Center of Attention

There was an ad on the back of the cereal box that I encountered when I opened the cupboard this morning. It was an ad for a sweepstakes to win a new kitchen. It read: "Make your kitchen the center of attention."

In this area, I need no help. Not that my kitchen couldn't use a makeover; it is original to the house. But, my kitchen, because it is where the food is, is the center of attention at our home. At dinner time my hungry kids swarm and chat while I make the meal. We call the movements at breakfast and lunch time, when everyone is working on fixing their own food, the kitchen dance. If you aren't "dancing", get out of the kitchen because you are just in the way.

We have a 1/2 wall between the kitchen and the dining room. When the older kids are home, the younger kids must hover to hear the latest stories, sing a song from a muscial we've just seen, or just watch them fix their meal. The little ones can stand on the dining room side of the wall and not be in the way, yet still be part of the action.

The kitchen is our family's center. It is where we reconnect with each other and stay in touch, sometimes literally. We all need a center. We need a comfortable place to hang.

When Christ is the center of our lives we can be comfortable wherever we find ourselves. We just need to call Him to mind to bring peace to our hearts, which are sometimes completely overwhelmed with the demands of the world. Invite Him to be the center of your life.

"Christ, be the center of my life. Guide me, protect me, surround me with your peace."