A Blast from the Past

Yesterday I was in my kitchen scrubbing potatoes. Just before I began scrubbing I thought to myself that the house was really quiet. The boys were at school. Mike was at work. The dog was outside rejoicing in the elements. The heater was off because the temperature was in the 60s. It was just really quiet.

For a split second I considered turning on the tube for background noise but then decided against it. Quiet can be good, especially when there are five people living in the house along with a dog who thinks he's one of the children. So I left the television off and began scrubbing potatoes.

I was then aware of the sounds - the scrubbing, the water running - and I had a flashback to the 80s. An old song by Phil Keaggy from his "Getting Closer" album that I listened to for hours during the 80s on my little Emerson cassette recorder, popped into my head.

In the song, Keaggy sings about hearing the voice of the Lord everyday. In turn, he makes sounds that he hopes are pleasing to God.

I believe that God has a sense of humor.

There I was, scrubbing potatoes, and this song popped into my head. I realized then that the sounds that I was making were just as much for him as was Keaggy's wonderful guitar music. The potatoes were for my family and I was quite cheerful as I was scrubbing them. Weird, huh? But doesn't God want us to give our offerings cheerfully?

"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9: 7, NIV.

I admit that I'm taking this verse a little out of context. In the surrounding chapter Paul was referring to a monetary gift that he was encouraging the Corinthians to make, but the idea of the chapter is good counsel for anything we do.

So remember today - whether you're scrubbing potatoes, sick in bed, working hard; whether you are with people or alone - what you do matters. Whether or not anyone sees what you do is not as important as remembering that God does, and he will bless accordingly. It's all in our attitude.

By the way, the potatoes were pretty good. The kids and Mike said so. We didn't feed any to the dog, much to his chagrin. And even though the meal was pretty simple, their compliments were "music to my ears." I was glad to do it for them. I hope that attitude was a good sound in God's ear.