Week Eight: Bricks, Sticks, and Storms

Let the heaven be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

Let the sea roar, and all it contains...

(Psalm 96:11)

It is sometimes difficult for me to get started.  Getting out of bed, going to work, doing the dishes, dancing, beginning the Sabbath...all are difficult things to start.

On Saturday morning, we worked hard at cleaning the house.  This was a big job that involved handing out chores, exhortation of the unskilled labor performing the chores, and inspecting the final product after the chores were completed.  After works righteousness was achieved, we made lunch, served lunch, cleaned up after lunch, and  went to work on the kitchen project.  Oh! The kitchen project. But we worked hard knowing that Sabbath was coming.

Time flies when you are having fun and after what seemed like an interminable amount of time, we cleaned up the mortar and mess and celebrated a belated birthday gift for our five-year old boy by watching a movie he had been waiting to see.

We came back home and made dinner.  We served dinner. We cleaned up dinner. Finally, Sabbath! Ah! Sabbath.

Then, I was called in to work. My world was rocked.  I was reeling. My peaceful Sabbath would have to be postponed all because of the storms of life. They happen to the best laid plans. It is hard to start the stopping.

In the meantime, our two youngest children had been incessantly imploring for a dispensation to sleep  outside on a bed of bricks and sticks that they had made in the far corner of our back yard. So, I did what any loving father would do.  I told them to layer up. I told them to find a stocking cap. I told them to get their sleeping bags and I would meet them outside. I rummaged around in our camping gear and found a tarp and a couple of inflatable backpacking mattresses. I tucked them in and went to work.

It was almost midnight when I stumbled back home and into the backyard.  I noticed that the youngest had rolled out of his sleeping bag and off his mat. He was sleeping directly on the bricks and sticks. He didn't complain when I led him up to his room.  However, the older of the two was sleeping more soundly than I ever remembered him sleeping before. I couldn't rouse him.  I almost left him, but felt that was irresponsible, so I told him that a storm was rolling in.

At church we had communion. "Don't participate in an unworthy manner," we were told. I prayed for grace and took communion anyway.

When church was over, I knew that I couldn't look at the kitchen any more.  I suggested we go out for lunch. My wife agreed.

Then, we came home and helped the kids with homework.

Finally, my wife and I finally sat down in the living room and looked at each other.

We didn't speak.

We didn't move.

We stopped.

And it was like heaven. Ah! Sabbath. It was a glorious afternoon.  The storms had passed.

Soon, our Sabbath wound to a close as it has for several weeks; family devotions.  With three boys ages 5, 8, and 11, family devotions are a challenge.  This week, we tried a family sing-a-long. (This was only possible because I married up musically...way, way up!)  I did contribute by finding the boys favorite songs on You Tube and we then we sang them together; My Lighthouse, "Happy", and the theme from the Lego movie.  My wife tied it all together with an African spiritual we learned on a mission trip over a decade ago.  We finished with a rousing rendition of Father's Day Rap and a reading from Psalm 96.  Like the song says, it truly was awesome!

Then, It was time for bed and putting away the laundry. We finished what we had started.  The boys were happy and we were tired.

It wasn't a perfect Sabbath, but somehow, through the bricks, sticks, and storms of life, it worked. Somehow, God squeezed a few eternal moments into the minutes. I have learned that no matter how hard it is to stop, keep trying. Keep Singing. The Lord is coming!

Let the field exult, and all that is in it. 

Then all the trees will sing for joy before the Lord, 

for He is coming; For He is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness,

And the peoples in His faithfulness.

Psalm 96-12-13

Church Stopping. Less Doing. More Being.

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