Easter Miracle

Much has been in the news recently about events hailed as Easter Miracles: The jet plane crash in which no one was killed; the recent Texas tornadoes where there was no loss of life. It made me think of something, tiny in comparison, that happened here yesterday.

We'd had a wonderful Easter dinner. My daughter-in-law, Joanna, had stayed up late the night before with preparations, including setting a gracious table with a white cloth and hand-lettered name cards at each place. The next morning, a lovely bouquet of long-stemmed lilies and palm fronds was placed in a tall, slender vase in the middle of the table (a smaller version was on the "kids" table).

After church, eleven of us, including guests, enjoyed ham, stuffed eggs and other sides, as well as grandson Adam's birthday cake, a festive pie and two other kinds of cake. It was so good and we were so hungry that we could only collapse on sofas after such a satisfying meal. The conversation continued in the living room before guests went home and others retired to the front porch, where, revived by the brisk air, everyone decided to go to the park for biking and walking.

"I think I will lie down for a few minutes," I excused myself, trying to ease a headache that had bothered me all morning. Shortly Howard came in and joined me to "rest my eyes for awhile." After he fell asleep, I decided to clear up the dishes, thinking the warm water and mild exercise would help as much a nap for my headache.

The dozen or so plates were neatly stacked, and the dishwasher was open, waiting to be unloaded, but I opted out and closed it, preferring to wash the dishes myself. Soon the sparkling glasses were dry enough to put away, and the stack of plates was drying in the drainer. From there it was short work to collect the rest of the dishes from the tables, throw away crumpled napkins, straighten chairs and do the pots and pans. I even had time to get on the computer before we left for church.

"Did you get my message?" Joanna asked as we came in later. I told her no, we had left our phone at home. She thanked me for cleaning up, and I went in to pick up my phone and hear her message. "We walked in the house and I couldn't believe it!" my daughter-in-law's voice came over the phone. "It was an Easter miracle! I couldn't believe you cleaned up the whole kitchen by yourself, and the dining room, too? That was so awesome! I'm incredibly blessed! We love you guys." She told me later that she knew the dishes would be waiting on her and she was dreading the clean-up chore when she got home.

An Easter miracle? Wow! I'm so glad I surprised and blessed her, but of course their kindnesses to us are blessings, too. And it was almost as if I were having help as I almost effortlessly breezed through the task, almost complete, then wiping that counter or whisking away those cake crumbs from the buffet, or straightening that chair. Even homely tasks can be inspiring when you are filling a need and inadvertently blessing someone!