Ready

December 7

Ready

She slices the vegetables on the cutting board,

the knife making a chop, chop, chop sound

each time it makes a cut through a tomato, 

a cucumber or piece of celery.

She scoops up the crisp sliced pieces,

puts them in a large serving bowl,

places the bowl on the table.

The soup is almost done. 

The bubbles rising to the top,

she stirs the pot to keep the soup from 

sticking to the bottom.

She grabs a ladle from the drawer,

slowly releasing it into the pot,

and carries it to the table, placing it on

a shiny silver trivet.

The table is set, the candles lit.

Walking to the bottom of the stairs,

she calls up to those on the second floor,

     "Dinner is ready!"

She sits in silence, noticing her breathing

in and out, deep breaths filling her lungs,

leaving her lungs.

Her eyes are closed and she becomes aware

of her body,

relaxing her forehead, her shoulders, her arms,

letting go of the tension from the top of her head 

to the tips of her toes.

She opens her heart, reluctantly at first, perhaps

but as she breathes in yet another time

and feels her stresses melt,

she calls out in silence,

    "I am ready, Lord Jesus.

    There is room in my heart for thee."

And so it is:

Preparing leads to being ready;

Being ready leads to change.

How will I make myself ready to hear what God has to say to me? How will I be changed by what God is saying?