I get that. The 24 hours that I was in isolation were terrifying. But most of it had been lovely. And that’s what I wanted to recreate. That’s what I wanted to look forward to.
Scripture, as a whole, tells us to live in the now. We are to ask for today’s provision. We are to seize the time we are given. We are called to exhort our brothers and sisters daily and listen to God each and every day. The daily life is important, probably the most important.
But we are also called to look backward at the examples and the faithfulness of God. Here, we get our reassurance and our rock.
Yet, we need a hope and a future. We need something to look forward to that keeps us going when today is hard. We need somewhere to set our focus that is good and lovely when in the midst of gloom and despair.
And gloom and despair doesn’t need to be about something major. It can be as little as feeling off-balance. We are human. Sometimes the big trials are easier to manage than the small ones. With the big ones, you can feel like there’s a solid reason for the strife. Because it’s big enough to be real, we ask for prayer to share the burden. The small trials that niggle at us? We somehow don’t feel they’re worthy of prayer or the attention of others. So then, they are the ones that drag us into despair and keep us there.
Until, we find something to latch on to look forward to.
Ultimately, that perfect something is eternity and heaven. But often, that feels like a hologram hook for our emotions. We need something a little closer, a little more attainable.
I still haven’t figured out what that is yet. And while I pray about the next writing goal and plan the next escape, I will probably remain a little gloomy.
Because we all need something to look forward to.