My appreciation for Leap Day changed dramatically eight years ago when my mother’s earthly journey ended on Feb 29.

The last years of her life were at times a living hell for her, as she battled the most horrific form of Alzheimer’s I’ve ever seen, robbing her of the dignity that defined her life, even as she was still aware of what it was doing to her. I struggled at times and occasionally yelled at God because it was so cruel to see this amazing human suffer so much for so long. But Leap Day reminds me that we can’t even order the days of the year without needing to add a day, so God’s time and our time are not the same.

Paul wrote, “For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4-17-18)

Leap Day reminds me of that. No matter what we are going through, God will always be present in this life and will work out a way to make things right again. Maybe not here on Earth but even when we can’t see it, an eternity with God is worth waiting for and gives us hope even in the most hopeless situations.

We just sometimes need an extra day.