You might have heard the story about the husband who comes home from work to find his wife sitting on the sofa reading a magazine. Looking around the house he saw the sink and counters were filled with dishes, toys were strewn all over the place, laundry is sitting in the basket unfolded and the kids were loudly banging something in another room. “What in the world happened?’ he exclaimed. To which she replied, “Every day you come home and ask what I did all day. Well, today I didn’t do it.”
Some days are like that. On Tuesday, I quit. Not my work as a nurse. I am already retired. I came home after dropping my son off at his work and looked around the messy kitchen. “Why in the world had four cutting boards been used for making two lunches? Why can’t the other humans in the house put their mugs and glasses in the dishwasher?” I said to myself. “That’s it. I quit. I am only doing what I absolutely have to do.”
Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Eccl 2:11 (ESV)
King Solomon was right! If I do the laundry, there will be more. When I pull the weeds, new ones grow. I am not being ungrateful. I truly love my home and appreciate all that God has given us. God sees my mess but doesn’t care about it. He cares about my heart.
There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy … Eccl 2:24-26
Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, Phil 2:14-15
My light cannot shine very bright if my energy is low. Maybe it was the crazy weather but I was just plain weary. We are admonished to do all things without complaining but we get cranky if we are tired or hungry. I needed to take my own advice and rest. I needed a nap. I needed to hydrate. I goofed off on social media. I prayed and sat outside. Despite having a full refrigerator, we went out for dinner.
Although we shouldn’t let our family run around in dirty underwear, most household tasks are not urgent. People are more important than chores. Maybe you feel like I did and need to just quit and recharge. After all it is summertime. Tomorrow is another day and I can begin again with a better attitude and a renewed spirit. Besides the laundry pile will only get bigger.
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