Distracted by Dishes

Only the dishes stand between Jessica, me, and our date night. The uncorked bottle of wine sits beside two glasses on the back porch. Yet, chrome cookware fills the sink, and plates spread across the counter. Given our hundreds of practice nights, this shouldn’t take long.

Jessica joins me in the kitchen after I empty the dishwasher. I ask about the trial with Lynn going to bed, but food removal from a skillet engrosses Jessica. Soon, we find our groove though. She rinses dishes, and I fill the dishwasher.

            However, Jessica hands me one coffee cup too many. I stare into the top rack of the dishwasher. One square inch must appear for this cup; I can’t see it though. My backlog of silverware grows, and maybe Jessica asked about Ruth’s bedtime during all this? If she did, I couldn’t hear her. The back porch awaits.

            The noise from the dishes deafens us to one another. Neither Jessica nor I can hear the other because the dishes become our exclusive focus. We do not wash dishes together; rather, we are simply workers in the same assembly line. We only want to finish, so we can meet each other at the destination. Our connection lingers for us there, not here.

            Then, I recall her exercise class. My mind connects us doing a thing with her in another group doing a thing. Without a slow down on the dishes, Jessica answers my question about her class. She enjoys the routines, and she is grateful for the kind teacher. Jessica asks me about my writing after her report. I tell her about a particular story for publication, and I move three steps past the cup. We finish the dishes with fewer moans and retire to the porch already connected.

            The shift from noise to peace happens with the acceptance of confidence in victory. Noise is a temptation to a divided reality. Jessica has one thing to do [rinse dishes], and I have another thing to do [load the dishwasher]. We work in isolation. So, we miss the fact that we are already together. The dishes create a noise that distracts us from our reality. We move to peace because we embrace our actual reality. The confidence in victory comes from the reality of our moment – together.

            Christian journeys happen with an eerie similarity. You and I have steps along the path. And these steps tempt you to a journey alone. Maybe you think, “If I can just get through this, I can spend some time with God.” Like Jessica and I, you want to reach your back porch. Surely, God will meet you there.

            However, God is with you. He invites you to take each of your steps in the confidence of His victory. That’s the peace of God. On this journey, you will face the noise of your dishes, but that’s okay. God’s overcome your dishes. He calls you to the peace of His victory. Will you answer His call to the peace of going with God?

            As you consider your answer, a story comes to my mind. Packing for vacation is another chore that offers plenty of distractions. Reid and Daisy prepare for their upcoming trip, but they’ve got to get the kids packed too. Will packing for the children prove one chore too many, or does God’s peace come in here too? Read the story and find out.

September’s Story: “Getting Ready – Together”