WARNING: Please trust the story I am about to tell and do not attempt to try this on your own at home!
All day Saturday Mr. P and I were preparing for the surprise 50th birthday party we were hosting for my Mom that evening. Things were going well - errands were done, food had been prepared as much as possible and was waiting in the fridge, the house had been cleaned (including the floors my wonderful Mr. P had
just finished mopping), I had showered and was working on a few little things. By this time (which was mid-afternoon Saturday), we were in party mode and it seemed like we were about to get a few moments of rest before we kicked it in high-gear when guests arrived and we would be firing up the grill to get the party started. But no, I couldn't let things happen that smoothly, that simply, that ideal.....instead my absent-mindedness caused me to create a true disaster of the perfection that surrounded me.
I was making sweet tea.....you know, because no party is complete without some sweet tea on hand. And this wasn't just any sweet tea -- in fact, I had big plans for this southern beverage. Those big plans included using my adorable glass beverage dispenser that sits perfectly on its iron stand -- the same beverage dispenser I had described to the
sweet and always beautiful K at Keeping up with the Davidsons two days prior. In fact I had already washed out the dispenser so that it was shining and cleared the space on the beverage cart so that it was the focal point amongst the beverage choices. All it needed was to be filled with
cold sweet tea and lemon slices. Somewhere in my La-La-Laura-Land I completely dismissed the fact that hot liquid will crack glass.....the tea had brewed and the sugar melted and in my excitement, I happily pulled the pot off the stove top and immediately began pouring into my prized beverage dispenser. And then I heard a "pop!" Uh-oh. Long story short, a full crack (not just a fracture that I could work with) had occurred to where my sweet little beverage dispenser was now in pieces. And not only was it in pieces, but the sweet tea had spilled all down my cabinets, the freshly-cleaned floors, and me -- boy did it burn like crazy and I still have a mark to prove it!
Tears immediately began streaming down my face as I cried out "I'm soooooo sorry!" which was followed by more tears and crying -- Mr. P came running to the kitchen, held me tight and said it was okay, then he began cleaning up my mess as I helped. During our disaster clean-up, he reminded me of the laws of physics or chemistry or some subject that I had once studied years prior.....explaining the effects of combining hot liquid and glass (FYI: Mr. P is an engineer, 'nuff said!). I already knew this, but out of my excitement I just chose not to follow those rules. [In fact, I recall a similar thing happened in my high school chemistry class group where a glass beaker shattered from the heat of the Bunsen burner. Oopsy.] We live and we learn, right?!
Mr. P knew my fondness of the aforementioned beverage dispenser and insisted that the party would not go on without a replacement. I begged him to stay home and not go out on the search of a new one because it was my fault for being stupid and I didn't deserve to have it. As I listed the reasons that I didn't need a new one, he told me loved me and would return soon. While he was gone, I began making sweet tea again. This time when it had brewed, I allowed the pot to cool for a while. A little bit later, Mr. P returned home with a beautiful new beverage dispenser. I must say that it's even prettier than the one I shattered! I graciously accepted it, washed it up, filled it with chilled sweet tea, and proudly placed it at the center of the beverage cart to be admired. Back to party perfection.
This story isn't about sweet tea or domestic messes or pretty new gifts. Rather it's about sacrificial love. Mr. P had already worked himself silly that day (and days prior) crossing items off the "to do" list. He and I had just discussed that we were about to get a few moments to chill out together before the party. But he looked far beyond himself and into my hurt. He didn't yell at me (even though it was deserved), he didn't complain about running all over town looking for a beverage dispenser (he searched Target, TJ Maxx, Macy's, Dillard's, Kirkland's....bless his heart!), he didn't scrutinize my stupidity or even complain that he cleaned the same floors twice within two hours. Instead
he just loved me. As simple story this may be to some, it was an act of love that I will never forget. One that can only be matched by the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ who died on the cross and arose again.....a free gift, all to forgive my sins and give me eternal salvation if I only accept it. It's an act of love that I can't deny and thankfully accepted.....even though I don't deserve it. When I'm shattered and just can't hold myself together, I have to focus beyond myself and rely on my faith in Christ and He will make me new and fill me up again.
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come." - II Corinthians 5:17
Have you asked Jesus Christ to pick up your broken pieces and create in you a new heart?
If you have, do you ever find that you try to take control and rush to your blessings instead of being patient? I know I do.
