A Lesson in Chores

My grandpa Ford always said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” He was a farmer that raised a family during the great depression. Resources where scarce, mistakes cost money, most of those mistakes could easily be overcome by attention to detail and proper training.

Growing up in a home where both parents lived through the depression taught me many valuable lessons. You ate all of the food on your plate…we always got the lecture about starving children in Africa. You used ever object until it had no more uses…don’t throw that away, I can use it for such and such. You took care of anything that belonged to you…money doesn’t grow on tress you know!

I can still hear my parents and grandparents voices from my childhood and rely heavily on the way I was raised to live in today’s microwave throwaway society. My success in life is directly tied to many of the lessons they taught me even though at the time I could not see the need to ‘do it their way’.

The Lord used those teachings as the foundation for the person He wants me to become. Along the way, He’s adding His own lessons preparing me to lead our team and business to the future He has planned for us.

The Lord has selected a future specifically designed for each of us. He uses life’s lessons to prepare us for that future. Do not become frustrated along the way, but allow His planned to be unveiled in His time. “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” Zechariah 4:10

Blessings

A Lesson in Chores
TGIF Today God Is First NextGen
by Charis Hillman Brown

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. -2 Corinthians 12:9

“I’d like for you to load the dishes in this way. This is how the instruction manual says to do it!”

“Oh my gosh, do I seriously have to put the dishes in the dishwasher that way?” I thought. My 19 year old self was fighting what appeared to be pointless detail for something that really was not all that important, in my opinion: dishwasher loading.

“If you put them in this way, you can fit more in!” said my stepmom. “Ok,” I said, keeping a cheerful attitude. After all, they were letting me stay with them until I got back on my feet: I needed to be agreeable!

A few weeks later I was asked if I could clean the house. “Ok,” I said. However, upon careful inspection of my work, it was revealed that I missed a few spots. “Could you go back over this and this?” said my stepmom “Argh,” I thought. “This is ridiculous. This attention to detail is really starting to get under my skin!”

Looking back I realize that God had a lesson for me in “the details.” I am naturally not a very detailed person. But, during that time, God was putting a finger on my lack of detail, something He wanted to strengthen in me. I cannot tell you how much this has helped me in life!

Has God allowed situations in your life to help you with your weaknesses? Let Him work through your weaknesses, so that His purposes can be fulfilled in your life.