Cleaning Blinds and Other Hard Jobs
by Heather Koerner on 05/07/2008 at 1:21 PM
"So, Mommy," my daughter sheepishly began. "Did you know that Riley gets paid to do jobs for her mom?"
"Hmm, no, didn't know that," I smiled.
A few minutes later I have agreed that yes, I will think of some jobs my 7-year-old can do for me to earn money. No time like the present to learn a good work ethic and what we do with our money once we earn it (oh yeah, you know me, reinforcement on tithing cannot be far away).
Evidently, though, I'm a little slow off the draw because my daughter hits me up within a few hours. She has thought of some jobs. "Oh, really, honey? Let me hear them."
Idea #1: She will do a play and her dad and I will pay for tickets. Here we have a talk about the things we do for our family simply because they are family. She's disappointed, but not defeated.
Idea #2: She will get up a little early and set the breakfast table for me. Another talk. This one is about how if we are going to get paid to do a job it needs to be one, something that we work hard for, and two, something that mommy really needs help with.
I come up with an idea: she can clean blinds. You can see the wheels spinning in her head. Obviously not what she had in mind. But after a few days of contemplating and also seeing the Barbie at Target that I remind her she can buy when she has her own money, she's ready.
So, this weekend for three hours (no, I'm not kidding), my daughter sat on the living room floor taking the vacuum across the blind slats, one by one. One dollar per window and she didn't stop until she had enough money for her tithe plus the Barbie.
It was a great day for both of us. She learned about the rewards (and not just financial) of hard work and I felt an incredible satisfaction in her dedication and also in the fact that she really did help me. I hate cleaning blinds.
It made me wonder how often I am like my 7-year-old when I'm talking with God. Yes, Father, I want to do some work for you, but I've got my own great ideas. How about I do this? I really enjoy it and that can be my work. Or how about this? It gives me a lot of satisfaction and it's not too hard.
Justin Taylor touched on this in yesterday's article, Working Out a Theology of Work:
Whatever your vocation, God calls you to honor Him, to reflect His image, and to labor with all of your might. You may not be in your dream job right now. But the secret is to honor God in the little things and to sanctify the ordinary.
Am I laboring with all of my might? Am I working heartily, as for the Lord and not for men? This weekend, I felt I had a small glimpse of God's perspective. The play would have been fun. Setting the table wouldn't have been too hard. But my daughter worked hard and she did what I really needed her to do. God, make me that kind of daughter to you. Even if it means cleaning blinds.
1. elisabeth said the following at 3:50 PM on May 7:
It sounds like you have a lovely daughter, the story made me smile.
Thinking about worship in 'the ordinary' for a while I appreciate your comments towards the end. It is good to see more how to glorify God in every way, it is so much about our attitudes. Could I do three hours of blind cleaning with a smile, hmm...
2. Rachael said the following at 6:25 PM on May 7:
Nice post- thank you! I'm always attracted to reading things about invisible servanthoodness, etc. More attracted to reading, remembering, and contemplating, than being an invisible servant even in my own home with boring daunting tasks that need to get done...thanks for the reminder that we should strive to serve God in all we do!
3. Bethany D. said the following at 7:09 PM on May 7:
Heather: If you're interested in hearing how one family taught finances, in my family allowance/chore money was divided 10-10-40-40:
10% tithe
10% into long-term savings in our bank accounts (for college)
40% into a short-term savings piggy bank (we could open it when it hit X amount, where X = about a month of saving up)
and the remaining 40% to us
We also each had a budget book; a little account ledger where we kept track of our money - and for the first few years, you had to balance your book before you got that week's allowance!
The results: most of us are good at saving money for anything from an iPod to a house, keeping track of where our money went, and understanding that even if you just got a paycheck for $100 you probably really just have $25 to spend from it.
4. Nicole said the following at 9:17 PM on May 7:
My mom gave me hard jobs to do as a kid as well -- for my "allowance." It was good for me. I learned a good work ethic. :-)
5. BDB said the following at 9:17 PM on May 7:
Isn't it amazing how even 7-year-olds have the ability to be motivated to work?
6. jill said the following at 5:39 AM on May 8:
thank you for this post. i need this reminder often!
7. elizabeth said the following at 8:12 PM on May 8:
I am reminded of the hard jobs every week. While I am in grad school, the job where I am currently working is not my dream job. The work can be more physical and less rewarding than I prefer, yet I am constantly reminded of God's provision. I am working in a Christian environment and so far, God has provided a way for me to live on a meager hourly wage. The hard jobs aren't exactly fun, but I have found them to be rewarding. I have sensed God's calling the various jobs I have held, and each one has been rewarding in some way or another. I have learned a lot about being obediant to God, and how that obediance turns into joy to do a job that would otherwise seem less than desirable.