Blue Collar Worker

That's my profession for February: manual labour. I've still been mulling over the concept of discipline from my 'monk' attempts, and thinking about this 'now' idea, and then I read a lesson ["Chapter 27: Work and Personal Responsibility," Gospel Principles, (2009)] about the importance of developing a love for work. Ya, I don't have that either. Here are the ideas that stood out for me:

• "There is an old saying: 'Doing nothing is the hardest work of all, because one can never stop to rest.' Without work, rest and relaxation have no meaning."

There is definitely truth to that!

• "One way to enjoy life’s fullest benefits is to learn to love work... President David O. McKay said, 'Let us realize that the privilege to work is a gift, that the power to work is a blessing, that the love of work is success'.” 

I'm still pretty sure that work is drudgery, but I'd be happy to learn to love to work. 

• "Children should do their part in the work of the family. It is necessary for children to have work assignments to fit their abilities. They need to be praised for their successes. Good work attitudes, habits, and skills are learned through successful experiences in the home."

Haha. Of course that one stood out because it means that I can train my children to do MY work. Butt really we mustn't overlook how much work it usually takes to TEACH children to work. So with my lazy example and this culture of self-indulgence that my children are growing up in, I can't fail them and their future families AND society by being too lazy to teach them the value of work.

So today I did all of the dishes and tidied the kitchen (Umm, nope. That's an unusual occurrence. My dishwasher is out of town and I didn't want him to come home to... well. Dishes.) On Friday my daughter and I finished chipping the ice off of the sidewalk (that I like to do). I plan to be dedicated to house work this month, and to get my children back to doing their daily chores.