Dishes, Dishes and MORE DISHES!!! ( the blog entry that could be a few different entries)

Before September washing dishes and other things such as tidying my room, organizing etc. seemed to get in the way of ministry and things that were "important" or so I thought at the time (my roomies can attest to the tidying the room portion).

I think I lack the gift of hospitality which before this new season it didn't bother me. I knew my sister had it in full force and I was glad for her but did not long for it myself. Lately I've been thinking more about this gift you can offer someone else of hospitality. The art of serving and hospitality as a way to lift up my fellow servants in Christ is inviting to me in a way it was not before. I was seriously hopeless in this department before. I think this is why I thought things like dishes and cooking and cleaning got in the way of things before. I did not see the purpose. I am learning.

I digress.

Currently I think I wash dishes about 3 hours of my day. I wash dishes for at least 30 minutes at home and then at work I wash dishes quite often, the most of my coworkers. I am there for approximately 7 hours and each hour seems to have at least a half hour of washing dishes. I don't mind washing dishes only for the fact that it hurts my back a bit when I cave into the comfort of having bad posture while scrubbing. I enjoy that I can use my hands and work hard and not really think that much. Lately I've enjoyed the mind break. It's strange. Washing dishes is like nothing else. You literally can both think deeply and not at all. I can't really articulate. You don't have to think about your work which frees your mind up yet the movement of your hands and the consistency of the work can leave your mind free to not think as well. Am I sounding strange? perhaps.

I will continue.

I would like to read the well known book by famous monk Brother Lawrence entitled "Praciticing the Presence of God." I've heard from many people the portion of his daily life where he talks about how he washes dishes for the glory of God. He is worshipping God while he suds up the dishes. I am intrigued. Now that my days include this task in a large quantity I am interested in reading this book.