Soft music filtered into Richard’s consciousness.  He rolled over and hit the snooze button, just a few more minutes and he would get up for coffee.   The whisper of soft music brought Richard to consciousness again.  He crawled out of bed annoyed at Jane for not starting the coffee like she usually did in the early morning hours.  Memory cells sparked to life, Jane was half way across the country caring for her sick mother,  if he wanted coffee he would need to make it himself.

Richard wiped the drool off his chin and staggered out to the kitchen.  He squinted and fumbled for the bag of coffee.  His eyes still half closed he dumped a large scoop of coffee into the filter.  Relief and anticipation escaped his lips in a sigh as he pushed the button and the water trickled through the machine into his cup.  Three packets of sugar and a generous splash of cream later he slurped the scalding liquid.  Running the back of his hand over his eyes he glared at the watery white mixture in his cup.  Wide awake Richard picked up the bag of coffee.  Only Jane would buy whole coffee beans.  Slamming cupboard doors he looked for the coffee grinder.  Truth be told he didn’t even know what it looked like.

After writing the above Richard parable I got up from the computer and peeked into the master bedroom.  I asked my husband if he wanted me to prepare him breakfast since fixing breakfast for the kids and juicing for myself came next on my mental list of things to do.  I could not believe my ears when I heard him ask for my special garlic concoction to help him get over his cold.  Occasionally, when Brett gets sick, I make him a freshly blended conglomeration of a clove of fresh garlic, fresh squeezed lime juice, a small amount of orange juice, honey, and a splash of olive oil blended in the Magic Bullet.  He doesn’t really like it so I know he is feeling desperate to get better when he actually asks for it without my asking him if he would like some.  Most of the time he turns me down, even though it works!

I stepped into the kitchen with my list of things to accomplish; Brett wanted garlic, Aspen and Colby wanted eggs and tater tots and I would make juice for myself.  I put the tater tots in the toaster oven, and opened the fridge for the carrots and greens to make my juice.  I pulled the Magic Bullet out of the cupboard and proceeded to make Brett’s garlic concoction.  I usually squeeze the limes by hand, but since I was making juice in the juicer anyway,  I decided to run the lime through the juicer.

I dropped the lime in and pushed the plunger down.  The sound it emitted concerned me, it was not its usual hard at work sound, in fact it sounded a little whiny.  But, it spit out some lime juice and after I checked to make sure I had the lid on securely I figured everything was fine.  After blending the garlic concoction I moved on to making my juice.  I put in another lime and some carrots, turned it on and proceeded to try to push the carrots down the hatch.  The juicer made a noise, but once again not the one I was used to hearing.  This time juice did not pour forth from the spout.  I was worried my juicer had up and quit on me the day before Christmas!  I took the carrots and lime out and proceeded to take the lid off the juicer.  I groaned at my absent-mindedness when I saw that I had failed to put the extractor that spins around and separates the juice from the pulp, into the juicer.  After putting the juicer back together it dawned on me that Richard and I had just started our day in much the same way, with a moment of stupidity.

I am thankful God does not love only the smart, beautiful and good.  Despite my moments of stupidity and absent-mindedness, I know He loves me just as much as everyone else.  I know this because He is my Father.  Some fathers play favorites, but God doesn’t.  He truly loves everyone with the same intensity.  He loves us so much He sent His son Jesus to this world as a baby, to grow up in a poor carpenters family, and then die on a cross between two criminals.

He sent His perfect son to die for my stupid mistakes.  The only thing I can do for Him is fall face down at the foot of the cross and ask for forgiveness and help to overcome my stupidity.  Only the love of my Father in heaven can overcome my  thoughtless stubbornness in persisting to wallow in my mindless stupidity.  Only He can pick me up out of the muddy pit and plant me in the fertile ground of His love.  Only when I am planted in His love, will His love be drawn up through my newly developed roots to strengthen my heart and mind to live out the same love He has for me, for others.