My 'Dressy' Clothes ...

It's Saturday morning. Early spring, so the sun isn't quite peaking over the barren Indiana fields. Our house is asleep ... except me. I'm up, getting ready for work. Everyone else is still snuggled under warm blankets. I love this time of morning, just before the house comes alive. Why? I guess it's because I get to watch it ... come alive. Go from sleeping to waking. Watch the process. I love the sleepy look in my children's eyes when they shuffle out of their bedrooms and through the kitchen. 

I'm there, in the kitchen. Dressed for work. Black dress slacks, purple top with silver sequins at the collar. Half empty mug of coffee in one hand. Standing beside the table, looking out the patio doors ... waiting for the sunrise. I hear a door open and close softly, one of the boys is up. Behind me, Kregg wraps his arms around my waist and nuzzles his face against my side. I wrap one arm around him. Right now, he's just the right height for me to pull under one arm and hold him close... how much longer will that last? He looks up at me, big brown eyes. His hair is all out of place.

I want to hold on to this moment ... forever. Because I know it will come and go as quickly as the sunrise.

Kregg moves slightly, a puzzled look comes over his face and I know ... he's getting ready to ask a question. This is how it is with him. Kregg says whatever is on his mind.

"Mama, how come you look so dressy?" He moves farther back and looks me up and down ... taking in what he calls 'dressy'.

"This is how I always look for work, Kregg."  I rough his hair. "Remember, we've talked about this before. I wear 'dress' clothes for work days."

Kregg wrinkles his nose. "That's what I thought, I wish today wasn't a work day. I like you home." He shrugs and heads to the living room for Saturday morning cartoons.

The rest of our family stumbles out of bedrooms and finds comfortable spots to rest. I give kisses and hugs goodbye. Down the back porch steps, to my car ... I sit inside and let it warm up. I forgot to start my car early and the frost still lingers from the cold. I wait for the defrost to work. It gives me time to think ...

My children know where I'm going because they know what I wear when I'm going to work or staying home. They see the difference. It's not that I take more time getting ready for work. I spend time on my hair and make-up just the same when we go out to the movies or to dinner. But, I look different ... those days, I wear different clothes. Jeans. Maybe a T-shirt or a nice sweater.

Then, I start thinking beyond the physical ... to the spiritual. Do my children know Where I'm going? Do my works and deeds ... the things I do daily ... do those things witness my Destination to the boys God has given me and my husband to raise? I know ... sometimes they don't. Sometimes I don't do or say the things I should. There are days when I fail. Miserably. I pray those days are outnumbered by the days I am 'dressy'.

I'm thankful for Kregg's observation. Thankful for the reminder ... My children are watching. I want to be sure they see Where I am going ... and, I want to be sure they know how to get There. I want them to know ... It's ok to fail. It's what you do after failure that matters. You pick yourself up and put on your 'dressy' clothes.

John 13:35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”