I fold used plastic Target shopping bags.

I’ll admit it one more time—I fold used plastic Target shopping bags.                               You know.                                                                                                                             The ones with the red “target” on them.

Really.                                                                                                                                       I fold them.                                                                                                                              In fourths.                                                                                                                           And in fourths again.                                                                                                         Then I put them neatly in a container under the kitchen sink.

Menial does not mean unimportant.

You know, some of you do the exact same thing.  Not many.  But some.  We all have boring tasks that just seem to take little bits of time from our day.

However, from the naysayers who know that I do this, I’ve had some unusual reactions… “Oh Beth, that’s SO you!” or “Why do you waste so much time doing that?” or “______” (that’s computer talk for “blank stare”) and so for those reasons and others, I generally don’t let people outside my family watch me fold grocery bags.

But menial does not mean unimportant.

For years now, I have used those few minutes for prayer.  Now before we get all “Sunday School” here, just know that there is no agenda for the direction one takes for prayer during The Folding of The Plastic (how could there be?).

And so it has always been whatever is on the surface of my heart at that moment because surface things are urgent and can be tender.  There have also been times when my heart has been quiet because listening goes a long way in developing a closeness between two. God takes those moments and redeems the time.

He exchanges my hands folding plastic for my hands folding in prayer. And He and I are blessed with just a bit more growth in our friendship.

Because menial does not HAVE to be unimportant.

Happily ever after, beth