These days, I don’t spend nearly as much time at the kitchen sink doing dishes as I once did. Now that I have older children, they do most of the washing and/or loading and unloading the dishwasher and cleaning up the kitchen after meals. But I have done my time…standing at the kitchen sink, that is.
Many, many hours during the last 19 years have I scoured, scrubbed, washed and rinsed. Was that time wasted? Oh, no. For one thing, I was doing a service for my family, and in turn I was doing a service for the Lord. We have to be faithful in the little things as well as the big things–and most moms I know would consider cleaning up the kitchen 3x a day/ 7x a week a BIG thing!
But I also decided to use that time to pray for my family whenever possible. So what did I do? I put favorite pictures of my husband and children on the window sill above the sink to remind me of the most important and precious people in my life…and that I need to lift them up in prayer daily. I also put a framed teapot print with the words "You Are Special" that was a gift from my husband there, along with a wire-bound "flip" book that contains Bible verses and special messages for mothers. Then there are also three small ornamental teacups on matching hankies that were gifts to my three daughters from a dear relative.
Each time I stand at the sink, I am greeted with happy smiles from days gone by, as well as newer and more current photos. I, too, smile and I remember! Such precious, precious memories. Not only do I pray, but I also realize that the days are passing quickly. Before I know it, my children will be grown and gone…and I will be back at the kitchen sink full-time. So, I am reminded to take each day and make the most of it. As I’ve heard before–the days are long, but the years are short! I pray I’ll keep that in mind, even on those long, hectic days when it seems as though my sink runneth over!
~Originally posted September 26, 2006
