Bypassing the Short Cut to Find the Sacred

My little people (and maybe some of the big ones too) living with me have been known to fix themselves a glass of water and then leave it half-full sitting on the counter.  Or an end table.  Or bedside table.

Anyone else deal with this?

I finally made peace with this “wasting” of the water (I know, but it really hurts my heart) by watering our plants with whatever water I come across.  Now I’m a little thankful when I find an abandoned cup of water–it reminds me to tend to my friends who have moved inside since the first cold spell last fall.

This morning I poured out the one cup I found on one of my potted plants, and I thought it was probably time to give them all a refreshing drink.  I went back with the same cup, and I realized it was going to take more than one trip from the faucet in the kitchen to my back porch roost where I have them living right now.

Extra steps.  For a second I considered rooting around for a bigger container to take a short cut in the watering process.

But you know what?

I like watering my plants.  It’s a sacred thing to me.  Being a part of a life-giving process.

Why would I want to rush that experience?  Why would I want it to take less time?  Less time to talk to them and encourage them and acknowledge the peace and life they give to my home.

Bottom line.  I toted that cup back and forth and didn’t resent any one of those steps I took.

Short cuts can be fine.  But not in every single instance.  I remember Mama telling me she wasn’t going to load the dishwasher on more than one occasion, for me to leave them for her wash by hand.  She enjoyed washing the dishes sometimes, and the hot sudsy water gave relief to her arthritic hands.  Bless her.  She loved efficiency–she was quite good at it, but she too found a sacredness in the motions of her day.

It got me to thinking–

I wonder if the focus and importance placed on short cuts is contributing to the brokenness in our world.  So many of us so busy rushing around with our short cuts that we can’t find the sacred in our days anymore.

May you find something sacred in your everyday that brings meaning and peace into your day.

Love to all.