What has brought you joy this week?

When we were growing up, we had a plaque with the poem:

“Thank God for dirty dishes,
they have a tale to tell.
While others may go hungry,
we are eating very well.
With home and health and happiness,
we shouldn’t want to fuss,
for by this stack of evidence,
God’s been good to us.”

We may have heard that a lot growing up since I typed that from memory. The plaque mysteriously disappeared one day until my parents went to move from our childhood home. Then, one of my siblings asked for the plaque. My parents explained that the plaque had disappeared. Said sibling calmly went over moved the stove (I think it was) and retrieved the plaque. Ahem. This poem has gone on to be repeated to my nieces and nephews. It is a good reminder!

Why does this memory bring me joy this week?

The past few days I have not been able to do dishes as I am reacting to the “safe” dish soap and the new dish gloves. Grocery pickup is this morning where I will pick up my new, hopefully safe, dish soap and gloves.

My perspective has changed. I have gone to do the dishes multiple times, then remembered. I can’t. I can hear you asking, “Don’t you have a dishwasher?” Oh, yes, but, like its owner, it is a bit of an overachiever. It not only washes the dishes, but the kitchen floor, the basement and everything underneath it, and maybe even the living room floor if you wait long enough. Like I said, an overachiever.

A new dishwasher was on the list of “somedays” for years, but there are always many things needed more, until now. I have prayed about one and even looked at them on sale. It wasn’t the time. God said, “Wait.” I continued to do the dishes by hand.

Now, a dishwasher has become a necessity to spare allergic reactions. (We have no guarantee that the new dish soap will be safe.) I began to pray. God answered swiftly. He provided a new dishwasher. Yup. My God takes care of His children.

My heart filled with joy. I thought of the poem and my stack of dishes in the sink. God has been good to me.