The Difference of Perspective

      Let's just say I did not have the best attitude at work that day... I had been put in my least favorite position and I was closing. Dining room is not a difficult job, but to me it's somewhat mind numbing and boring. Oh well, I guess I would just chalk it up as one of those days. One of my tasks was to clean the glass around the store so I was kneeling by the main entrance with my window cleaner and newspaper in hand. An elderly lady walked through the door and smiled. "You're making you're windows pretty." Making you're windows pretty. That was all she said but what a difference it made! Instead of cleaning the windows or just doing my job, it now seemed as if the job had purpose and meaning.
      Our words are such a representation of our hearts. Just as Jesus taught us, out of the heart the mouth speaks. Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the repetition of a duty or our distaste for it and have that turn our attitudes sour. What if when we cleaned our houses we didn't think "I can't believe I have to do this again, won't the kids/my husband ever learn to pick up after themselves," but instead "I am grateful to have kids/my husband to make messes and that I have to opportunity to serve them by making this a beautiful home to live in." Wouldn't that change our attitudes about it??
       I have only been married for three months and I know that sometimes the house work can pile up so high it looks like it will never be clean again. I can't imagine how difficult it would be with children! Sometimes I just can't find the motivation to do the dishes, or the laundry, or anything else. Sometimes Netflix, or my phone, or my social life just seems so appealing compared with all the "chores" that are lined up. But ladies, listen. We get the chance to make a home for our families! We get to take care of the house that God and our husbands provide and make it beautiful and welcoming to all the come in. We have to opportunity to make our house a place of refuge for the broken, a house of healing for the weak, and a haven from the world for our husbands and children. If we could catch that wonderful vision of what housekeeping really is, what a joy it would be!
       We can create an atmosphere in our homes of peace, rest, and joy by doing the little things that are distasteful and the big things that are noticed. When your house is neat and tidy you can welcome that new family at church to come home for lunch with you without a twinge of what they will see when they walk in. When your own laundry is done you can go help the young mother who is so overwhelmed she doesn't even know where to start. When your meals are planned and prepared you can take one to the grieving family who just lost a loved one. What a difference it makes when we look at our responsibilities with an eternal perspective and see what we  can accomplish for the kingdom of God in the day to day tasks. Every diaper has a meaning; every dish has a purpose. Aren't we blessed to be able to take part in it?!
       I know it's difficult and sometimes discouraging but let's start again with a fresh heart. Let's look at everything as an opportunity instead of a task. Let's make our windows pretty.