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| From Happy Housewifery |
Sometimes I dream of having a built in dishwasher, ready to accept all of our dirty dishes and clean them all without me scrubbing. I was just thinking that today as I worked on the 3rd load of dishes through the old kitchen sink.
But then, another thought entered in.
Where would I do my prayer time at?
Each day I stand at the old kitchen sink, with its chips and stains from years of use, and look out the window that overlooks our back yard. The old double hung window faces west, and from there I can see the storms as they work their way in, or a sky clearing off as a system passes by. I start my day at that old sink, pouring water into the coffee pot and measuring grounds to make into "instant human". Right beside the sink I keep close at hand the stand mixer, blender, and coffee pot (and a second coffee pot, the old fashioned perk pot, on the stove top). My world seems to revolve around those things and the sink.
Lots of time passes by standing at that old sink. It's not unusual to find me there, washing dishes, preparing various ingredients to put into the day's meals, etc, and listening to the radio. The time at the old sink allows me to hear bible studies, preaching, and good old hymns.
The old sink has also seen a lot of tears-- tears of anger, sorrow, joy, and the occasional cut finger. It's weathered my frustrations with a child, anger after an animated discussion within the home, sorrows in missing loved ones or heartaches from circumstances beyond our control, and joys of prayers answered. It's been the place of many prayers, and it seems more often than not, that's my "prayer closet". No one bothers me while I stand at the sink, as I'll hand them the sponge and allow them to take over. So, in wide open view, I am able to stand and pray, quietly while the noises of the home go on, and take my cares, worries, fears, praises, and worship, to the Lord. Since I average 2 to 3 sink loads of dishes a day, I have lots of time I can spend with the Lord, mostly uninterrupted, where I can talk with Him.
Looking at it this way, that dishwasher doesn't look so appealing after all....
This is an old home, well over 100 years old, and that sink has been there a long time. I'm sure a couple of other women before me have stood there, sharing many of the same sentiments. We use(d) what is considered one of many chores, and put the time taken for it to have a dual purpose. That time with the Lord may not have been there had we popped the dishes into a machine, turned it on, and walked away to find something else to do.
Maybe it's all about perspective......
Shared at: Darling Downs Diaries, Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, What Joy Is Mine, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Mom's The Word--Living For Him
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