Sacred Delight

Every November 15^th (my dad’s birthday) and May 4^th (the anniversary of my dad’s death), I tend to post a small memory of him. The post is meant to keep my dad’s memory alive in the minds of my friends and family. But it is more of a benefit to me in that it prompts a digging in the mine of my mind to find a hidden gem.

Today’s gem is that on the night before my dad died, I came home from a friend’s house, and he was watching Roswell – one of our favorites. So I sat down next to him on the couch, and I clearly remember hugging him in such a way that I could hear his heartbeat. Then we held hands and watched our show together.

Short, sweet memory. But I am always surprised at how many of these treasured moments I have – something new to share 2 times a year for 13 years now. And what I love most is that dad gave me such fun things that remind me of him. Roswell is not an amazing show, but it was entertaining. It was one of the many introductions to sci-fi that would later help me appreciate my sci-fi loving husband. And to me, Roswell is almost sacred. It is a small connection to the relationship I shared with my dad.

This memory inspires me to create fun moments with my children, and to savor them. Savoring is a big theme for me lately. I have been studying Ecclesiastes in my Bible study this month, and we studied it at church last summer. At first I dreaded this book because it seemed depressingly “meaningless." But what I eventually took away from these studies is that God wants me to be happy with what I’ve got – to enjoy life.

I am so grateful that God put people in my life who remind me to lighten up. My dad loved to travel, loved to meet new people. He never met a stranger. He loved to tell stories. He made things fun. I tend to be serious, too serious. But God gave me a fun dad.

And thinking about this has made me realize how much joy I have in my life because my husband is fun… and funny. Most people think that a pastor should be serious, but then they meet Glyn. He is part theological teacher, part comedian. And I love him. He is smart AND compassionate. And he makes learning interesting and applicable. He approaches a discussion with an open mind, listening, not just waiting to present his case. He honors the other person. He reminds me of my dad.

I’ve experienced 2 separate prayers from a person in England and a person here in Tampa in the last 7 months. And both of them (without any prompting or knowledge of each other) expressed a feeling of God’s delight in Glyn’s humor. How fun to think that God enjoys our humor. He made us, so I guess that is natural, but for some reason this was a new thought to me. It helps me to connect to God in a different way. He enjoys laughter. It is not irreverent to laugh; it can be worship. And He knew I’d need it. He gave me 2 wonderful funny, happy men. And because of them I have so many sacred delights. 

Laundry Prayers

Laundry is my least favorite household chore, right next to cleaning bathrooms! I don’t mind sorting the clothes and putting them in the washer/dryer. In fact, I feel very virtuous to hear the swish of the washer while I type away on my computer – accomplishing two things at once! But I dread carrying the baskets of clothes up three flights of stairs, folding each and every sock and uniform and then putting them away!

But I have found a way to redeem this time. And I have done this for years whenever I’m not lost in my thoughts of all the other more important things that need to get done. I pray. I pray for my family, mostly. And it is the easiest method of prayer I have found to cover so many facets of our lives.

When I find a sock, while searching for its mate, I pray for the sock owner’s steps that day. I pray that God will guide him to the right places. The more socks I find, the more I pray about that person’s direction in life and that his feet may bring good news.

Pajamas usually encourage a prayer for good sleep. But if the pj owner is sick, I pray for healing. Tae Kwon Do uniforms, ballet costumes, and workout clothes remind me to pray for health and strength, sometimes even for a long life. Business shirts and trousers remind me to pray for my husband’s work. Church clothes lead me to pray for our church and community. My Awana and VBS shirts remind me to pray for those events and the children and leaders involved. School uniforms prompt prayers for teachers and friendships. My grey jeans remind me to pray for my new photography business (since I usually wear them to shoots). Hand-me-downs encourage prayers of gratitude and blessings for others.

And at the end of this chore, I take each pile to the different rooms, thanking God for the piles of blessings in my life. This mundane activity is transformed into a perspective changing experience, and I am grateful to be putting away the abundance of God’s provision. I am also reminded that I am doing something important – taking part in the bigger picture through prayer, and loving those I hold most dear through a simple act of service.

May God redeem all of our everyday chores!

 

 PS – I let my kids in on this secret prayer today, and they especially loved praying for regularity when folding underwear. :)