The Joy of Working

Saturday's at our house is "work day." Most families probably use this for their fun day, but with a husband who is out of town all week long, a list of "things" is always created which needs to be done on this day. In my quest to teach my children the joy of work and to hear less of the whiny noise that always follows the request, I have always tried to capitalize on their strong points.

Michael is a great outside worker with his dad and will put all his efforts into the job as long as he knows Tashua (his girlfriend) may be waiting at the end of the job, or the possibility of a paintball party is in the makings, or even just a game night with the family. He looks forward to a fun time at the end of work time.

Then there's Amy, she's my outdoor Sheerah. Give her a job that takes place outside and she's with you. She is usually carrying a big stick and looks like she is ready to go on a safari. She loves to mow the lawn and help take care of the chickens which includes cleaning out the coop. She helps in the garden and loves the "fruits of her labors." But give her an inside job and she will take at least a week to complete it and even then it doesn't look much different than when she started.

On the other hand, we have Emily, who in real life (her real life) would be upstairs with about 3 good books to read (I'm not kidding either), but in my real life she is my indoor woman. Give her the choice of working outside or inside and she will choose inside every time. She even likes to clean the bathroom (which I detest).

Now here comes the learning on my part. I thought to myself in order to make the day a happier one and maybe have less of that unearthly sound we here when we say the words "its time for chores", I could just have them all do the things they are best at and make everyone sort of happy. But then I began thinking (yes I do that once in a while) what if Emily only knows how to clean a house and not clean a chicken coop and she marries a chicken farmer or what if Amy only knows how to work outside and not clean a house and she marries and lives in a city and doesn't have the outside chores to do that she knows how to do, or even Michael what if he never marries (that would be sad) and doesn't know how to clean a house (I know, he and Amy can room together and live in a pig sty) OK back on track .... My point is this, Amy needs to learn how to clean a house just as much as Emily needs to learn how to clean a chicken coop because in real life we have to learn how to work in every situation. Maybe Michael will never need to know how to fix a lawn mower or build a chicken coop door, but we just never know what situations may arise. Remember the Lord said that whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.