I quickly turned my head to read her face. Was my five year old joking? Was she being fresh? No, her face showed only a questioning look.

“Mommie, when Jesus calls you to Heaven, are you going to say ‘I’ll be with you in a minute. I just want to start this load of wash’ “?

She really had my number. Whether it was one more load of wash, a sink full of dishes, or a floor to scrub, there was always one more thing needing to be done. These things kept me from doing what was also truly important.

I wish I had put those things aside and enjoyed a sweet chat with the girl I love so dearly.
Now, thirty five years later, I yearn to have a sweet chat with Our Lord. Instead, I find myself wordlessly telling Him “I’ll be with You in a minute.” Whether walking the dog, checking my email, or running to the market, there’s always one more thing needing to be done. These things keep me from doing what is most important.

It’s Lent. My prayer is that, learning from a wise five year old, I will stop and think about how I want to spend my minutes and choose to spend them speaking with Jesus.

Then, when He does call me to Heaven, I’ll gladly follow my Lord, my God and my Friend.