Crazy Joy

But if crazy is what it takes to seize abundant life, then I’ll take the sleepless nights and the unexpected detours. Because lately I am learning that God is at every turn.  Last night while I stumbled from bed to crib, crib to laundry room, bed to crib, again and again and again, I received a  humble copper love letter from the One who knows my soul.  Three love letters, to be exact.  And  I skipped up the stairs in the middle of the night as I shook my head at the delightful absurdity of it all.

I had been cramming my first load of smelly pajamas and blankies in the washing machine when I spotted the unusual sight– a shiny penny sitting quietly in the detergent dispenser. With a tired smirk, I rolled the coin across my palm reeking of regurgitated dinner and hand sanitizer, and I tried to guess what child had planted the penny for me to find. I dropped the copper gift in the penny jar that sits on our kitchen ledge and I whispered my penny praise:  “Thank you for washing machines that clean soiled sheets and treasured blankies.” 

At 2 A.M. I returned to my basement laundry room with another round of linens. I was hurrying so my feverish toddler wouldn’t be left alone in her sheet-stripped crib for long, but even in my rush, I couldn’t miss it. Another gleam of copper right where the first had been. Surely children don’t wander the house planting trickeries in the dark.  I grabbed the second coin and wrapped my suspicion in a liturgy of gratitude. “Thank you for a Heavenly Father who never sleeps.  Thank you for a God Who sees. Thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone.” I dropped the small cent into our penny jar before I dropped my weary body into bed for a moment’s sleep.

The soprano buzzer on the washing machine signaled its cycle completion right as Maggie cried for help at 4:30A.M. After slipping my feverish girl into a fresh pair of pjs, I slipped my own feet downstairs with yet another pile of soiled wares. My heart began to race as I pulled the detergent drawer back and peered inside the plastic pouch. I have come to give you life and give it to the FULL (Jn 10:10). I laughed out loud (and am laughing still!). A third penny waded in the small pool of water right next to the liquid blue Tide. I raised my red-rimmed-eyes to Heaven.  “Thank you, Jesus. Oh, thank you.”

 And so I grabbed the third penny and lugged a load of freshly-cleaned crib bedding up the stairs. The stars sparkled knowingly beyond the glass. The penny jar waited in the dark. The sun would soon rise, its slender pink fingers pushing back the black of night. But sometimes new mercies come long before dawn (Luke 1:78)… in the quiet gleam of a copper penny.

The Overflow:  And I’ll give you treasures hidden in the darkness—secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.