On Halloween - A moment to pause

Today, leaving the kitchen to take the children to gymnastics I stopped to take a breath and look around. All the children were in the car getting strapped in. I ran back into the kitchen, not to retrieve anything, for I knew I had everything we needed. What I needed was a moment of silence and stillness with the Lord.

So there I stood looking around the room, but this time I saw the room through different eyes. Everything was as I had left it. Four dozen cookies on the counter wrapped in foil waiting for the children choir's halloween party this evening. The sink is full of soapy water and dirty dishes from last night's dinner, this morning's breakfast and cookie making as my dishwasher is broken and I hadn't the time to wash. All the evidence of homeschooling is scattered about the kitchen table: books, papers, pencils, markers, clay and a few rulers. The kitchen chairs are turned in every which direction while the stools are parked beneath places where the little ones tried to retrieve things they ultimately were not allowed to have.

Should I even try to describe the toddler mess upon the floor? Animal crackers, blocks, ziplock bags, more clay, dish towels, marbles, and a few toy cars are strewn about. Are you getting the picture? Mayhem!

Normally, I wouldn't have stopped to look. Normally, in a dizzying array of "things to do" I'd have not even lifted my eyes to survey everything. I would have added it to the check-list of things to do. "Clean the kitchen when I get home - check - UGH", would run through my brain as I rushed out the door. But today I stopped to look at the mess to see everything in all its glory.

Today it was a glorious sight of praise to God.

God has given me, a sinner, a family who is busy with learning, cooking, eating, praising, fighting, loving, laughing, praying, climbing and is usually doing it all VERY LOUDLY. Today I praised God for the life that was lived in my kitchen this morning.

My life is anything but stale and stagnant!!