“I Want That”

It’s my favorite scene in the movie Napoleon Dynamite.

A door-to-door salesman pulls a large sailing ship out of a box before trying to make his sales pitch, and as soon as the wife sees it, she whispers to her husband, “I want that.”

I love that this woman isn’t afraid to blurt out exactly what’s in her heart even though the salesman is sitting right there within hearing distance.

And I love that the husband doesn’t make her feel silly.

It’s as if he just “knows” this is the way she is and that’s okay.

I want to believe God is that patient with me when I speak before thinking.

“I want that,” I whisper under my breath as I stand in a field and feel the peace of the country.

“I want that,” I whisper as I stand in a barn feeling my grandpa’s presence so near me I could burst.

“I want that,” I whisper.

And I realize that with those words what I’m really saying is,

“I want the peace I feel here.”

“I want the calmness of the breeze blowing through the wild flowers.”

Like the lady sitting at the table with her husband waiting to hear a sales pitch,

I think I have to buy something or do something in order to “get the ship.”

Today, I hear God whispering back to me,

There are no strings attached to my offer of peace.

You don’t have to pray more

or do more

or love more

or smile more…….

you just have to breathe me in and you will exhale peace.

I am peace.

Today I’m lifting my arms and whispering back,

“I want that.”

 

May the God of hope fill you

with all joy and peace as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow

with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13