Last night I was doing the dishes.
I realized that a lot of what a mother does is very repetitive. Sometimes it seems that, as soon as we do it, and YAY! it's done!, we have to do it all over again. Dishes. Meals. Changing diapers. Grocery shopping. Laundry. More laundry. (Did I mention laundry?)
Even what I say to my kids is the same old thing. Day in, day out. ("Time to clean up", "brush your teeth", "sit down and eat please", etc.)
A hamster wheel. Around and around.
Groundhog Day.
Have you seen that movie? Basically, the main character, Phil, is stuck in the same day, repeating the same actions. Eventually he learns that he should take advantage of the time he is given: to help others, to improve their lives, and to improve and perfect his own life.
So, back to my dishes. I realized that, I can do the same dishes the same way, over and over, and have a crappy attitude about it, or I can see it as an opportunity to perfect myself. I can do my dishes (among other duties) and become a better person, a better mom, because I get to repeat my daily actions so much.
Another movie analogy: Karate Kid.
Mr. Miyagi has Daniel do chores, over and over, that don't seem to relate to karate at all. But one night Daniel realizes that, even though it seemed pointless, he was actually learning the right moves and building his muscles the right way so that he could be great at karate.
My "pointless" tasks of keeping house? It just means I'll be fit for the kingdom. When I'm doing dishes, I'm not just doing dishes, but I'm teaching my children that cleanliness is next to godliness, that we need to take care of what has been given to us, and that we're blessed with work, not cursed with it.
And here is a scripture I memorized not too long ago, that I think are the characteristics of a great mom. I hope I can polish them up in this life: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23
Meet The Nat Pack!
- Nat
- The Nat Pack: The super fashionable, super mod, super hip family consisting of Nat, Pete, Jakob, Brock, Troy, and Ivy. Like The Rat Pack, only younger, cuter, and not as rich or famous.
6 comments:
You memorize scriptures??? You are such an amazing girl. I haven't memorized scriptures since... seminary, truthfully. And thanks for the insights on dishes. I need to have better thoughts while I do dishes. And laundry. And every other dang thing in the house.
P.S. I heart Ralph Macchio.
Sooo cool. You go Girl!
I have been having some of those same thoughts lately, about the repetitive nature of our jobs as mothers. I even told Scott a couple nights ago that sometimes I feel like I am drowning in the monotany of motherhood. Thanks so much for sharing that scripture and your insightfulness. Afterall, I think that we are practicing now for more of what we will be doing in the eternities so it is good to love being a mother and all that comes with it! We are learning to love, no matter what is required. That is an important lesson for us.
I have to clarify my comment a little. I don't think we will be doing dishes and laundry in the eternities (or maybe we will, I don't know really), but I am sure we will be working in some capacity. And we will still be mothers. So we sill still be hard at work for our children. Forever. But I think that is wonderful because serving teaches us to love and that is what heaven is all about. Right? Okay, I could go on forever but I will stop. This is for comments after all, not commentaries.
You are so very, very wise. The world would be a much better place if more people looked at the world through the lense of the gospel like you do.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have a sudden desire to watch the Karate Kid.
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