Of everything on my Two Week Tackle list, today I only got around to one thing – and even then I didn’t completely finish. All morning I was going to start tackling – yet everytime I tried, the phone would ring and someone would need us to help with something. Or the laundry needed to be switched out. Or we had to run an errand downtown.
And then it was time to make lunch.
That’s life and that’s why I allowed two weeks to tackle the list. Today I will choose to be grateful that I got just one thing done.
I decided to begin with one of the chores I was dreading most – cleaning out cabinets and putting down new shelf liner. Some of my cabinets have become pretty nasty, making for a job that wasn’t very fun. On the other hand, I’m really looking forward to sitting down and organizing our school books and working on our schedule. Therefore, I made myself get this dreaded cabinet cleaning chore done first – then I can reward myself by sitting down in a mountain of books!
I piled the contents of several cabinets onto the counter-top and proceeded to peel out the old shelf liner, vacuum off the shelves, wipe them down, then put down fresh shelf liner. I also got myself completely filthy in the process. Is it just a little bit obvious that I like and use a lot of Pyrex dishes?
Lookie at my clean, organized cabinets!!
I also thought I’d show you what happens when you assign your kids to go fold five big loads of laundry. Our six year old was in charge of all of the towels. He does a great job with smaller kitchen towels and washrags. But the large bath towels are still a little bit difficult for him. Still – I found this pile so endearing, I had to take a picture. I couldn’t bear to refold them. He worked hard on that folding job! (No, really they are folded, can you tell?!)
Even though I’d hoped to get more accomplished today – I’m still very thankful that I got one major (and dreaded) task out of the way. And I’m thankful that my kids were willing to help with some of our other, normal jobs.
Also, I wanted to offer some encouragement to all of you who find yourself trying to get something accomplished – working hard all day – and feeling like you never really get much done. It’s easy to get discouraged when we work hard and don’t feel like we have much to show for it.
If your family has been loved on by you – if you’ve fed them, clothed them, trained them, kissed them, held them – then you have accomplished much. Even if the dirty laundry is still all over the floor and the project you started at 10:00 had to be put on pause, never to be resumed, at 10:02.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord… ” Colossians 3:23
What are you thankful for this Gratituesday? Write about it on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for!
If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!
Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!
Great post and great reminder that our families are our most important jobs. And what’s wrong with the towels? That’s what mine look like… ;)
Thank you for this. I often feel like a failure when I don’t get much crossed off my list or have to leave things unfinished. But at the end of the day my family is clean, fed, kissed, and hugged. Thanks for reminding me of what I am doing instead of not doing!
I have a six year old who tries so hard and folds just like this … almost made me cry! A stack of towels … imagine. Thank you so much for entrusting your children with the jobs and loving them right where they are at, and reminding us to do the same.
What a sweet reminder, thank you for sharing Laura.
I’ve decided that it’s ok for the house to fall into some disarray during the summer. I’d much rather be remembered as the Mommy jumping off the diving board or packing a picnic for the park than the one who needed to do chores. The house will be clean again in September when the kiddies are at school. Until then, you’ll just have to step over the mess when you come visit. And please leave your white gloves at home :)
I still remember my mom’s advice after we started our family – Is you house still standing? Are you kids OK? Then you have truly accom;lished something!
It’s better to be with your family than have a perfect house!
Those busy days can be some of the biggest learning moments for our children on how to gracefully change “our plans” to “God’s plans”. I love the picture of the towels. My towels look like that most of the time. It’s not a big deal. They still fit in the linen closet and get used rather quickly anyway :)
We would love to have those things at our house. I have been wanting to get started with bulk for quite some time.
I needed that bit of encouragement today. It’s 90 degrees and not even 9:00 yet. I’m dreading canning all the tomatoes my garden has been yielding, but I’m off to get that crossed off on my list before the heat gets worse!
Kristin, you are so lucky to be canning tomatoes already!
Wish I had some to do! :) I can remember canning 51 qts of tomatoes
one hot August day some years ago but was sure glad to have them in
winter. :) Our growing season for tomatoes is short so I need to find
them at a farmers market soon. Teri
The folded towels are adorable! That would have been the sweetest part of my day.
Maybe something was in the water yesterday because my day was exactly the same. I had a long to-do list I was ready to tackle but between phone calls, slight emergencies, ringing doorbells, and helping yard guys (who had stopped all work) round up a fledgling to safe ground, I got all of about 1 thing done as well. Praise God for a new day and another opportunity. :)
My towels are frequently folded like that. :)
Okay, lol, reading everyone’s posts for GratiTuesday is Sooo not helping me clean my house! I can’t wait to get back to more of them though.
You know, I’ve never thought of being thankful for the things that I don’t get finished on my list…but you’re so right…at least you got one thing done! Thank you for this reminder!
From a Mommy whose youngest is 20–IT GOES BY SO FAST!! DON’T WASTE IT!! Everything will get done eventually :) And if it doesn’t, so what?
I love the towels and please do a giveaway for the green polkadot dishes-I love them! (Just kidding! My cupboard cannot hold anymore Pyrex!)
I know exactly how you feel! And, yes….it is true that the most important thing is raising our families up in “the nuture and admonition of the Lord.” This time will go by quickly and we’ll have (too much) time to organize and stay organized! :)
I too have a list of things I need to do before I go back to work once summer vacation is over. I like the idea of starting with the dreaded task first. I usually procrasinate and leave it to the very end. I should try to finish the dreaded tasks firsts, so that I can enjoy the more enjoyable tasks later. Great post!
Hey Laura!
I just have to ask…the adorable green and white polka-dot containers…are those glass? Any idea what brand they are or where you got them???? I LOVE polka-dots!!!!
Congrats on a job well done! Just think, you won’t have to tackle that one again for a few years – yea!
Thanks!
yes, they are soooo cute!! I want some!
Well shucks – I can’t tell what kind they are! I got them from some promotional thing last year for free and they don’t really say who made them. Sorry I can’t help!
Colleen you might try ebay. They sometimes have things like that.
Thanks for this post! We’ve had a LOT going on lately and I’m prone to feeling inadequate when that happens. My house is a mess right now! Thanks for the reminder that all the “invisible” things we do are indeed work, and that they matter immensely.
Love the towels.My best friend will get a kick out of them. We had big fights in college because she folded the towels the wrong way and so did I. We eventually figured out that we were both right. She is now my sister in law and still my best friend. I was so excited to see this giveaway! Hope I win.
So hard to remember…accomplishments aren’t always tangible. Tell your kiddo, good job on the towels:). He he…practice makes perfect!
What a loving mom you are NOT TO REFOLD THE TOWELS! I read somewhere that it is really tough for small people if they do their best on a project and you sail in and redo everything because it’s not “right.” Since then I’ve tried to remember that and let my kids’ efforts BE their efforts! Thanks for the reminder of what’s really important to accomplish in one day.
kristin
Great post – thank you. We have a new little one around here and its hard to remember that sometimes amid all the chores that aren’t getting done. I need that reminder.
Thanks for the post. I struggle with just standing back and appreciating what I do accomplish, because I know there are about 20 more things on my to-do list that I didn’t get done. Thanks for reminding me what is really important and to focus on and appreciate the things I do get accomplished, even if it is only one chore or loving on my kids!
Congrats on the cabinets! I struggle so much with the “worked hard all day but don’t feel I see the product” syndrome. I know I am making progress but my personality wants to see it in SPADES! I’m so tired at the end of the day — shouldn’t everything look perfect???? Oh well – focus on the love, care, and training — that IS happening every single day… Glory to God!
Today I am Praising God that my son’s friend Seth was just said to be in remission for Leukimia (sp) and now can have his bone marrow transplant the 29th. Please lift him and his family in prayer:)
Doing the icky job first is great and now my cabinets need the same attention. Instead, the school books have just been ordered and we are swimming in the summer heat.
Usually my kids throw their folded clothes to me, which unfolds them!
This was such a good reminder to read, thank-you! I’ve been thinking a lot along the same lines lately with an active toddler and being eight months pregnant, I often have energy to just do one thing and still have cuddles on the couch. Thanks for the perspective!
Laura – Thanks for hosting every week. I truly enjoy taking a moment each and every Tuesday to count my blessings. :) Sounds like you and I are busy about the same business of trying to complete summer projects. Thankfully, I have many, many more weeks left, as we don’t start school until the last week of August. Blessings, ~Lisa
This is such a great post! My youngest is 22 now. The years fly by so fast. Enjoy all your “cuddle time” as it disappears fast! Kuddos to getting one thing crossed off your list, Laura. When our kids were young, I waited until bedtime or naptime to do most chores. I canned, sewed and cleaned during the late night hours and helped, taught and loved my kids during the daytime hours. It’s hard to not “re-do” the folding but my towels once looked like that too! :) Great pics and I love the polka-dot dishes too. We are truly a blessed family!
Laura, I think you and I must be related. There’s got to be a gene for collecting that sort of thing. I love buying them at thrift stores so I don’t have to feel guilty about buying one more. I have LOTS of pyrex pie plates. I even have a Fire King. Doesn’t look so good but it still bakes a great pie. ;)
Another great post!;) Yes, loving our families IS more important than our to-do list (preaching to myself here) and to add to that, a friend once reminded me that even if I only got one thing done that day was it done to God’s glory? If the kids and I complained, bickered etc and finished the to-do list was THAT to God’s glory? That comment has never left me and I refer back to it often on these busy, summer days.
Looks like your son took lessons from my son,lol.
I love the folded towels! I am starting to help my four and three year old fold their clothes, so I can totally relate! :-P