.png){kind=small}
By: Cher Dombowski
I have a confession to make. My kitchen sink is my closest friend. Not only based on the sheer volume of hours I spend with her, running hot sudsy water, pouring out abandoned juice from the kids, or rinsing my dish clothe countless times, to clean up the countless messes and meals that come out of my kitchen every day. My kitchen sink gets more of my attention than any of my human friends, that's for sure.
Stay with me, I'm not crazy.
Yes, I may have 4 children, and yes we may live on a hobby farm and yes, we may homeschool, but I am not crazy.
My kitchen sink is my closest friend because I tell her everything. She gets the raw, uncut version of me at all times. My sink has heard more exasperated sighs, more silent angry speeches (that I always win, by the way), has witnessed more eye rolls, tongue bitings, explosions and silent tears. She has reflected back more smirks and suppressed giggles as I relive that funny conversation I had with my 4 (going on 14) year old daughter, or replayed that opening scene from the Office in my head (Kevin's Chili). She has been faithful to let me express lonely thoughts I am too fearful to voice out loud. Thoughts like, "Why wasn't I invited?" or "Why did I say that?" or "What did she mean by that?". She has supported me as I lifted up countless prayers to God our Father ranging from praise and thanksgiving at the marvellous sunset displayed every evening through my kitchen window, to asking for wisdom, or humble repentance...again.
As you can see, it's not so crazy that my kitchen sink is my closest friend. That black, double bowled beauty has heard it all from me. So it's not surprising that one of my most life altering moments happened in the company of my sink. I literally think of my adult life in two phases; pre sink moment and post sink moment.
I really hope you are bracing yourself for a pretty anti-climatic event.
No lottery winnings, no moving our family across the world, no major health scare. My life altering moment came in the form of a whisper. A whisper so small it was still. "I want you to start it." I knew these were not my thoughts. I knew I had just heard the voice of God. And I knew what He was asking me to do.
The very thing He wanted me to start, was the thing I was praying to be invited to. He was pulling me out of my comfort zone and what He was really asking me was, "Will you obey?".
Obedience has been a "banner" lesson in my life. If you had to define some of your major life lessons what would they be? Grace? Forgiveness? For me, it's obedience. My decision to say "yes" to God in that moment sent my life down the
most exciting, faith filled, beyond anything I could have hoped or imagined path. A path where God has ask me to do hard thing. Scary things. Exciting things. Things that are far beyond anything I am qualified or equipped to do. A path that has brought me to my knees in prayer and total dependency on Him. Which is totally the point of obedience!
Obedience isn't about the outcome, or the accomplishment it is about the process. The process of submitting all our weakness and shortcomings, our plans and agendas into the hands of an Almighty God and watching Him work miracles.
The Bible tells us that if God calls you, He will do it. (1Thess 5:24) That He uses those who are foolish, weak, and low (1Cor 1:26-29). That He qualifies those He calls! (Hebs 13:21, 1Cor 1:27-29) How good is God that all He asks for is a willing and humble heart? And when we offer Him those things He shows up. He partners with us and brings Heaven to Earth. He brings Light into darkness. He brings freedom to captives. How gracious of Him to give us the privilege and honour to be a part of it all.
I could attempt to tell you all the rich and deep lessons I have learned through obedience. Lessons like failure, faithfulness, trust, prayer, humility, team work, unity, submission, rejection, victory, loneliness - I could go on and on. But you know what? What God has for me, is different than what God has for you. And He wants to take you down your own path of obedience and teach you countless treasures about who He is and who you are in Him.
How do I know? Because He told me.
When I was asking Him how to wrap up this story of mine so neatly in 700 words or less, He told me "Don't tell them what you have learned. What I have for you is not what I have for them. I have something different for them."
Friend, can I encourage you today? Say "yes!" Say yes to that small thing, to that seemingly insignificant thing. To the big, daunting thing. To that thing that you have known for a long time you are supposed to do. To that thing that doesn't make any sense. Whatever the Holy Spirit is highlighting right now, that thing you know in heart, that causes your heart to beat a little faster - yes that thing - regardless of your qualification or understanding, just say yes. And then tell your sink all about it.
Cher Dombowsky is a homeschooling mother to four children. Normally that statement would be impressive but in the homeschooling world that makes her a novice. Her passions include The Office, Chai Tea, Ben + Jerry's, and encouraging women to run their God destined race in whatever season of life they are at. She has been married to her high school sweetheart for 14 years and lives outside of Moose Jaw on a pretend farm.
