The Gift Of Joy

"Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. 20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart." Ecclesiastes 5:19-20

There are some days where I really get into a rhythm here at home. Take yesterday for example. I was straightening up the dining room, putting a few things away, and as I tucked something away into my burgeoning coat closet, it occurred to me to clean the closet. That took a bit of work, pulling everything out, sorting, straightening, and vacuuming up all those cobwebs. But I did it. And the best part? I enjoyed it. Truly. Zander was busy occupying himself and I was just busy finding joy in the mundane. I thought about how much more welcoming the coat closet would be to guests who reach in for their coat, and not have to worry about something tumbling out at them. And I thought about how much easier it will be to find a pair of gloves for Abigail before school. I just found great pleasure yesterday in ordinary household tasks.

I've been finding this more often. I think as Zander grows and gets closer and closer to school days, a part of me finds myself looking towards the future, trying to determine what I will do once he is in school. How will I keep myself busy? And will I be able to use my time in a fruitful and productive manner, or will I give in to the seduction of the sofa, and lazy days of movie and TV viewing. I've also thought about working outside the home. There are certainly times where we could use the extra income I could provide, and sometimes I think I could get a job. Then God gives me a day like yesterday and I am reminded that I already have a job. My job at the time is to care for my family and take care of our home. There is no job out there that could be more important to me. One of the things I've thought about is worry about getting bored and complacent with simple homemaking. And then I clean a closet and find myself humming in my head and finding hidden treasure that I'd forgotten about, and now that treasure is hiding in a safer place, ready to be wrapped with Christmas paper.

I am where God wants me to be. I am doing what he wants me to do, and that is a true gift. Gladness in my heart is a gift from God and I am so grateful for it. I am so grateful to have this servant's heart, to want to take care of my family in the best way possible. And I am grateful for the joy and the happiness I find in my everyday work. Many people would not be content to fold laundry and do dishes and scrub floors every day. But I love it. I thank God for this, for this contentment and for the joy I find in every day.