Peanut Butter

Photo by Irene Kredenets on Unsplash

It had been a long day. Six stops, five hours of running errands and grocery shopping. Then, the carrying in and putting away. I was tired to the point of almost falling down. That should have been my warning not to take on one more task until I’d rested, but I ignored it.  

Our Brittany, Cooper, takes thyroid medicine twice a day and after trying several substances to coat the pill, we found peanut butter to be the best. The brand we use doesn’t have xylitol, which the vet warned us about, but it has other additives. To avoid giving Cooper ingredients he didn’t need, I bought some pure peanut butter, nothing but ground peanuts.

When we opened the jar, the oil had separated and risen to the top. Several attempts to stir it with a spoon failed.

My hand mixer has a stirring attachment, which would be perfect to mix the peanut butter. However, rather than mix the contents, the attachment spun the jar around the counter, throwing peanut butter everywhere. The goo covered the floor, cabinets, appliances, and me. I even found some plastered against the sink on the other side of the room.  

My still-pneumonia-recovering husband announced he had to lie down and beat a hasty retreat. I suspected his motives, but gave him the benefit of the doubt. I’d rather not clean the mess either.

It took an hour to clean up the oily stuff, shower, and wash my clothes. I sank into my chair. My devotions and Bible sat on the side table - untouched. I sat in a stew of guilty thoughts the rest of the day, too numb to even contemplate reading them.

The next morning, I read these wise words from Lori Stanley Roeleveld in her devotional, Running from a Crazy Man (and Other Adventures Traveling With Jesus).

My relationship with God is not another task to complete and check off my To Do List. He understands when responsibilities and fatigue interrupt my plans for structured Scripture, meditation, and prayer. He tells me, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.”

Scripture is filled with stories of how God fed and cared for his tired and discouraged servants. So, eat a meal, take a nap, read a book, watch a movie, relax, and don’t feel guilty. Prayer doesn’t have to be structured. It can be a thought, even an exhalation.

I won’t make it a habit to forego my morning devotions and prayers, but neither will I feel guilty when I don’t have the time, or engergy, to read and meditate.

Thank you, Lord, for being a loving and compassionate Father to Your Children. Amen.