Come In and Kneel

I don’t even remember what felt so pressing. So important that I didn’t have a few minutes to spare. Maybe I was just wiped out at the end of a long day and I wanted to shut down.

Whatever the reason, as I stood in the doorway of my son’s bedroom, I resisted his super simple, ultra-sweet bedtime request.

“Can you come in and kneel?”

When he outgrew the phrase “Tuck me in,” these words became the update. I kneel down next to his bed and chat with him for a bit.

But I didn’t want to take the time that night. And he could tell.

His response was like a glass of cold water to the face. He propped himself up on one arm, tilted his head, and said candidly…

“You know I’m probably not gonna want you to do this for much longer.”

I instinctively laughed, and then proceeded to my kneeling position at his bedside—with a whole lot to think about.

At age eleven, he totally nailed it. This was sacred time I was racing past.

And if I’m being honest, it’s far from the only thing I take for granted.

For most of us, our days are comprised of simple moments. Basic activities and rituals that carry us from one day right into the next. It may seem unexciting and even tedious at times, but so much good stuff is there. The ordinary is jam-packed with awesome.

I’ve been trying to be more attentive to these hidden gems in my day. Realizing that what I seek in something “big” can be found in a typical moment. I may think my family needs an outing or a vacation for some quality time together, but how about more evenings around the dinner table.

During this shift in mindset, I keep heading back to the words of The Lord’s Prayer—”Give us this day our daily bread.” Our daily bread. Our nourishment. Our fulfillment. Every day.

What does this look like for you—how do you get filled up in an average day? Do you overlook the magnificent because it blends right in with the mundane?

Often what we need is right at our fingertips. Those perfect invitations to “come in and kneel.”

With the smallest tweak, our daily routine can become our daily bread.

I’d love to hear about the simple treasures in your life. Hope you’ll share your insights in the comments:)

~Lisa

“There simply are not many grand moments of life, and we surely don’t live life in those moments. No, we live in the utterly mundane. We exist in the bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, and hallways of life. This is where the character of our life is set. This is where we live the life of faith.” Gloria Furman (Glimpses of Grace)