Don't Let the Bubbles Stop!

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility…” (1 Peter 5: 5b, NIV)

I wish I could say I joined our local gym in order to ensure a sleek physique. However, the truth is that I joined for the sole purpose of using its Jacuzzi. The fact that the dressing room is only ten steps away from said Jacuzzi also influenced my decision, minimizing my out-of-the-water exposure time. Without some serious tanning and toning, vein-stripping and girth-tightening, I don't make a pretty picture in my bathing suit.  Thus clad, I am very cautious about appearing in public --partly for my sake, but mostly out of courtesy and concern for others. I do not wish to cause unnecessary trauma to the eyes.

Unfortunately, it's hard to find a time when the Jacuzzi actually offers water hot enough to ease my achy joints. For some reason, the temperature has been especially hard to regulate for several months now. I keep getting texts from the facility apologizing for this inconvenience. I keep thinking I'll cancel my membership if I keep getting those kinds of texts. 

Aside from the temperature, it's even more challenging to find a time when the Jacuzzi is unoccupied. On several occasions, I have reluctantly replaced my pool shoes with my tennis shoes and trudged a mile or two on the treadmill in lieu of joining strangers in the hot tub. 

Yet now and then the perfect timing and the right temperature actually coincide and I have the Jacuzzi all to myself. A state of bliss and gratitude ensues. 

Such was the case one Saturday night. I had just eased down into the frothing water thinking Ahhhhhhhh, This is the life when after a few short minutes, a former student strides from the locker room toward the weight room and stops beside the Jacuzzi when he recognizes my face. That's all that was showing above the bubbles, I hoped. 

"Hey, Mrs. Parker. How are you doing?" he asks.

"I'm great. How are you?" I manage.

"Fine, fine. I'm back in town living with my grandma and looking after her."

"Oh, I'm sure she appreciates that."

Yes, ma'am. She's had some health problems and needed someone in the house with her, so I moved back to help out."

"That's very noble of you. What about school?"

And so the conversation went, a lovely catch-up time with a student whose big heart made me very happy. My happiness began to fade, however, when after ten minutes or so, I realized that the Jacuzzi timer was likely to stop and all the foaming bubbles covering my torso were about to dissipate. That's when I started to wind down the conversation and speed up my silent prayers:  Lord, please don't let those bubbles stop. Please don't let those bubbles stop. Please help this nice young man go on his way before those bubbles stop.

Thankfully, that's exactly what happened with all of a minute to spare. I jumped out of that Jacuzzi and bolted for the dressing room before there was another passing.

Now, safely dried and dressed, I stopped to think about other kinds of bubbles I don't want to stop—the bubbles of enthusiasm, effervescence, and energy that should indicate the joy of living for Christ and loving others in His name. I also thought about the kind of “clothing” I should always be wearing so that I need never be ashamed: “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12b, NIV). Father, please help me wear the things that glorify you and when necessary, cover me with bubbles!

Copyright © 2016 Dr. Dalene Vickery Parker. Used by permission.