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January 28, 2006
Being with Jesus in the Repetitive
I was going to write a post about trying purposefully to "be" with Jesus in the everyday repetitive tasks of motherhood and homemaking.
I had realized that I am often in the mindset of trying rather to "get things over with" so I can "move on" to the "important" things. Except that there are SO MANY repetitive little tasks in motherhood and homemaking (and I expect in most other jobs as well) that one spends most of one's time doing those. Diaper the baby, diaper the baby again. Make a sandwich, make a sandwich again. Do the laundry, do the laundry again. Clip some nails, clip some more nails. You get the idea. I am coming out of this a bit now that my kids are both in school and I'm not officially homeschooling (at the moment, though I do a heck of a lot of French tutoring after school hours). Still, I drive the kids to school, then I drive them to school again. I do the grocery shopping, then I do it again. I process the mail and bills, then I do it again. I cook dinner and do the dishes and change the sheets and clean the toilets and make the kids shower and check the homework and tuck the kids in, and then I do it all over again.
So I had this smart thought to attempt to set my mind on Jesus while in the midst of these repetitive tasks. (I'm a little slow sometimes).
But then one of my children broke another fragile object. Since last week it was a ceramic cereal bowl on the kitchen floor, and then this week a glass bottle outside on the walkway to the front door, and now the very next day a drinking glass in 3,499 smithereens once again on the kitchen floor, I was not happy. I grumbled through the whole cleanup (no time for the child to help), not having any illuminating insights this time. I didn't think of the lover of my patched-up soul a single time. Afterwards I remembered my "idea" about being with Him through the repetitive tasks...He does have a sense of humor, doesn't He! I'd rather that that particular task not be quite so repetitive, since it isn't strictly speaking necessary...but the next time one of my kids shatters something all over the kitchen floor, I'd like to try to take the opportunity intentionally to clean it up with Jesus instead of alone.
Hope I remember.
Thank you, God, that I can have a fresh start (again). Your grace is enough for me.
January 28, 2006 | Permalink
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Comments
What a great post! That really hit home for me. In fact I will try to stop crying now. Thank you for reminding me to seek Jesus in all things, especially the mundane. I'm so glad God has given you this gift to put your thoughts on "paper" so others can be encouraged and grow.
Posted by: Cindy | Jan 28, 2006 7:51:33 PM
Great! Reminds me of _Practicing the Presence of Christ_, by Brother Lawrence.
Posted by: Martin LaBar | Jan 29, 2006 5:35:55 AM
Lovely post, Katherine. In that vein, I am reminded every time I put pots and pans on the stove, fill them with water for oatmeal, put them in the sink to soak, dry and put them away, of the memory of being a child, with my play pots and pans, and how I was repeating and repeating those very same actions so I would be proficient in using the real ones of today. I wonder if we do these tasks in Heaven. We should be REALLY good at it by then. Love, Aunt Willow
Posted by: Willow | Jan 29, 2006 9:57:19 PM
Oh, how all of this resonates with me, Katherine. Somehow, I hope you don't remember, although your brothers might, the time in Vandoeuvres, when I, personally and on purpose, broke a bowl on the kitchen floor....totally unnecessary....in anger. Then I had to clean it up, and I know I did not invite Jesus into the process of any of that scene. I am humbled at the thought. Yes, I too, recall Brother Lawrence's advice of scrubbing the stairs with Jesus, among other things. He must be patient with us, as His promise shines through the rainbows.
Mom
Posted by: Patricia Taylor | Jan 30, 2006 7:15:24 PM
Okay, I'll try this again.
I was greatly emcouraged by this, and reminded of something someone told me after praying over me. She said, "Leah, God loves to be with you as you sweep your kitchen floors and vacuum the carpets, and He just loves BEING with you."
Your words brought this to my memory, and I am forever greatful.
Let all the moms remember that God loves what we do.
Posted by: Leah | Feb 1, 2006 3:19:24 AM
Yes, it's the repetition that gets one.
Posted by: Julana | Feb 2, 2006 2:49:13 PM
