Be a Joyful Helper

My children are all old enough to help with pretty much every chore there is. And they are at home all summer. So each day as I leave I’ve been giving them things to do because the house is just a mess. This morning the boys were arguing over whether a particular chore required just one of them or two. It was the youngest mainly, he didn’t want to help.

I reminded him that we are a family and we all have to work together. I told him that he should be a joyful helper, and that working together would speed things along so that he could get back to playing.

I think we all forget that we should do the same with the people that we work with–be joyful helpers. We get so mired down with our workload and disagreeing with others about how something should be done that we aren’t joyful. It effects not only our work but our well-being.

I’m speaking from experience here. Lately more than ever I have allowed myself to go somewhere that I don’t want to be. A dark place where I argue over little things, don’t appreciate the amazing people I’m surrounded by or all the things I do have. I am not joyful. I know I have a lot going on at home, with my Dad, with work… and I’ve allowed that to be my excuse to go to this place. The problem is that once you’re here, it’s really hard to get out.

I’m trying. You guys can all help me to be accountable. Today I am going to be a joyful helper.