no thanks

hello?
you answered flat lined
with no recognition, 
no sign that you had any indication 
of who was on the phone when 
you answered. 
"it's me!" i smiled into the phone cheerfully. 
your voice didn't change much, 
but you mumbled some short retort,
waiting blankly for me to explain 
why i bothered calling. 
"we were going to buy dinner tonight for 
our family," i pressed on,
"and wanted to include the two of you 
as well," i said excitedly.
"we will drop it off on your doorstep.
Does that work for you?"
you simply said, 
"ok."
and then we hung up shortly after. 
i stared at the phone in silence. 
sometimes giving looks a lot like this, 
i thought. 
no glamour. 
no thank you. 
no care, really. 
but you do it anyways. 
not for any of those things, 
but because God has asked us 
to be faithful and generous,
when it is easy and joyful, 
and even when it is 
dismissed and uneventful. 
it is for Him. 
not for man. 
i hope you enjoy your 
fried tilapia and fried chicken 
i whispered quietly, 
as i placed the hot food on 
your doorstep...


covid19 series