Shards of Glass, Bare Feet and Birthdays

When the plates slid out of my hands, I knew this wouldn’t end well. Instead of taking the extra time to put them, one at a time, in the cupboard, I had four in one hand. Not realizing that the plate on the bottom was held with my fingers and the plate on the top was held securely with my thumb, but the two plates in the middle had no other recourse but to succumb to the law of gravity and slip down, shattering on the counter top first and into smaller shards when they hit the floor. Where I stood in my bare feet.

The sound was crazy loud but my husband was oblivious, taking his shower in the master bath. No, I was on my own with this one. In a dangerous mess of my own making. Thankfully, I was standing on a rug in front of the sink and after turning the end of it up and over on itself, had a safe place to stand. By dividing and conquering one area at a time, I cleaned up the mess, but I know I’ll never find that old Corelle pattern anywhere to replace those “unbreakable” plates.

Why am I in such a hurry all the time? Why can’t I just slow down and do things the right, slower-paced  way? As I learn another lesson from life, I can get pretty harsh on myself. Did God make me this way for a reason?

Long ago, when I was borrowing my mother-in-law’s vehicle, I got a speeding ticket. It was one of those “grandma” cars, large and long. Hardly any road noise and a smooth, sheltered ride. You could easily be going faster than you thought you were. Anyway, the policeman didn’t give me a break because of that excuse. I was so upset by that ticket and the cost to our young family that I had to find a verse to slow me down. I need to revisit that today.

“Also, it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, it is not good; and he sins who hastens with his feet.” Proverbs 19:2

James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family Ministries, said in one of his radio broadcasts that the Proverbs were not promises per se, but probabilities. Kind of like true statements that describe consequences that are most likely to happen if we do certain things. Now every time someone hurries, he is not necessarily sinning. But it is highly likely that he or she is not thinking as well as he or she would be if they were not in a hurry.

I’m weird, I know, but I love to do dishes. There’s something about the warm water and soap and seeing results so quickly. And glass is so beautiful as the water chases the suds into the sink leaving it as beautiful as the day it was made. But just as quickly, it is used again and the doing needs done again and I just want it over with.

BUT…

I did not have to put away those plates like it was a competition. Let’s see, how fast can you put the dishes away? Seriously? Just how fast could I have left that room in bare feet with glass all around if someone needed me?

I needed to be reminded that there will always be more to do and the more I do of the mundane without taking the time to think about how everything should be done for the glory of God, I lose.

• I lose the glory of how wonderful it is to work with my hands; there are many who are not able to move and do like they wish.
•  I lose the glory of remembering the food God provided for me to enjoy on those plates; He has always provided for all my needs.
• I lose the glory of the freedom I enjoy to do what I want when I want in my own home; there are many woman who have had to leave their homes because of illness or aging.
•  I lose plates, literally.

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

There is really nothing we can do with time. It passes. We can’t make more of it or take it and save it for later, or bend it to suit our needs. It is a gift to use for His glory.

Today is my birthday, and as I write this I pray for wisdom to choose rightly those things that are really worth the time they take. Because, on this earth, we all have a limited amount of it. I pray to not sin by hastening through life like “she who checks off the most tasks wins.” I ask God to cause me to see reasons in doing things, over and over. And just how to get through a birthday without crying about another year…gone, but rejoicing over another year full of blessings.