Simple Tasks Completed= Great Joy!


Gretchen Rubin says in “The Happiness Project” that completing nagging tasks brings great happiness. Tonight was proof of that. In three quick hours I finished the touch-up painting on the windows in our bedroom, the alcove in our bedroom, the door in our bathroom, and the baseboards in the living room and kitchen. These were follow up paint jobs, the kind you wish didn’t exist- Didn’t I already take care of that? But new windows in our bedroom meant damage to the previously painted trim, caulk over the painted baseboard called for paint (and collected dirt in the meantime), demolition of the tile in the bathroom lead to a damaged alcove- which I then had to repair, caulk, prime and now paint, etc, etc, etc. It’s the story of a house. I’ve procrastinated these tasks for a year in some cases. I can’t tell you the joy it brought me tonight as I checked them off my list. Ah!
As I scooted along the floor, painting baseboards, I had the impression that I was doing something meaningful. Really, I’ve put off this task forever because it seems so insignificant. It wasn’t the task specifically that was important, but rather the act of doing something well, as well as the intent of creating a space of beauty where the Spirit can preside. Two thoughts circled through my mind: “Anything worth doing is worth doing well,” so says my Dad; and “Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.” I’ve oft marveled at the cleanliness of the baseboards at the temple. Weird, I know. But painting my baseboards tonight I felt an inward delight that I was making my home more like a temple.  When I first caulked the baseboards I knew I should paint them. At first, however, the caulk was white and matched the baseboards perfectly. Why paint it if no one would know? Because if you don’t the caulk will collect dirt and look terrible. Now I know. I hope I can teach my children that we care for our house, because it is sacred, and that when we do something, we do it well. 
The thought occurred to me that I hope I can instill in my children the principle that cleanliness is next to godliness, and that we keep our house orderly and clean not because Mom says so, or because we’ll be embarrassed if the neighbors stop by and see it otherwise; but because we want our home to be a place like the temple, a place where God can comfortably dwell. (Wish me luck!)

,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *