Like most people I know, doing the dishes is not high on my "favorite things" list. This morning on my drive in to work I was reflecting on my poor attitude about doing the dishes this morning. I realized that instead of making me moan and groan to myself, doing the dishes could be a way to rejoice for all the blessings I have.
Here's what I came up with to be thankful for connected with dishes...
1. Having dishes (especially the amount of dishes we had) implies a place to store them; I'm thankful for having a home.
2. Having dirty dishes means that we have plenty of food to eat; I'm thankful for the physical plenty that we have.
3. Having dirty dishes every day means we are never without food; I'm thankful for regular meals.
4. Having a growing pile of dirty dishes, even when I'm not there, means that there are other people in my family; I'm thankful for my wife and daughter.
5. Being able to do dishes requires water. Many people in the world would have to walk miles to just go get some water. I'm thankful for the city water service and for our pipes that deliver water by just lifting a knob.
6. Having hot water to really get the dishes clean requires a water heater. Many people all over the world would have to go collect wood to make a fire to heat the water. I'm thankful for our water heater.
7. Having a hot water heater that runs on gas instead of wood means that we are connected to a outside gas line. I'm thankful for not having to worry about anything more than paying our gas bill to heat our water.
8. Being able to stand at the sink to do dishes requires a certain level of physical health. I'm thankful that for the moment I am physically strong and able enough to do the dishes.
9. Having the time to do the dishes requires a life situation that affords me that time. I'm thankful for a job which allows me the time to do the dishes.
That's nine things, and I'm sure there's more, to be thankful for in a menial household chore. What if I looked at all of life this way? It would sure help my attitude and outlook on life.
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Friday, November 30, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Glimpses in a Loud and Scary Thing
About a month ago I was out mowing our lawn for only the 4th time this year (one of the benefits of one of the worst droughts in a while). As I was mowing, Rebecca brought Annabelle out to sit on the porch to "watch daddy". As I mowed back and forth across her line-of-sight; her reaction to the noise of the lawnmower got me thinking. Initially she was afraid, but since she was with her mommy, she didn't break down into tears. She began to smile and wave at me as she got more and more used to the noise of the mower.
At first the mower was a loud, scary thing for her. But after she watched it go back and forth in the hands of her daddy her fear began to subside. It made me think of my relationship with the Lord. Sometimes in life I encounter "loud, scary" things. It might be a situation at work or with a family member. It might be a tragedy that strikes close to home. It might be one of those events that you read about in the headlines. Whatever it is, it seems loud and scary to me. But just as the lawnmower turned and did my bidding that evening, so do all the loud and scary things in my life turn and do the bidding of my Heavenly Father.
It reminds me of these verses in Luke 12:6-7, "“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” He knows. He cares. He is in control of all the circumstances of my life.
It's interesting that in the two verses prior to these, Luke 12:4-5, Jesus says, "““I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” He knows. He knows my heart and my actions. He cares. He cares about how I treat others, and what I do. This picture of God seems different, more intimidating, less nice. Here Jesus is speaking of God casting people into hell. He is a God to be feared.
It is true that God takes human sin very seriously. But the most interesting thing is that these words are on the lips of Jesus. Jesus who is God, God in flesh. He came to earth to take the penalty for human sin so that people don't have to if they believe in Him. He is the ultimate expression of God's love. Ultimately I can trust the love of God not because he takes care of all the "loud, scary" things in my life. But I can trust the love of God because He came to earth as a man and took the full penalty for human sin on Himself.
At first the mower was a loud, scary thing for her. But after she watched it go back and forth in the hands of her daddy her fear began to subside. It made me think of my relationship with the Lord. Sometimes in life I encounter "loud, scary" things. It might be a situation at work or with a family member. It might be a tragedy that strikes close to home. It might be one of those events that you read about in the headlines. Whatever it is, it seems loud and scary to me. But just as the lawnmower turned and did my bidding that evening, so do all the loud and scary things in my life turn and do the bidding of my Heavenly Father.
It reminds me of these verses in Luke 12:6-7, "“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” He knows. He cares. He is in control of all the circumstances of my life.
It's interesting that in the two verses prior to these, Luke 12:4-5, Jesus says, "““I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” He knows. He knows my heart and my actions. He cares. He cares about how I treat others, and what I do. This picture of God seems different, more intimidating, less nice. Here Jesus is speaking of God casting people into hell. He is a God to be feared.
It is true that God takes human sin very seriously. But the most interesting thing is that these words are on the lips of Jesus. Jesus who is God, God in flesh. He came to earth to take the penalty for human sin so that people don't have to if they believe in Him. He is the ultimate expression of God's love. Ultimately I can trust the love of God not because he takes care of all the "loud, scary" things in my life. But I can trust the love of God because He came to earth as a man and took the full penalty for human sin on Himself.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
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