Messy Waffles, Messy Life
Messy Waffles, Messy Life
Sometimes, life is messy!
Today, my mom flew for the first time alone after her high school sweetheart and husband of 45 years (my dad) passed just 2 months ago from COVID. Although this trip enables her to spend her first birthday and Valentine's Day as a widow with my brother and his family, it is still marked with the messiness of grieving.
It was hard for me to hold her in the airport lobby and see the tears and hear the heartache as she spoke of her longing for the love of her life to be with her. I don't know how I held it together until I got back to the car, but I did.
Once in the car, however, I was a mess.
I sobbed for my mom. And wept over my own heartache, too.
I came home long enough to clean the messy mascara off my face and have lunch. At home, I noticed I had failed to run the dishwasher before leaving, and there wasn't room for the lunch dishes, AND I wouldn't have time to hand wash them before heading back to work. This meant my kitchen would be messy when I got home. I hate leaving a mess, but I did it anyway.
I went to work (at OMS) and the mess continued when a project I am working on (for One Mission Kids) got more complicated. I lost track of time, and before I knew it, it was 8 PM, and I was still hunched over my desk trying to problem solve.
I packed things up to take them home where I plan to finish the project on Saturday (AKA: the day I had set aside to do weekly house cleaning and tackle all the messy things like showers and sinks and such).
At home, I was greeted by a messy kitchen, and this led me to switch dinner plans. I decided to make breakfast for supper, which seemed easy enough, but the mess continued as my waffles stuck horribly to the waffle iron.
By now, if you are still reading, you may be wondering if there is anything good in all the mess.
And I want you to hear me say confidently …Yes, absolutely! YES!
You see, in the messy mascara moment, I was reminded of the gift I had in knowing the unconditional love of a godly man like my father.
In the messy kitchen, I found the opportunity to give myself grace when things aren't perfect.
In the messy project, I had a spark of creativity that will potentially open up more meaningful ministry connections.
In the messy waffle iron, I learned flexibility as I adapted to the situation and remained committed to my healthy eating plan.
The reality is, it's messy...
Life.
Home.
Work.
Plans.
All of it.
BUT … praise the Lord, in every mess there is a message just waiting to be found.
By Lora Campbell, OMS missionary, serving with One Mission Kids