A Bottom Drawer Day
By
Peggy Kleckner
“Why
so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”
Psalm
43:5 (NIV)
I had a difficult day.
I was worn out physically, mentally and emotionally. No major trauma, just the
stuff of life. A bit of disappointment, a measure of work frenzy and restless
thoughts had added up to weariness. I took appropriate action when I got home
from work….I went to bed and covered up. My friend calls this “turtling”! Yep,
I tucked in and tuned out; however, I did have a meeting to go to that night.
So there I lay pondering what God would have me do. Some days, a nap is the right
choice followed by an evening of staying put, but other days it is a trap of
the enemy.
I smelled dinner in the
crockpot and thought I better get up and take care of it, after all, no one
else was home. Now I was up. Next, a shower was needed as I smelled like ant
spray… don’t even ask for the rest of that scenario! As I was combing out my
hair, the thought came to mind that this was a bottom drawer day. Not top
shelf…open and above; bottom… beneath and closed. I laughed to myself at the
description as I thought that “bottom” certainly described my feelings, but
then I remembered my “bottom drawer.” I have a desk in my study - - a desk with
a bottom drawer. In that drawer, I have been collecting notes of encouragement,
thank you cards and the like, knowing that one day I may need a “pick me up.”
How kind of God to remind me!
I fed the dog, gathered
my dinner and headed to my first meeting of the evening, a meeting with the
friends in the bottom drawer of my desk. What a delight to first run across a
friend who had given me a piece of writing about putting on the armor of God
for our spiritual battles, next came notes from a Bible study that included a
page of Bible verses on fear - - both on facing fear and on the fear of the
Lord. What a delight to wander back through friendships and places where the
Lord had sustained me or used me in the lives of others. What a cup of
refreshment for my weary heart.
Needless to say, I did
head out to my other meeting, fed, clean and renewed by the One who knows me
best.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you have a small
stash of encouragement for when you hit a “bottom drawer” day?
2. Have you sent any
written notes of encouragement that others can pull out on a “bottom drawer”
Day? Do they include some of His life-giving words?
FURTHER READING:
Peggy
is a wife and mother of four adult children - - two sons and two stepsons and
is an active encourager at Oakwood.
