My Sacrifice

Hebrews 13:15 NKJV
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Why is it that every time I...

mop the floor, someone spills something an hour later?

clean the bathroom, someone squirts toothpaste all over the sink the next morning?

wash a load of clothes, there's another dirty load right behind it?

make a meal, some part of it is burned or undercooked or one of the little people complains that he or she doesn't like it?

wake up early for quiet time or exercise, I inadvertently wake up Chancho, so not only do I miss my time alone, but I have a cranky toddler on my hands by 9:30 am?

go to the bathroom, I have at least a one-person audience, but sometimes two or three?

These are the questions I posed to my neighbor a few days ago. My home-schooling, organic living, bread baking, God-fearing, Catholic neighbor. The one who has so much on her plate all the times, yet she still finds a way to can her vegetable garden crops and mend her husband's shirts and listen to her pre-teen daughter's sob stories while making it look so easy.

Everything I do gets undone, usually right after I do it. Small tasks take forever because someone is always following me. And I'm growing a little weary from all of it.

Then she relayed a little bit of advice to me, which at first did not help at all. But it grew on me.

Try looking at all these little chores and inconveniences as sacrifices to the Lord. Every time you're cleaning the floors for the second time in one day or dealing with a cranky 2-year-old, say a prayer and praise God for the opportunity to make a sacrifice.

I guess the point of sacrificing is that it sometimes is not pleasant and sometimes we're giving up things that we really want. But an eager and willing sacrifice is pleasing to God.

As a stay-at-home mom, I sometimes feel that I don't have as many opportunities to serve as my husband does, or as other women who aren't chained to their houses do. But besides raising this next generation for Christ, I am sacrificing each and everyday for the advancement of the Kingdom. It might not seem like much, but these little chores have a purpose in the grand scheme God's plan.

I admit, I probably won't be praising God each time I'm scrubbing the floor, but I will do my best to have a joyful heart while I do it. Almost every time, I promise. :)