when the mountains loom high

I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? -Psalm 121:1-2

So. I lifted my eyes and what did I see???

So. What do I do on days when dirty clothes and dirty dishes and dirty floors and crabby kids loom like mountains? Lofty mountains. Mountains that I will never conquer once and for all.

Well. I like to complain and grumble.

And sometimes throw a massive pity party for myself.

Complaining and pity parties have only made me a miserable wretch and they sure haven't been very efficient companions in conquering the mountains.

I'm a slow learner. Very slow. But my Father is faithful. He keeps working with me and pushing me to higher heights.

Two things that bring me courage and joy when the mountains look formidably high:

1. Knowing that He sees me and what I am doing right now matters to him. It is a worthy sacrifice. He is my helper!!!!! (Read on in Psalm 121)
 
2. Tuning my heart to sing his grace. His song becomes my song. And I give thanks.

And this is what giving thanks looks like on some days:

-thank you for the mountains of laundry I have to do today. It means I am surrounded by 6 active people who play and work hard. It means that you have provided us with more clothes than what we even thought to ask for.

-thank you for all these dirty dishes. It means an army is dining well at this house.

-thank you for modern conveniences that make my life so easy. The washer churns away as I load the dishwasher. Running water, hot and cold, pours into both at the push of a button. Thank you.

-thank you for granting me health and energy again today. Thank you for giving me the strength to care for my family.

I haven't found the magic of Mary Poppins to make my work disappear, but I have a mighty Helper!!!
When I tune my  heart to his I find joy and rest even as I work.

"Every time your hands toil, rest your soul into the rhythm of prayer. Your work can lull you into the rest of God." A. Voskamp

surely my cup overflows