When the girls were younger, they shared a bedroom, and we used the extra bedroom as a play room. The helped organize and decorate it. They could build, create, and imagine for hours. They combined one set of toys with another to create mini-communities. They imagined and lived life within the four walls of the play room.

It’s not the only place they could play. They learned about life through play. It’s how they experienced the world. They played in their room, in the living room, outside, etc. But there was one room where they often heard the firm instruction that “This is not a play room!”: the kitchen.

Looking back, that’s not exactly the truth. The kitchen was a play room at times and in limited ways. I’d fill small bowls with basic mixing ingredients, give the girls a large bowl, and let them concoct imaginary creations. They’d make play-dough meals. Then, there was their very favorite…I’d squirt shaving cream on the table and sprinkle a little powdered Tempra paint on it so they could finger paint for long periods of time.

But the kitchen was still not considered a play room. Defined more specifically, there’s no rough-housing in the kitchen. No running around the table. No throwing things. No stacks of toys so I’d trip as I prepared a meal. To be honest, it wasn’t so much about safety as what I preferred. For years, I felt the kitchen was “my territory,” and I wanted everything in a certain order (my order).

There’s a time and a place for everything. And it’s not about the time and place I determine. What do each of the following verses bring to your mind? 

There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has its special season._______________

There is a time to be born and a time to die. _______________

There is a time to plant and a time to pull up plants. _______________

There is a time to kill and a time to heal. _______________

There is a time to destroy and a time to build. _______________

There is a time to cry and a time to laugh. _______________

There is a time to be sad and a time to dance. _______________

There is a time to throw away stones and a time to gather them. _______________

There is a time to hug and a time not to hug. _______________

There is a time to look for something and a time to stop looking for it. _______________

There is a time to keep things and a time to throw things away. _______________

There is a time to tear apart and a time to sew together. _______________

There is a time to be silent and a time to speak. _______________

There is a time to love and a time to hate. _______________

There is a time for war and a time for peace. _______________

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8