At Your Name

Coincidences are never just coincidences.  At least that's how I've always viewed life.  Today in the middle of my hum-drum monotonous housewife life, I was stopped in my tracks and reminded of my purpose.

Thursday's are my day off.  My Mom takes care of Clare during the day, and I normally fill my time off with hours of television and roaming around store after store with little a care in the world.  Today though, I've been deep cleaning the house in preparation for my in-laws visit this weekend.  I filled my hours with my usual glamorous duties; scrubbing the toilets, cleaning cat litter, laundry, sweeping, vacuuming, and moping.

Having a 3 year old normally attached to my hip, I fill our house with Christian music that praises God.  There is nothing like hearing your little angel start singing Lady Gaga explicit lyrics to make you change your listening preferences.  So normally when she's not around, I love to clean to every top 40 station I can listen too.  But today is part of Lent, and continuing a tradition that started in college, I'm only listening to Christian music as part of my sacrifice.  And yes, I consider not getting to rock out to Adele a sacrifice. 

As I was sweeping around the kitchen table, Phil Wichham's song, At Your Name, began to play on the radio.  I was only half way listening and more concerned with the odd colored sticky blob stuck on Clare's booster seat when I was stopped in my tracks. 

Lyrics for At Your Name

At Your name  [I heard a loud vibration sound come from the entry hall]

The Mountains shake and crumble [Vibration stopped so I went back to sweeping]

At Your name [The loud vibration was back and I could tell it was coming from on top of the door]

The oceans roll and tumble [The vibration stops again]

At Your name [The loud sound comes from the Crucifix I have hanging over the door]

Angels will bow, the earth will rejoice, Your people cry out  [I stand on top of a nearby chair and feel the vibrations from the crucified Jesus as the song plays on]

It was an extraordinary moment where God stopped me in my tracks and reminded me of my closeness with Him.  It was a moment where I felt God telling me that the annoying and menial tasks that fill my life as a stay at home Mom do matter.  As St. Therese wrote, "What matters in life is not great deeds, but great love."

So for everyone out there stuck cleaning out the work coffee pot, picking cheerios out of the carpet, or balancing the your tight budget, know that even though this will not get you loud praises, it will make you a better person in the end.