Bathtub

It seems like Thanksgiving day comes and goes and without a breathe we transition into Christmas, without hardly any time of reflection and pause. Our house was a full one most of the week, for the kids were out of school, and our New Yorkers, Tom and Rebecka were here with our littlest grandbaby, Emma, four months. The kitchen was busy and there was action at nearly every turn. We were blessed to have out whole family here for the holidays, but oh when they leave and the schedules return to routine activity there does leave a void.

Before I got out the Christmas decorations, and a tree was set in place, I wondered through the house just reflecting on the days before. Rebecka got here on Monday, Tom on Wednesday and by Thanksgiving, a stomach virus has landed on Rebecka, isolating her, or so we thought, in the bedroom upstairs. But apparently throughout the day, not only were Tom and the girls checking on her but she had the kids peeking in just to make sure things were ok, and that the candy jar was not sitting idle. The virus got Tom and Molly and Jenn's mother in law Pat and even skirted me, but even then the blessings were overflowing. My brother and sister and their families came by and the quick visits were loved and appreciated especially by my little football players who favor anybody who would tackle and play ball in the front yard.

I found pretzels on the dining room floor, candy wrappers in the toilet, pacifiers tucked in the couch cushions, But my favorite remnant was not the leftover food or assorted items but the ring around my big bathtub. For at the close of Thanksgiving Day, all the boys were College Station bound for the Texas/Texas A&M game, and the girls were left to pick up and clean up. We started with baths. Jennifer turned on the bath, we laid out towels and she and Jamie and I gathered the three little baby girls and bathed them together, got their nightgowns on and got them settled, then Jamie and Jenn got the three rough, tough and filthy dirty boys after a full day of football and scrubbed them from head to toe till even they were squeaky clean. The ring around the bathtub was a great reminder of the wonderful day that was shared even with some of the glitches.

And then I started thinking a little harder about that bathtub ring. When day is done and the night is falling upon us, what do we have to show for our day? Do we wash away the dirt that has blown upon us, or scrub gently the scrapes that have tattered our hearts? Can we immerse ourselves in the cleansing power of Christ, and leave the ring of disappointment or grounded tackles or blended successes and failures at his feet? Do we end our day with a bath of forgiveness and his lathered amount of grace? Ok I know this is out there a little, but we can all relate to bathtub rings! It was such a visual... I witnessed the playful folly of these little tykes. There were some hard hits, some great tackles, and some hard passes and catches even if it is for ages two, three and four. But the day was no so much about the football, even though that was the simplified explanation to them. it was the bonding, the relationships, and the memories. They were together and loving the day that God had given them, after all we had just thanked him once again at lunch.

There are remnants and leftovers at the end of each of our days. Some are flanked with a visual reminder that is seen but so many times
it is what lies inside of of us that needs to be renewed and refreshed, leaving the traces of dirties waters behind.

The house is now picked up and it is time to get ready for our next season of JOY! I write this knowing that so many people have heavy hearts when these holidays hit, and to them, or maybe to you it is not so much a time of joy. While we have a large family and chaos abounds, there are many I know who are grieving over the loss of a loved one, or a downfall in the economy, those who are not able to be with the ones they love at this particular time, or who are struggling with health issues with themselves or someone they are close to. I pray with all my heart that God will comfort and pour his grace upon you. For you are the ones who are truly cradled in his arms and who he wants to know of his love. As we approach this season of Christ, my hope is that you too can leave a bathtub ring of sorrow and pain and accept the strength, the courage, the grace and the love that Christ alone can and will pour upon your hearts if only you let him close.

Psalm 136

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

Dear Lord, Thank you that when day is done and the edge of darkness begins its decent, that you are there to wash away the fears, the betrayals, and the disappointments. Please clean the scrapes and dirt off that have been planted upon us by tackles and tough plays, and lather us with your grace. Amen