one of my favorite pieces of artwork hung in the dining room of the house i grew up in. it's an amazing antique store find, a little worn by time. the painting is the gleaners by john millet and this painting popped into my thoughts as i was peeling potatoes today. i know, odd thing to be picturing while preparing dinner, but not so much if you have ever followed my thoughts! there i was, being picky with the brown spots, mushy pieces and eyes that had started growing on my potatoes and i soon realized half of my dinner was ending up in the sink, i also realized how wasteful this act would be to someone who was truly hungry and trying to prepare a meal for their family. my thoughts traveled from this painting to my great grandmother who, widowed at a young age, raised a family and fed them, for a time, on produce gleaned from nearby farms. i thought of how humble she must have been to get her food this way and then my thoughts quickly jumped to the story of ruth taught in the bible and how she gleaned the fields and was blessed for her humility and faith. my life doesn't much resemble the struggles of these two women but i found it interesting these thoughts came to me on a day i was wondering why i even bothered going to church. (those with or have had young children will understand this!)
i spend a great deal of my three hour church block roaming the halls, baby in tow grasping at any chance to hear a line of a lesson, sing a hymn or even to think of anything besides how tired my children are that day. today was especially trying. eric and i made it about 15 minutes before we started the in and out and trade the child game. needless to say, we left early, upset and overwhelmed by the antics of our children. today the kids won and we came home, put them to bed and didn't see either grumpy face for two and a half hours.
so, while i was peeling my potatoes, i realized at this stage in my life, i may find myself filling my spiritual needs from the "leftovers" that end up in the hallway on sundays. so, with my new and improved sense of 'i can do this,' i have resolved that next sunday i will do it all again. i will go to church with my children, (having been strengthened by the example of my great grandmother and ruth, and humbled by the sheer knowledge that i need those small bits of lesson, hymns and interrupted talks), i will wander the hallway, listening for pieces of lessons, choruses of hymns and the occasional talk over the speaker! i need them to feed myself and my family. so, in a funny, round about way i too, have become a gleaner! so, to the potatoes i enjoyed at dinner tonight, my great grandmother, ruth, and for the worn print my mother hung in our dining room, thanks for the reminder and encouragement! and, next week has got to be better, right?
