There are some things that are constant in life. I'm not talking about "big things" like God's love or the fact that there will always be turmoil in some part of the world. I'm talking about daily things. Like dishes. Like shedding (dog owners, you know what I mean). Like dirty clothes. "Chores" that are never truly "done." I came to a realization yesterday - it suddenly hit me that, in all likelihood, I will wash at least one dirty dish every day for the rest of my life. That is a lot of dishwashing!
Each and every day, usually during Clara's morning nap, I sweep all the floors in my house. Six months ago I would go several days sometimes between sweeping, but now that Clara is crawling around everywhere, I spend a much larger portion of my time cleaning floors than I ever have in my life.
No matter what else is going on, the laundry still needs to be done - and in this cloth-diapering house, with a Daddy that works at dirty jobs, that is a minimum of one load per day. The bathroom needs to be cleaned.
Usually, I don't mind these tasks. I love the look of a
shiny sink and a clean kitchen; knowing the end result motivates me to keep up on my dishes. I always feel productive while cycling loads of laundry, because I can do something else while it's washing or drying - yay for multitasking! There is something peaceful, relaxing and very rewarding about having a clean and organized home. But while I don't resent the everyday tasks of cooking, cleaning, and doing dishes, I don't always treasure them or make the most of them.
This is the true realization that came to me yesterday: in all the hours I will spend sweeping, doing dishes, folding laundry, what else will I be getting done? How much more benefit could be reaped from this time if, instead of simply thinking of the next task or (worse) mindlessly going about my chores, I spent each moment in prayer. When I wash dishes, I could be thanking God for His loving provision of healthy food for our family, for the time we are able to spend together around the table, and praying for those who have no dishes to wash, who will go hungry tonight. As I sweep the floors, I can be thankful for a home, for a husband who works hard to provide for us, for a little girl who crawls around and makes messes. When I switch the laundry, fold clothes or hang diapers up to dry, I can thank God again for His provision of clothing, I can think of others around the world hanging their clothes to dry, I can pray for those less fortunate who go cold for lack of clothes or who only have one shirt, one pair of pants to wear.
This is a good start. It takes my eyes away from me and my "work" and sets them on God and His faithfulness. On the days when my attitude is not one of cheerfulness or thankfulness it reminds me of the many blessings in my life. But I still want to go one step further. At different times in life I have used daily routines as "hooks" or reminders to pray for specific things. When Clara was brand new I often used her middle-of-the-night nursings to pray for the many mothers and new babies that were born around the same time. Those were such peaceful moments, quiet and prayerful with my little babe in the darkness. I have not decided on all my "hooks" just yet, but here are a few I'm thinking of: when I change Clara's diaper, I can think of and pray for each of my family members, whose pictures are on the wall above her changing table. Each time I clean the bathroom I will pray for our nation and our leaders, for wisdom and God's hand and leading on their lives, for revival in our land. These hooks do not have to be related, they simply have to be linked in your mind.
What are your hooks (perhaps they have developed without you even noticing!)? How are you using each minute of every day for God's kingdom? In what ways can you build a more prayer-full, purposeful way of living?
