My friend Jodie has the Whirlpool Duet washing machine. This front loader holds like, twenty towels at a time. At our house we use about twenty towels a week, in theory anyway. All six bathers are supposed to use their towels twice. I know this doesn’t happen. The boys drop their wet towels on their bedroom floors, Paige uses a towel for both her hair and body, and at least one towel gets used to wipe muddy cat prints off the kitchen floor. If I had the Whirlpool Duet I’d only need to wash one or two loads of towels a week. Instead, my Sears scratch-and-dent-special cycles through four or five loads.

As an adult, I should have that coveting Sunday School lesson down. But I covet Jodie’s machine. I also like Caryn’s new car, Susan’s vacation, and Lynelle’s jeans. It is hard not to want what others have, especially when we see it daily. Television doesn’t help. John watched Tiger Woods this weekend and the prolific ads for titanium golf clubs had him searching the internet for deals. When I watch “What Not to Wear,” I think about a wardrobe makeover. If we don’t own it, and we want it, the coveting monster rears his ugly head.

Today was the first day of school. As soon as Merritt’s babysitter arrived I headed to Starbucks. I ran into two lovely friends who had just come from Kindergarten orientation. Their five year olds played with coffee stirrers, laughed and ran around. Merritt turned five this past weekend. I could have been at orientation with the other moms. It was Merritt’s year. But of course it wasn’t. Merritt won’t be going to Kindergarten.

When I walked out of Starbucks I thought about how little that encounter affected me. A few years ago it was difficult to think about all the things Merritt wouldn’t do. Today I enjoyed the other five year olds, but when I left their silliness behind, their rambunctious play reminded me of the peace Merritt brings to our family. My other three children were silly five year olds; Merritt shows us a different way to be five. Her five is simple, quiet and full of joy.

Merritt has taught me more about coveting than I learned in Sunday School. But I still want the Duet.