Is Your House Ready For Company?

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

—Psalm 139:23

“I should have company more often,” I heard myself say, as I recounted to my friend my efforts to make my house presentable for my family dinner.

I had stressed over hosting the event ever since my siblings and I came up with the idea back in March—the idea of taking turns hosting a dinner for all of us, including Mom and Dad. With October being my month, I had seven months to get used to the idea of opening my home to everyone. Usually, I don’t entertain. My house is small, which makes it difficult to accommodate large groups. But there are other reasons. My house is not in tip-top shape. All summer I agonized over what needed to be done before my family came knocking: paint, install new flooring, yard work, clean the siding, stain the deck, scrub the porch, and more. All summer I agonized over not having the money, the energy, or the know-how to do it all. I realized that some of the jobs had to be crossed off the list. But still, I wanted my house to look nice for the get-together.

Turn the Light on

I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;

I will take you by the hand and keep you;

I will give you as a covenant for the people,

a light for the nations,

to open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

from the prison those who sit in darkness.

—Isaiah 42:6-7

I pulled my sunglasses from my beach bag and joined my daughter, Emma, who was sitting on the edge of the baby pool, keeping an eye on her two-year-old, Layla. With temperatures in the nineties, it felt good to sink my feet into the silky liquid. It felt good to be with family, basking in the brightness. I thanked God for my blessings—especially the blessing of Grandparents Day, which meant free admission to the water park for me.

With gladness written all over her face, Layla pranced and twirled before us. She grabbed the hand of a little boy, who wore a green sun hat, and coaxed him to join her in the dance. Emma and I laughed at their escapades, but not nearly as much as the green hatted boy’s parents. Layla made her way to a friendly whale and climbed upon its back. Her smile broadened as she slid down its slippery tail, landing in the water with a splash. Crawling along the bottom of the pool with her hands, as her legs floated behind her, she called out to us, “I’m swimming!” 

Finally, we could resist the excitement no longer and lowered our bodies into pool. At about the same time as we slipped into the water, the sun slipped behind a cloud, turning the brightness noticeably dim. Layla looked around, furrowing her brow. “Turn the light on,” she said.

Catch it!

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

—2 Corinthians 10:5

I woke up this morning with “to do” lists etched on my mind. Today’s list, which included laundry, vacuuming, and grocery shopping, grew into an endless list of things to do before my out-of-town guest arrives in a few weeks. Added to that were thoughts of the new school year and its own “to do” list. So much to do and no one here to help!

That thought thrust me headlong into a downward spiral of self-pity. Lord, I need a husband. Why haven’t You seen fit to send me one? What is wrong with me? Am I not worthy? Am I not attractive enough?

Then my eyes caught glimpse of the purple soap on the night stand. “Why on earth would you keep soap on your night stand?” you might ask.

One weekend I was keeping my two-year-old granddaughter, Layla, and it was time for her bath. I realized I had no bath toys to occupy her and distract her from the task at hand—she was not particularly a fan of hair-washing. I scanned the shelf in the bathroom and discovered the wedding favor ornamental soap. I quickly removed the tulle wrapping and offered Layla the diminutive soap, which fit perfectly in the palm of her hand. Within seconds, she dropped it into the water. Created without the buoyancy of Ivory soap, the tiny soap plunged to the bottom. Layla reached for it, but the wake she generated with her hand pushed the soap farther away. She reached again, and the soap floated upward ever so slightly, but still she couldn’t grasp it.

“Catch it, Layla!” I heard myself say. “Catch it,” I repeated, dragging out my words, which echoed something I had read earlier in the week.

A Different Course

A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps.

—Proverbs 16:9 HNV

My cousin told me she couldn’t go on our usual walk on the farm this morning. Although disappointed, I decided to go alone. I needed the exercise, and it would give me some time to pray. I had a lot on mind lately. With school starting soon, I fretted over the new course I’d been assigned to teach. The subject is not familiar to me. I will have to crack the books and watch slews of videos to be prepared, which means giving up a few of my precious remaining days of summer break to devote to it. That, I resented.

I donned my sneakers and set out for my usual course along the Chaptico Bay. Gravel crunched beneath my feet as I passed my cousin’s house and made my way through the barnyard. Then I stopped dead in my tracks. What! My passage through the pasture was cut off by an electrified fence.