The Blessing of Noise

I believe we may have the noisiest dishwasher known to man that was ever manufactured in this decade. Seriously - for something that looks so sleek in its stainless steel decor, it is loud - really LOUD. Please understand I love my dishwasher. Several years ago, we had a quiet dishwasher and I thought I would be more frugal and do our dishes by hand. Certainly didn't want to waste the electric. Then we moved. And our house didn't have a dishwasher. In fact, the water pump was known to just stop at random and we didn't even have water. On top of that the sinks were really small and not very deep and so the dirty dishes would quickly run onto the counter if not done quickly. Oh how I longed for a dishwasher then!

We moved and God blessed me with another dishwasher and one of the stainless steel line. Oh happy was I. I am not all about looks and having the latest gadgets, but this was just nice and already part of the kitchen. We had an open floor plan again, which means for us that the dining area and the living room and kitchen all open into one another. Exactly the way I like it. We had a house once where the kitchen was completely separate from the other living areas and I hated it. I always felt like I wasn't able to participate in all the family fun. So this house, with this floor plan and this dishwasher was a grand gift from God indeed.

However, this dishwasher causes just a few complaints from various family members who either live here or come to visit for any extended period. Quite frankly, I try to arrange the washing of the dishes around our schedules of guests or other quiet time. Personally I think it's loud too, but I am just really, really grateful to have it.

As I loaded up the dishwasher today and knew that I would be running it during the football pre-game shows, it occurred to me that the dishwasher should be a constant reminder of the overflowing blessings in my life. Because you see I can't run it when:

1. Our grandson Simon is here and he is napping.

2. Our children are here and we are having family dinner and good conversation

3. The men's bible study is meeting at our house

4. The women's bible study is meeting at our house

5. We are watching TV (translated to mean: thankful we have a TV and have eyes and ears to watch and hear it)**

6. We have company

7. We are spending time in the Word of God and seeking silence

And I am blessed that I have to run it because:

1. We have had food to eat

2. There is fresh, hot banana-blueberry bread cooling on the counter

3. There are coffee cups to wash after having shared it with my husband

4. There are extra dirty dishes because our children have come to visit and eat with us

5. There are extra dirty cups from the fellowship of bible study groups

6. We have coffee to drink from the cups :)

7. I have a mixer and mixing bowls to use to make desserts

8. I have pans to wash that were used on the blessing of our stove

9. We have electric to make it run

10. We have the hope of another meal to put on the plates

Oh Lord that I might see the blessings in the midst of the noise.

**My husband tells me this is not true - that I won't be watching TV, but will be napping, which may or may not be true, but will definitely be likely.