The Parable of the Last Dish

My approach to life can be found by examining the way I wash dishes. Now that I have lived a year without a dishwasher (well, other than yours truly), I have started to notice a pattern. After sometimes an hour of slaving away over a hot sink, I cannot bring myself to wash the last dish. I don't know what it is about my psyche that renders me incapable of leaving the sink empty, but I just cannot. The day I left this pot in the sink, I had an epiphany- I have been proverbially leaving the last dish undone my whole life.

As a child I dreamed of writing a page-turning book so my parents bought me a "publish your own book" kit. I started a fantastic story about aliens abducting a kindergartener. And that's where the story ended. Never published, never finished.

Then in high school I had dreams of going to William and Mary to major in political science. I was going to take politics by storm. However, my unfinished papers and assignments left my grades with much to be desired. BYU-Idaho it was.

So then it was a journalism degree I sought. I was going to save the world with my pen by writing for non-profits. But a heart-crushing rejection by the love of my (then) life sent me wanting nothing but out of Idaho.

So it was off on a mission I'd go. I would passionately share my testimony of the gospel in Norway.

I hope you're not getting bored reading at this point. Because I'm already getting bored writing this and I'm starting to distract myself from finishing.

A devastatingly good looking (intelligent, oh-so genuine and witty) suitor you say? Mission. What mission? And we were off to the temple to be married forever.

Bachelor's in communications from Portland State? o.k. I guess. But then I wanted a Master's in teaching. I was fired up about teenagers being media literate. I'd start the next fall.

Oh, but a baby seemed exciting. I would be an accomplished Mom. A woman who did it all. Not one that stays at home crafting. And so I had a baby bump and nausea and horrible migraines. And then Eliza Jean breathed into existence.

And then I realized I didn't have it all. Not even close. And I started to think about all the things I didn't have. And those dishes. Oh, those dishes! But then this picture kept appearing in my mind.

And then I remembered that I've got this face to see everyday. And this spirit to nurture.

Hold up...look at that-I finished something. And not just something. Something that will go on to finish incredible feats. And who knows, maybe she'll leave a few of her own dishes undone.

And for the record: I went to the Button Emporium and Ribbonry yesterday and was in heaven. Yeah, I craft and I kind of love it.