Playing Tag in the Kitchen

Some days it's so hard to get up especially when you know a little one, or not so little one, is going to disagree, complain, disobey, pout, stomp...the list goes on. From the time he could speak my youngest has always started the day asking what he can eat. No "good morning mama." No "thank you for investing your time and life into mine." HA! It can certainly feel like running the race for our salvation in quick sand.

This morning my eldest was walking through the hallway as we were preparing to head out. As I passed her I bumped her shoulder and said "you're it" quietly. She then went and tagged her younger sister and the games began. There was squealing and running, yelling "no tag backs" and overall chaos in the kitchen as we all made laps around the island then into the living room trying to avoid whoever was "it". That 5 minutes of morning set a wonderful tone for the day. We sang all the way to our destination finishing with the Beach Boys blaring in Mom's Hot Rod. Those few seconds were dedicated to joy and laughter and closeness. A shared moment. A memory.

When I spend time with my Lord I tend to be like my youngest child asking Him what I get. Sometimes I'm sulking down the hall uncomfortable in my own skin like my 15 year old. But sometimes I really hear the words I'm praying. Sometimes I let Him set the tone for the day. Sometimes I let Him create a memory in my heart and share His moment with Him. All of our moments with the Lord are not this way however, but these moments help us during the dark times, the disconnected times, the times of despair. These moments are the torches in the darkness that help us along the path to His glory.

For our families, the Kitchen moments are the ones that anchor us to our foundation so we can grow and learn and succeed...and fail...without becoming utterly lost in this world. The complaining will continue, the bickering, the stomping...but our hearts are changed just a little each time a memory is shared and we feel secure and can walk forward with a little more confidence. May God grant us strength as we run this race. If we are indeed running in quick sand...well...we'll have great quads by the time we're done.