Joy A. Mead

The patriotic bunting has been placed in our bay window!

Scones (with chocolate chips mixed in!) have been made with my son. Even special ice cream cone cakes were lovingly baked by my daughter in anticipation.

Lots of dirty dishes were created too, but it was worthwhile smelling the sweet aroma of baking throughout the house!

There’s something wonderfully exciting when a celebration is nationwide. Everyone gets to join in and essentially unity is created, knowing that from coast to coast, families will be jubilant together.

It looks different this year, without street parties and large gatherings, yet British celebrations will still be filling many homes across the United Kingdom.

Seventy-five years ago, Victory in Europe (VE) Day was celebrated by the brave men and women who fought in various ways to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.

Personally, we remember my husband’s grandad, Tom, who fought overseas in the Middle East and Africa for the entirety of World War II. The buzz of relief, excitement, joy, and emotions at the announcement of victory would have been so contagiously spread in 1945.

I can visualise children spinning around in their gardens, neighbours dancing in the streets, and the joyful sounds of cheerful laughter being heard across our nation for days afterward.

We are in our own battle right now against Covid-19. Society and life itself have evolved greatly since 1945 but we still need to exercise the same characteristics of perseverance, strength, and unity demonstrated so well by a remarkable generation. We want to make it through this season!

I was reminded of this encouraging Bible verse in Galatians 6:9:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

Today, we pause from the worry, fear, and unknowns of how long Covid-19 will go on and what life after will look like. We celebrate the VE victory knowing that ours will come too, in time! With thankful and expectant hearts, we will allow ourselves to be filled with God’s joy which can never be taken away from us. The battle belongs to the Lord (1 Samuel 17:47) and he will be victorious!

So let’s not grow weary in doing good, throughout this globally strange season. The harvest is coming! Stand strong and let’s not give up! God is with us!