The Johnson Family

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Food and Clothing

1 Timothy 6:8 says, "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

When it all comes down to it, the things my family needs the most is food and clothing. So when it comes down to it the most important tasks on my to-do list are MEALS, DISHES AND LAUNDRY.

These tasks are daily and unrelenting, yet they help provide food and clothing for us. These exhilarating tasks are the first and many times the only "task" I accomplish in the day. It would be so much fun if I could get up and say, "Hey, what do I want to do, or accomplish today? Something fun? Something noteworthy?" But God says that with merely food and clothing we shall be content. So, I am a weakling, striving to love the Lord and yes, be content with every meal to be made, every sandwich to be diced into toddler-sized chunks, every bib to be wiped off, every dirty frying pan, every load of filthy laundry, every pile of folded laundry that is toppled by a baby.

In some ways, knowing these are my top-priority-tasks helps me to have self control. Each day, I wake up and don't need to make any major decisions about how to spend my time. First on the list is time with the Lord, then starts the day with MEALS, DISHES AND LAUNDRY! Of course the children and their daddy know how to fill up the rest of my time! But these are precious, eternal tasks (at least I am seeing them rightly if only for today). As well, these tasks can be done with scripture and prayer on the brain. I have resumed some scripture memory/meditation this week and my daily tasks have been been transformed from duty, to a time to meditate more. I have taken my prayer/scripture notebook into the kitchen with me in the morning so I can glance back at it on the counter and recall to mind what I was studying in the Word. Then I remember to praise God again instead of complaining in my heart about the drudgery of the day. So, don't be discouraged. Go feed and clothe your family and learn with me to be content!