Comedy of errors alert.
Just the other day, Mom's spill-proof coffee mug turned into a dribble glass when the gasket gave way. We were taking her car for its emissions test, and the poor dear ended up with a huge stain down the front of her new blouse and her white jeans. Back home, she changed and soaked the stained garments in her bathroom sink. All afternoon and evening she kept rubbing and spraying and adding water. She left them soaking overnight. I offered to spray Oxy on the stains, but she didn't want any help. She's highly self-reliant.
Fast-forward to the next morning. I'm in my suite, doing my daily devotions before coming down to breakfast. I was reading in Colossians 3: "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other ..."
While I'm reading and praying, I keep hearing odd noises coming from her bathroom. No, not those kind. More like, swish and splash, swish and splash, swish and splash. It was rhythmic and kept going.
I kept reading ... compassion, kindness, patience ... Julie, don't bother her. Let her be.
Swish and splash. Swish and splash. Patience, Julie. Kindness.
Ok, Lord. I'm trying.
Finally after many minutes and no let-up, I closed the Bible and went to explore. I found Mom with a juice glass from the kitchen, bailing the sink one glassful at a time, and dumping the contents in the toilet. "Doesn't this sink have a drain plug lifter?"
"Sure, it's right here." And I pulled the plug, releasing the remaining soapy water.
"Why didn't you come help me? Didn't you hear what I was doing?"
"I was trying to be kind and patient." I read her the Scripture. We just looked at each other and laughed for a half hour straight. I think I even snorted more than once.
Patience, Julie, and kindness! And a bit of resourcefulness thrown in for good measure.
© 2022, Julie-Allyson Ieron. All rights reserved. For reprint permission, email: orders@joymediaservices.com
