My conversation with my three year old this morning after surveying the tornado of clothes, and dishes and toys that have overtaken the first floor and letting her know WE were going to clean it all up together:
Charlotte: I can't clean up since (long pause) I can't bend down.
Me: Why can't you bend down?
Charlotte: Because (long pause) my head hurts.
Don't you ever wish that excuse would work for you? I can't tidy the house today because...(fill in the blank!).
As a mom, my house is my workplace. And I find myself getting so frustrated when it's finally tidy and the kids (how dare they!?) want to play with their toys! I find myself yelling at them to "Keep it clean!" or thinking to myself, Can't we just keep it clean for one day!? For one hour!? Pleassssse!
It's laughable, really, like the conversation with Charlotte this morning that I recounted above. When I stop to really pause and consider the situation, I wonder which one of us is acting like a three year old? I look around at my house and think what an ABUNDANCE we have. And yet I somehow find a way to grumble and complain. So I pray this morning for an ABUNDANCE of patience, for the fruit of the Spirit even in the way I clean my home. After all, this is the work to which I have been called this day.
If I would go to another, more official, workplace (according to this world's standard, that is) and offer my best for Christ, why wouldn't I even more so in my own home?
And I think to myself that I should not write this here for you to read because I would never want you to think I do this well. I write this for you here to show you how far I have to go but that I believe God wants even my house cleaning!
Whatever your frustration may be today, your mountain to climb--no matter how big or how small--consider what it might look like to "work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord..." (Col. 3:23).