Thursday, July 26, 2007

Bologna Casserole Anyone?

Once in a great while something amazing happens. Planetary systems align, indescribable miracles are witnessed, and time seems to pause ever so briefly.

Such a moment happened this week in our house when my husband did the grocery shopping. I know that sounds sarcastic maybe even unappreciative-and that’s so not what I’m going for here, completely the opposite in fact.
As I came home and contemplated dinner options, I began to reflect on just how long it had been since Josh had done the grocery shopping. As it turns out-8 years! Eight years since Josh made the full monthly grocery shopping trip for the family, and even then- I’m pretty sure I went with him too. Sometimes I miss those trips together. I feel like we bonded a little over heated debates about which shampoo to buy or whether Miracle Whip or Mayo is the spread of choice.
But as I continued to search the pantry I thought,
“How marvelous is it, when you have a relationship with somebody whom you work so well with,
that at some point you can assume that task entirely so that the other person no longer need worry about it anymore.”
I cannot tell you how long it’s been since I had to take out the trash, mow the yard, or squash an icky spider. Compared to the frustration of lugging that huge garbage can out to the curb and back again week after week- grocery shopping is a vacation getaway for me.

Then I thought about how Jesus also did this for us. Because he died on the cross for our sin, we no longer have to complete works or tasks to please God. He has assumed this task entirely for us. It is not by (our) works but by faith that we have been redeemed. (Ephesians 2:8) What an enormous task to have marked off of our ‘to do list’. That puts everything else into great perspective.

And thank goodness Christ was not like my husband. I’m pretty sure he goes out of his way to complete a task so poorly that he’ll never be asked to do it again in the near future. Because now, as I stand in front of the refrigerator, I can see that my options for dinner are limited to
6 different kinds of processed cheese, 2- 24 packs of soda, half a gallon of ice cream with all the toppings, and lunchmeat. Hmmmm.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kasey,

You have an absolute flair to write about common ordinary life tasks into the funniest stories!

It's fun to read your sense of humor. It's lifting my day, each time I read your blog posts.

Keep up the joyful heart, many of us need to hear more laughter in our hearts!

Thank you!

Maxi
P.S. My husband Richard loves to grocery shop, although he didn't always get what I wanted. He took it over years ago... But recently, I've started to grocery shop again, with this new weight management lifestyle... He's not happy, I guess I'm taking over his weekly "vacation getaway!"

Anonymous said...

I never thought of grocery shopping as my "vacation getaway", but once you put it that way...it makes perfect sense. I have to say that when I take even one kid with me, I am so much more stressed and just wanting to get over with, whereas when it's just me...I take my time. So, maybe vacation is the right word!

Love the blog!
~Steph