Treasures in the Ordinary

A Husband's gentle touch

A sink full of dishes

Goofy children giggling

Crumbs on the floor

Slobbery baby kisses

A diaper change

A hot cup of coffee

Full laundry baskets

A candle burning 

School work to check

A blanket to keep warm

Bathrooms to clean

These things are ordinary in my life. At least one of them is bound to happen every single day. But if I'm not careful, it's easy to take them for granted, and I miss the true treasure--blessed gift--they really are.

Some items on the list above, hands down, we'd all agree are the sweetest things ever. But then some of those items, well, we struggle to see the gift they possess. The world would have us believe that some of these things are boring, or they are not worthy of our time. We feel like if someone else can do them, then great, especially if that means getting our hands dirty, yielding of ourselves, and serving those in our own homes.

To do so means a lot less "me time" and way more "them time." It means being faithful and diligent, when no one can see you, without any public recognition over what you're doing. Others would say, there just isn't enough wow factor, that they must be amazed and entertained and these things are nothing but drudgery.

But if we look closely enough, we find that blessings abound in our regular, routine, day-to-day, ordinary lives. It's the tiny things: the small victories, the sweet notes, a kind word, a song heard. Treasure upon treasure: the people in our homes, the tasks God has given our hands to do, the ability--both mentally and physically--to carry those tasks out. Yes, even the mundane, unexciting, non-glamorous things are a treasure because they hold lessons for us, and if we let them, they refine us and mature us, all to the glory of God.

"Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; 

nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness 

to those who have been trained by it."

-Hebrews 12:11

Remember, sisters, we are to live this Christian life in service to others. And if we refuse to engage the treasures in our own homes, how can we honestly live that out outside of our homes? Even our very own precious Savior, bent low to wash His disciples' feet (John 13:1-17).

I urge you to pay attention to what is around you. I mean really look at your daily life. Stop just long enough to take it all in as more than just the same ol' same ol'. Beauty is every where. Gifts are all over the place.

Crumbs on the floor and dishes in the sink mean my family is fed. And not only are we fed, we had a choice in what we wanted to eat.
Laundry to do means we have clothes to wear and clean running water. And again, a choice in what we wanted to wear today.
Noisy toddler voices become music to the ear when we remember these precious days are fleeting. You'll look up and you have teenagers
Moving a husband's boots to the closet may remind you of how hard he works to provide, that he has a job to go to each day.
You can see the sun shine. You can smell a flower. You can breathe.

Honestly, the list goes on and on and on.
Be faithful in the small things, and even in the hard things, sisters, be faithful.
Treasures abound in the ordinary.

Also posted at Our Homeschool Forum.