Ken’s e-Pistle

August 16, 2023

I returned home after Sunday School, Worship, Fellowship Lunch and meetings yesterday and found myself rather depleted.  Between the drive and the activities of the Sabbath I found myself coveting the luxury of an afternoon nap.  I told myself that I had worked for it, I deserved it, and nobody was going to deprive me of it.

I should have known better.  It seems that Miss Vicki had been afflicted by an irrepressible fit of cleanliness in my absence.  The clutter and chaos of a new puppy had finally reached the tipping point and she simply could not stand it.  I was first greeted with the faint smell of Murphy’s Oil Soap.  The floors shined and the furniture looked startled.  Curtains were being cleaned in the washing machine and the kitchen, usually my domain as the cook of the family, was about as close to brand-spanking-new as I had ever seen it.  Dishtowels and washcloths were put away in their respective drawers.  Pots and pans were washed and stacked neatly in the pantry.  I noticed that the copper pans had not been polished but decided it was not an apropos moment to press my luck.

Now, I am not what anyone would call a neat-freak, but I greatly appreciate it when things are where they are supposed to be and a bit of order can be detected.  This scenario exceeded my expectations, however. It all looked great but our three dogs, puppy included, were sitting at rapt attention, afraid to move from their corners, lest judgment fall upon them.  They looked, for all the world, like prisoners before the Dock, awaiting sentencing. Unsure of what to do, I decided that my best course of action would be to stand with the condemned and await instruction.

After a few moments the Lady of the House appeared.  I had expected her to be dusty, bedraggled and grumpy.  Instead, she fairly beamed at what she had accomplished.  Tasks which would have taken both of us two days to do had been attended to in a few hours.  The dogs relaxed and resumed their usual antics.  I made my way cautiously to my recliner, fearful lest any errant dust-bunny dare to appear.  There, I slipped into a dreamless nap which refreshed my mind and soul.

My sense is that most of us live our lives with no small amount of anxiety about life, the future, the afterlife, etc.  We are acutely aware of our failings and peccadillos.  And when things are suddenly new and wonderful, we feel guilty that we didn’t do more to make them so.  But sometimes, it is not our job to make things perfect.  It is simply our job to make things loving.  Jesus had a lot to say about that.  Things like “Judge not lest ye  be judged” and “the greatest of these is love.”

I bid you peace!