Ever since I was a little girl, long road trips have always included the “Five Favorite Senses” game. It’s a fairly easy concept. One person in the car starts by sharing their five favorite sounds and then it goes around the car with everyone presenting their list of five sounds. Then it moves to your five favorite smells, five favorite touches/sensations, five favorite tastes and five favorite sights. After decades of playing this game, my answers rarely vary.
My list of favorite sounds usually includes thunderstorms, ocean waves, babies cooing, kittens purring, and the click of knitting needles.
My list of favorite smells usually includes the beginning of a rainstorm, the ocean, lilacs, my mom’s favorite perfume, and line-dried sheets.
My list of favorite touches/sensations usually includes fresh shaved legs with clean sheets, Q-Tips in my ears, scratching an itch, full body massage, and the velvety softness of a rose petal (which is slightly ironic since roses are one of my least favorite smells).
My list of favorite tastes usually includes fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies, iced sprite on a hot day, Velveeta macaroni and cheese, French macaroons (almost any flavor), and kettle corn.
My list of favorite sights usually includes sunsets/sunrises, puppies or kittens twitching in their sleep, someone helping someone less fortunate, starlit skies, and 4th of July fireworks.
The game has filled countless hours of road trips when I was a small girl, a teenager, a military member, and now as a mom.
God rejoices in our favorites. It’s an indication that we are pausing in our daily life to reflect on the glories of what He has provided us. It’s a pause to enjoy His creation. It’s a pause to enjoy one another and listen to someone else’s favorite things. It becomes a moment to rejoice in the Lord.
“Rejoice in the Lord always.” ~Philippians 4:4 (NIV)
Essentially this childhood game becomes a chance to worship. Some may think of worship as the ten minute-sing-along at the beginning of church, but worship can take many other forms. The appreciation of the stars in the sky or the perfection of a child’s laughter; these forms of appreciation can translate to worship when recognition is given to the Creator. Prayer in gratitude and awe can also become a form of worship. When we serve others, whether at a homeless shelter or teaching Sunday school, we are offering ourselves as an aspect of worship to God.
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” ~Romans 12:1 (KJV)
By no means am I saying that playing the five senses game in the car is equivalent to the worship we see in the Bible. I am proposing that the five senses game is an opportunity to reflect on the blessings God has provided us. Reflecting on our blessings is a form of worship.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” ~James 1:17 (NIV)
Our God is an amazing provider. Have you reflected on that recently? Maybe the five senses game would be a fun way to start…
~Emily
Iron Porch 