Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Proverbs 27:1

 At the end of 2019, we got a new Wi-Fi router. My dad had to choose a new password. He chose BigYear2020. Don’t worry; we’ve already changed it! It was simple and easy to remember because 2020 was going to be a big year. In 2020, we were looking forward to high school graduation for me, college graduation for my sister, a 25th wedding anniversary for my parents, an 80th birthday celebration for Grandpa, and a new baby cousin's arrival. And sure enough, 2020 has proven to be a very big year…but a different kind of big than what we were hoping for. We joke that my Dad spoke the events of this year into existence by choosing BigYear2020 as our password.

However, if that were the case, I don’t know if I’d want to go back in time and tell him to make it PerfectlyAverageYear2020 because this year has given me so much to be thankful for.

Cancer is a scary word. So is pandemic.

Hearing them at the same time is terrifying. But as much as both of these things scare me, I could not be more grateful for God’s timing and His hand through it all.

Most people who have pancreatic cancer don't realize it until it’s too late, but my dad turned yellow. Pancreatic cancer is rare and, most of the time, fatal. If my dad’s tumor weren’t in the perfect spot to impede kidney function, he wouldn’t have turned yellow, alerting us something was wrong. We probably wouldn’t have known he had pancreatic cancer. His tumor removal surgery was scheduled for Friday, March 13th, otherwise known as “the day the world shut down.” On the day of the surgery, we watched as the hospital started to close down and send home all non-essential employees. My dad’s surgery was the last elective surgery the surgeon performed. If his surgery were scheduled for the 14th, the tumor would not have been removed.  He would probably have started chemo before surgery, which would not have been ideal. God is Sovereign over all things.

The timing of COVID has been a blessing for our family. The extra time at home allowed our whole family to be home with my dad as he recovered from surgery without taking extra time off from work or school. We could be home and make sure he was okay. Dad did not have to take as many sick or vacation days because he could work at home just like everyone else did. And even several months after his surgery and the continuation of COVID, he can still work remotely on chemo days and the days following. This summer has been such a blessing to me as I have spent so much time with my family. My dad working at home allowed me to sit near him while he worked, to wake him up when he fell asleep during meetings, and make sure he was drinking enough water. I am so very grateful for the time we had together. Again, I see God's sovereignty.

If I have learned anything during this cancer/COVID season, it would be to make the most of my time. You never know when your dad (or you) could turn yellow, and your whole life could change. You never know when a pandemic could hit, which puts unexpected restrictions on what you can and can’t do and who you can and can’t see. You never know when it could be your last day of high school like you know it; your last basketball game, your final musical performance.

Life can change instantly, and like God’s Word says, we are not promised tomorrow (Proverbs 27:1).

Spend time with the people you love and be in the moment with them. Get off Facebook and stop arguing about whether or not you should wear a mask. Spend your energy fighting for the things that matter. Appreciate the time you have with loved ones and take none of it for granted.

Embrace BigYear2020 and rejoice in God’s sovereignty.

You never know if it’s going to be a RegularYear2021 or  TheMostChaoticYear2021  or TheBestYear2021.