Vital Signs

"are you in there mamãe?"

It was another bustling summer week at the Listenbee household. There’s much to be done at all times as a young family. A Bible lesson was also on the schedule for that week.

I decided to change my approach and take on God’s peace as a real, tangible element of teaching. I see no advantage of losing control when there’s a vital message to be spoken. I started cultivating God’s peace in my heart.

I also remembered my experience last year as a super rookie Bible teacher. Boy was I nervous! I quickly figured out that the other elements in my life were not going to change because I had to study, pray, reflect and write. I grabbed on to that memory and applied that knowledge to my day.

Still, the estate of my house was bothering me. Sure I was getting help from everyone but the toys on the floor and the unraveled summer look of my house was not appealing to me. I went upstairs to pick up something important when I heard the words: vital signs.

If you are a medical show fan you know what vital signs are and how important they can be. I learned about it in practice when I had my kids. There was a nurse checking our vital signs on a regular basis. I also figured out that kids get different vital sign measurements than adults do. When I take my kids to the pediatrician, their vital sign measurements are different than mine. I’m glad about that.

Back to my house. I realized this week that the floors at my house are magnetic. They attract towels, shoes, toys, clothes and pillows. I’m determined that magnetic floors are vital signs.

My unglamorous kitchen sink has the power of multiplication. If you want to understand prosperity, all you have to do is stand there and see how one dish turns into 45. Never fear, this is another way to measure vital signs.

The books I carefully organize in bookshelves have the talent of flying out and landing in different places. This is a vital sign I’m always glad to see.

I am trying to rejoice and be glad when I see those vital signs all around me all the time. I have a choice in the matter. I can raise my blood pressure because things are out of place or I can look at these things as vital signs. There’s life in my house. There are people who are obviously enjoying living here.

I, in turn, surrender to this rumbling season of life with a smile and a thankful heart.