A Beautiful Mess

Fresh Manna
by Renee Burt

I recently had my children, their spouses, my granddaughters, and Ernie the dog over for dinner. I had just cleaned the house a couple of days before, and it was looking so nice…until they all came flying in the door. Next thing, I knew, there were pillows off the couches…pop cans, dishes, and glasses everywhere…throws that had been neatly folded on the armrests of the couches were now piled in heaps on the floor…and the glass sections on the living room table were now smeared with dozens of tiny fingerprints.

Well, last night, I refolded the throws…and I threw away the cans and loaded the dishwasher with the dishes and glasses. But I didn’t have the heart to wash off the fingerprints. You see, a few months ago, I found out that my daughter, son-in-law and two granddaughters will be moving to Peru this spring. Note…I didn’t say to visit…but to live there for an undetermined period of time. My son-in-law’s parents are missionaries there, and they’ll be helping them there in their work. Now, you’re probably thinking, “Is this is hard for you to see them go?” I’ll answer your question simply…yes, it is.

The reality of it all comes to me in waves…like this morning, when I went to wash off those fingerprints of the two little girls who have so captured this mimi’s heart. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it…because what should look like a mess to me? It just doesn’t…at least not today. Instead, those fingerprints speak of having fun together…of knowing that my house isn’t some place where my family has to be careful to not make a mess. Because it’s a place where we can laugh, be silly, play games, relax, rest, and love just being together…even if it means things wind up a little messy…oh well! So for now, the fingerprints stay. They’re messy, but they’re beautiful…and it’s the kind of beautiful mess I wouldn’t trade for anything!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT ~ Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time…

Children, Joy, Laughter