Have you ever found yourself not looking forward to getting up in the morning because you have to do the same old things you did yesterday? Whether it be a job, housework, changing diapers, doing laundry, cleaning dishes and putting them away- they just never seem to be “done.” As soon as you get ready for bed, there’s more laundry starting to pile up. It doesn’t matter that you just finished five loads.
I have been there for the last several months. I know that IT has to be done if I want to be healthy and not scare people off when I walk up to them. Is there a way to get out of this funk? I think there is. So, how can I count my blessings from God?
As seen on Facebook
Laundry
For me, I usually can overcome such feelings by thinking about all kinds of people in other parts of the world who do not have so much laundry to get dirty. I’m blessed to have as many clothes as I do. Some of them may only have a few outfits and/or have to wash them by hand in a river swarming with alligators or crocodiles. Their hands hurt because they’re using harsh soap and their hands are in the water.
I, on the other hand, have a fancy HE (high efficiency) washing machine by Maytag. I usually do hang out my laundry on a clothes line, not because I’m into being green, but because I can CHOOSE to. I also have enough laundry for my family that I could get by on only doing one load of underwear for the family each week for two or three weeks. We wouldn’t be wearing our favorite clothes, but we’d have something to wear.
Dishes
The same goes for dishes, I have a dishwasher. I could leave my house for an hour or so, and my dishes would be clean and dried. When it comes down to it, I’m pretty spoiled. This one is three-fold. I also should be grateful that I have dishes to wash and that they need washing. Man am I lucky because that means I ate and I’m rich enough to be able to cook and eat off of a plate and/or bowl using utensils.
Vacuum
Come to think of it, I also have a vacuum. It’s old and probably should be replaced, but it does turn on. It doesn’t get the bigger scraps on the floor the way it used to, but it does work. Having a vacuum means that I have floors made out of something other than dirt.
Bathroom
Then, there’s my least favorite room in the house, the bathroom. Most of the people in my house are male. Those rooms really stink since young males tend to miss the toilet. My one and only daughter is learning to use the toilet, too. It always makes it in there, but the boys. . . I don’t know how they do it. Walking down the hall I can smell that ROOM.
Wait a second, I’m complaining again? So, if I have a bathroom, that means I have running water and I don’t have to venture outside to an outhouse. That’s a HUGE blessing. Okay, that ROOM doesn’t smell nearly as bad as an outhouse, most of the time.
I can’t say I’m Pollyanna, especially since the time of my sixth kid’s birth. I love the little guy like crazy, but it knocked the wind out of me. I just haven’t been motivated to take care of the things that get messy the moment I’m done.
Husband and Kids
Uh Oh. I think I just found another blessing in my life- make that 7! 6 kids and a husband. I wouldn’t have a mess without them. Granted, my husband doesn’t make a mess as quickly as the kids, though he does make a fair amount of laundry. He does actually make a huge dent into our clutter and dirty dishes.
If you made it this far, you’re probably thinking that I have an unusual way of being grateful for all the mundane things I have to do. You’re probably right. However, I’m sure that if you are employed, you’ve felt like you HAD to go to work and actually said that out loud. In this economy, it’s important to find a way to be grateful for gainful employment, even if the income isn’t what you’re used to. Find a way, no matter how weird it sounds to others, to be grateful for what you have going for you.
Conclusion
I really am blessed. I may fall into the category of lower-middle class in the United States. But, based on what I listed above, I’m pretty well off. It really hit me the wrong way when Ann Romney‘s choice to stay home was under attack last week. Yes, I know there are women who choose to stay home because they can, as well as a multitude of other reasons. I can be grateful and feel blessed with what I have without a second income.
A lot of people in my situation would feel compelled to go to work and put their kids in day care. I respect that. In my case, I’d probably make such a little sum that I’d be paying to go to work after day care, wardrobe, fast food or take out option because I was too tired or not in the mood to cook, maintaining transportation, etc.
That reminds me of another blessing– I’m not forced into the spotlight by my husband’s career.
You probably wondered why “blessing,” “grateful,” and other words are in bold. I wanted to prove a point, it only took me a short amount of time to list things I am thankful for. In less than 1000 words, I found a lot of “blessings” and “gratefuls.”
So, tell me, how to you find ways to be grateful and count the blessings in your life? I’d like to know! Leave a comment with your ideas!
