As a child, I assumed that adults were finished, complete. Not a well thought out notion, but one that I nevertheless held. Thus, despite my forty plus years, the continual need for change and growth in my adult life is still a bit of a jolt (dumb, but true!).
Take housework for example. Here's my reality. It's been a major responsibility of mine for over 26 years, but I've don't like it, nor do I do it very well. My focus is on finishing so I can get on with the good parts of life. More often than I care to admit, I simply ignore much of the work and do the "fun" stuff.
It dawned on me a few months ago that this is a pitiful way to spend my life, dreading a major part of it. I firmly believe in the scriptural phrase: "men are that they might have joy". Hence, it follows that, because serving my family in this way is important, there is joy to be found in the actual doing of housework, not merely in the being done with it!
With this realization, I determined to change my attitude. It's been a two steps forward, one (or two) back kind of process. But gradually, I find myself occasionally enjoying tasks like emptying the dishwasher, folding a basket of laundry or sweeping the floor.
Did you catch that? I didn't say, not minding it too much (something I've experienced frequently), but literally enjoying the process of the previously viewed as mind-numbing tasks that are required in a home. I'm not there yet. But the progress sure feels good!
