The Doll House
One afternoon while setting out
to prepare a feast for my family, I had an epiphany. It had been a while since I had cooked a
large home-cooked meal. I haven’t
had much appetite these days since I began really watching what I eat, and so I
have kept the meals very simple. My
husband had commented one eve that I rarely bust out the pots and pans in the
kitchen anymore. True, as I had sort of
gone on strike. I was tired of doing all
the cooking and the cleaning. I would
wake to mounds of dishes in the morning which would start my day off not so pleasant.
I made sure my family had plenty
to eat each night whether it be a frozen meal to heat up, or pizza. Despite my use of preservatives, and additives stance...though I did try my best to stick with the natural frozen stuff.
I can’t digest those type of meals, so I
usually went to bed without dinner...too tired to even cook for myself.
The
past three months had been excruciating, long and tiring. There was always some major issue going on with someone, something or vehicles breaking down. Septic sorrows, a/c repairs, or appliances calling it quits, and with Hubby not around since he was usually parked at his job during the chaos 12-14 hours a day 6 days a week and then thrown on call on days off…by the end of the day...every day for me was spent. Hubby was spent, the children were spent...no body had the energy or desire to do anything!
However, the day arrived when I had just had
enough stress and needed a break away from all the seriousness of life. One of the best ways for me to de-stress is
cooking as long as someone else does the dishes. I totally get into the
scene. I put on my favorite music, light
a few candles for ambiance, throw on the old apron, spread out my utensils, and spices, pour a glass of wine, and hit it! I start
chopping like crazy.
The herbs start
penetrating the air with such an aromatic bliss, they instantly sooth a
restless soul, (of course the wine helps too). I’m singing away as I stir the pots of
liquid gold if making Alfredo sauce, clam chowder or perhaps my infamous ruby
red marinara. As I was preparing
this meal for my family, I suddenly realized how happy I was feeling. I was full of joy which had been absent for
some days...and no I wasn't drunk! Then, almost immediately I began to feel guilty
for feeling happy. Huh? What was wrong with me? My mind started thinking about all the things
I didn’t get accomplished that week.
Suddenly, I was back in stress mode, thinking of closets that needed
cleaning, clothing to be washed, dust bunnies under sofa, paperwork needing sorting, laundry needing folding, cards needing mailing, auto registrations, inspections, book reviews, schoolwork needing grading...and taking care of all the secretarial stuff for Hubby, appointments at school, as well as a magazine to design…UGH! My mind was in a whirlwind of to-do’s.
Until, my loving, compassionate, indisputable,
merciful Father in heaven spoke to my heart.
He said, “Remember when you used to watch your daughter’s play with
their doll houses?" I remembered they would set up the
furniture oh so diligently, organize the kitchen area, place the clothing on
those microscopic hangers, and pretend with such an imagination.
They would make roaring sounds of a car
carting the babies to their playground. They
would mimic mommy and daddy conversations, and discipline their little dolls
for misbehaving. They would sit the dolls around the tiny chairs and pretend to
feast.
It would bring such joy and laughter as I
would watch them play…enjoying themselves. They were so carefree, so innocent, so
happy. I was so happy to see them happy. Nothing makes me happier then to hear the laughter of a child. The squeals of sheer glee beaming out of a toddlers heart. Being reminded of this instantly
brought me to tears. I stopped for a moment to think of how our Father in
heaven must look upon us when we are happy.
It must warm His heart to see His children finally at play, carefree,
and enjoying what He has provided, and allowed for us to experience. Too often we are so busy trying to keep up
with schedules that we put on ourselves we become overwhelmed and lose our
sense of humor and joy.
God never
intended for us to be so busy, even in His business, that we lose our joy. Happiness, and joy are a gift from God. Why on earth would He mention it 165 times in
His word, if it were not something He wanted us to have?
Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.
Throughout the Bible... there are
many examples of the kind of joy God wants us to experience. We won’t find our joy in stuff. Materiel things rot away, you can’t take them
to your grave, and they sure won’t give you a hug in the midnight hour. (1 John 2:17) They won’t dry your eyes after
the loss of a loved one, and they certainly can’t comfort a broken heart.
You won't find joy in worshiping an individual. People will never fully meet your expectations. You won't find joy in sensationalism, the hype of media, reality television, or social media. However, God wants us to experience joy unspeakable
(1 Peter 1:8) through worshiping Him, and in turn we receive the unmerited
favor of fun, laughter, happiness, and JOY!
Maybe it’s time to put down the
stack of bills, the negative reports from doctors, turn off the tube of terror,
and media blown madness in this world…and just sit awhile and play with an
imaginary doll house.
This is where you
get to choose how your family is going to act, your neighbors, and even your pets. You can pretend the world is still a nice place to reside in.
Maybe even pretend to be June or Ward Cleaver for a day when life was
simpler.
Whatever you choose to do,
choose joy!
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26 ESV
There is nothing better for a
person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This
also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can
have enjoyment? For to the one who pleases Him God has given wisdom and
knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and
collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a
striving after wind.
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| Brenda A. Graff Publisher FOOD FOR SOUL MAGAZINE |
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