True Rest

“May I lick the spoon, mommy?”

 

Four little ones surrounded me as I mixed the flour, butter, eggs, sugar and molasses for the ever-loved gingersnap cookies that we all so loved. Their little bodies trapped me against the corner cupboard as the mixer whirred a happy humming sound. The children chattered away, fighting over who would get what to lick and who would get the most of such a treat. Flour flew up and generously dusted the worn countertop in front of me. With a warm rag, I wiped off the mess and was reminded of one of those to-dos – fix the counters. The marks of water and constant use on the wooden counters have required a task of sanding down the surface – all in good time, I thought.
I stopped the faithful mixer and quickly scooped out some golden colored batter on a spoon for one of the eager children – and divided the spatula, mixing paddles and second spoon between the rest of the awaiting customers.

Knowing that I had doubled the already-large recipe, I guessed it would take a while to roll, dip and bake all the cookies required for our {large} family.
Coraling two older girls, I asked them to help roll out the cookies. Many hands make light work and that is certainly true in our family. Having the children help might result in a messier endevaour but it might be faster, I thought. I knew the afternoon was quickly slipping away and we all needed some down time.

I popped Lazarus, our resident two year old boy, into his wooden high chair and allowed him the pleasure of licking the mixing paddle. His eyes lit up and he quickly figured out the best way to maneuver the delicious cookie dough from the paddle.
Indeed, this treat was well received!
Glancing at the clock, I saw it was nearly nap time –I knew I needed to wrap up this cookie-mess shortly. My three year old squealed with delight as I handed her the spatula.

“Can I really lick it??” she asked eagerly. Yes, dear, and then it’s nap time, ok?

Her dark head, hair messy and needing attention, nodded in agreement, a fresh change from her usual whining as nap time approached. “It’s good, mommeee!”

We had had an unusually busy morning – with two girls at a dental appointment and catch up-time needed for school. Of course, after a busy weekend of being out, church skating and having company, Monday also brought double-chore day for the girls (as they call it). That meant extra vacuuming, dusting and general cleaning all around. We managed to get our chores done and a haphazard morning of school accomplished, as well. It always amazes me how much can be accomplished when we all try a bit harder. The breakfast dishes were finished, floors were swept and vacuumed, dinner was prepped, the upstairs was tidied, bathrooms were cleaned, laundry was put away and school was all started before 9:30 a.m.

I knew, by naptime this afternoon, I would need a few minutes for a tea break. We were, indeed, all tired.

The two girls continued to roll out the cookie dough, giggling at their creations as they flopped them into a small bowl of cane sugar. Sugar crunched under my worn slippers as I wiped down my now-sticky-but-happy little boy and whisked him into my arms. Nap time was here and it was time for some quiet moments for everyone.

Finished with their task of rolling out four dozen cookies, the girls disappeared to play chess together and quietly read in their room.

Tucking in the toddler and his sister for their naps, I kissed them before their little heads rested on their pillows. Shutting the nursery door with a click, I closed my eyes and prayed a silent prayer to my Heavenly Father. Thank you, Lord, for helping me be patient with my little ones. It truly is not always easy when one is weary, tired and needing rest. But when the day – when the week is busy, when the moments fly by and yet it seems little is accomplished, when my goals of homeschooling at thrawted with important real-life appoiintments – and when there is no quiet time to be found, where does one’s rest come from?

Once back downstairs, I popped the first set of cookie trays into the now warm cookstove and poured a cup of Earl Grey tea for my weary body. Sitting down at the kitchen table, my mind was reminded of one of my favorite verse – one that is taped to the front of my fridge… and one that is highlighted in my Bible.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-30

 

Yes, Lord, rest is only found in You.

Nowhere else. You will not find it in a fancy spa, an expensive remote vacation or an elaborate restaurant on your night out or even during a humble tea break during nap time – true rest, the kind of rest we all need and crave in this busy, demanding world, is only found with one source:

Jesus.

I sipped my hot tea and tasted the freshly baked gingersnap cookie. The snow dripped outside into puddles on the windowsills and I found my place of rest in a noisy, busy Monday.

 

P.S. Here is the recipe for the lovely gingersnaps, shared from our dear friend, Miss Amanda.