The Juggler

It was one of those mornings where I had to make a few appointments.
I had my calendar and my post-it pad beside me to write down the dates and times.
My annual eye exam was first on the list with the appointment being made with ease.
The other call was to our car insurance company to repair a crack in my windshield.

It is a small crack that literally happened while my car was parked.
It happened in February when the snow and ice were still on the ground.
I parked next to a building and when I came out, the small crack was there.
Apparently some ice fell from the roof above and landed on my car.

The crack was small enough to hold off the repair until the winter months had passed.
Now that it is spring, I called to have a mobile unit come to our home.
My insurance company had to be called first; I knew that would be a long phone call.
Then they called the windshield repair company while I was put on hold.

After a few minutes of waiting, with unknown music in the background, I was connected.
First there were the questions, asking me to describe the size of the crack.
Is it larger than a quarter?
Does it spider out on each side?

No, and just a little, were my answers.
Is it in your line of vision?
Do you know the date of the damage?
No, and February 20, were my replies.

After listening to their policies and procedures, a date was given to me.
Do you have a garage or carport in case of inclement weather?
Yes, I do.
Finally the call was completed and the repair was scheduled.

After I ended my call, I thought about all I did while I was waiting on the phone.
I unloaded the dishwasher.
I put away the dishes.
I even checked my email.

I wrote a To Do list for the day.
I checked for messages.
I took pennies out of my wallet and put them in the penny jar.
I got baking ingredients out of my cabinet for a pie I would bake later.

All of those things were done while I was waiting.
I was multitasking in my kitchen.
I felt like a juggler in a circus.
How many plates could I keep in the air?

The best-known type of juggling is toss juggling.
Toss juggling is when the juggler throws and catches objects in the air.
The juggler catches them in the air without allowing the objects to touch the ground.
Yes, I was a juggler in my kitchen as I was put on hold.

Aren’t most wives and mothers expert jugglers?
Aren’t we capable of throwing many things in the air without letting them fall?
Aren’t we expert multitask-ers that are able to keep many things spinning at once?
I thought of the plate jugglers I used to see on television.

Multiple sticks were set up on a stage.
The sticks reminded me of a reed swaying in the wind.
On top of the stick, a white plate was placed.
The juggler would spin the plate as it sat precariously on the stick.

He went down the line of sticks placing a plate on top of each one.
Each plate was given a little spin.
He would run back and forth and keep the plates spinning.
Sometimes, the stick would wobble as the spinning plate was slowing down.

The juggler would run and catch the plate just in time; keeping it spinning on the stick.
An expert juggler with many plates in the air.
That was me as I waited on the phone.
That is most mothers are on any given day.

When I finally set out to do my errands that day, I was driving behind a minivan.
I always enjoy figuring out the vanity license plates I see in front of me.
Sometimes, I am perplexed and have no idea what the license plate means.
This day, I laughed when I read the one in front of me.

It was clear as a bell.
It was timely.
It supported all that I had been thinking since I left the house.
It was a plate with phonetic spelling: VRYBZY

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called, Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Martha was a juggler.
Martha had many plates in the air.
Martha was able to keep them spinning.
Juggling, to Martha, was unappreciated work.

Mary was not a juggler.
Mary did one thing at a time.
Mary let the plates spin and fall if they must.
Mary was at the feet of Jesus, listening.

Jesus never condemned Martha’s juggling.
It was necessary and provided hospitality for Jesus and others.
But the juggling was not the most important thing.
Sitting at the feet of Jesus was the better place to be.

Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.
Mary sat and listened to Jesus.
The time with Jesus gave her clarity and strength to do the things she needed to do.
Martha worked first and was frustrated that she could not keep her plates spinning.

We all have a bit of Mary and Martha in each of us.
We juggle many things each day to serve our family and others.
Jesus never condemned Martha for her juggling.
Jesus simply pointed out the better thing, the first thing.

Go ahead; juggle all the things you need to do.
Many are depending on you.
But sit at the feet of Jesus first.
Choose the better thing and let the Lord Jesus help you keep those plates in the air.