When The Last Thing You Want To Do Is Dishes...Don't

Trent and I got home a couple hours ago from a quick, wonderful 24 hour trip to Winnsboro to see his family.   I drove the whole three hours home because Trent isn't feeling well, so I got home pretty tired and with a bit of a headache.   No big deal.  But I came in and remembered the laundry I didn't do on Saturday and the dishes we left yesterday before hitting the road.   I mostly wanted to sit still with my sickee husband and drink a big glass of water, but instead I unpacked our overnight suitcase, started a load of laundry and did the dishes.    A thought...

When the last thing you want to do is dishes...don't do the dishes.

Or insert whatever chore or task fits you.  I'm glad the dishes are done.  Trent has gone to bed early and the house is quiet except for the rumbling of the dryer tumbling clean clothes.  Our little suitcase is empty and back on the closet shelf.  I'm really glad these things are done but...I could have just sat still with my husband and had a big glass of water...and what difference would it really have made?

I have been thinking about chores some lately, mostly because I'm kind of amazed at myself for how I don't freak out about them anymore.    It's kind of weird honestly, compared to how much I used to dwell on messes or unfinished tasks around here and feel like a failure.   Now before you start thinking I'm just turning into a slob, don't.  There are a few things I have pinpointed that I think have contributed to my new-found easy going-ness about this:

There is just less mess.  Remember last winter when I discovered that the secret to keeping your house clean is to host a Bible study?   It's true.  Turns out if you keep up with little messes gradually, they don't turn into giant ones.  Who knew?

I have tried to stick with my Just Do It attitude that I determined to implement last fall.  Worrying and complaining about messes won't make them go away.  Jumping in and knocking them out will.

And finally, it is because my focus has changed.   My previous, stressed out battle cry was something like "Our life is so busy with youth ministry that we don't have time to have a clean house and a pretty green yard! Whaaaaaaaaa!"  Translation:  "Our life is so busy pouring into and loving on youth that we don't have time to devote to our worldly possessions!"   Um.........lame.  

...Ok I just sat here for literally about ten minutes deciding if this is sounding like "look at us and give us gold stickers for being in ministry."  I'm really not trying to be like that.   I'm trying to issue a challenge to consider where your treasure is.   (Matthew 6:19-21)   Is your treasure in your spotless house or is your treasure in the mess of toys scattered across your far-from-spotless house from playing with your sweet children?   Is your treasure in your perfectly manicured lawn and landscaping or is your treasure in having dear friends over for a hamburger, regardless of the weeds around your grill and the spiderwebs under the eaves of your porch?  Is your treasure in your spotless, fancy car or do you treasure the regular ole four wheels you have that are able to give someone a ride to church each week who doesn't have any wheels?

Where is your treasure?  Is your treasure in stuff?  Or is your treasure in loving others and living the Kingdom of God?  If the main thing you want to do is live out some little piece of the Kingdom of God and the last thing you want to do is the dishes.......do not do the dishes.  Dishes can wait, but the Kingdom of God is upon us...