Work will Win when Wishy-Washy Wishing won't

"But I don't want to clean my room. I want to play with my toys." stated by Mr. Abraham yesterday morning.

And ya know - I hear him. Playing is much more fun that tidying or scrubbing or cleaning.

But ... we can't always play I suppose? We've done lots of playing this summer but we've got to get ready for school and get this house organized before baby arrives, now don't we!

Do I want to? Ummmm, let's see. I think I'd rather go enjoy the mountains for a few hours than tidy or scrub or dive into my junk piles/rooms.

But... when I was a little girl my mom had a daily chore chart for us that had quotes on the back. This one I remember because it's pretty true - now isn't it:

"Work will win when
wishy-washy wishing won't."

W-Formula by President Thomas S. Monson.

So, this week as I was griping about all the tasks I had been neglecting, I tried to think of how fulfilling work can be... to see a job completed.

Today (after 3 days of ignoring it) I gathered the tots together to sort laundry. It's pretty funny to sort laundry with kids. Abe was in charge of whites... easy enough. Hannah helped with pastels and darks and brights and grays, etc. Max - well, we didn't have him help... he generally spreads all the colors everywhere.

And then tonight we watched the Wizard of Oz and folded laundry. Hannah and Abe did great. Max - well, he just tried to tumble on all the piles of folded laundry.

Abe asked if "this" was on our list of things to do. Ummmm - nope. The kids think it's fun to do laundry and watch a movie. I guess it turns into a fun activity with mom.

I guess work isn't as bad as I always anticipate when I sit staring at all that needs to be done. Better to dive in and tackle it one thing at a time - when energy strikes - that is.

So - my point? Not sure. But work is definitely a big part of our lives. It's funner to do it together and goes better when mother has a good attitude about it. I love, love, love when my kids cheerfully help me and I'm sure they love when I help make it a fun activity together instead of hollering at everyone.

I liked this story about the good example of mother:

President Ezra Taft Benson remembered with love the teaching of his mother:

“I remember so well, as a little boy, coming in from the field and approaching the old farm house in Whitney, Idaho. I could hear my mother singing ‘Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?’.

“I can still see her in my mind’s eye bending over the ironing board with newspapers on the floor, ironing long strips of white cloth, with beads of perspiration on her forehead. When I asked her what she was doing, she said, ‘These are temple robes, my son. Your father and I are going to the temple at Logan.’

“Then she put the old flatiron on the stove, drew a chair close to mine, and told me about temple work—how important it is to be able to go to the temple and participate in the sacred ordinances performed there. She also expressed her fervent hope that some day her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren would have the opportunity to enjoy these priceless blessings” (“What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children about the Temple,” Ensign, Aug. 1985, 8).

Just a reminder to me of all I can teach my children by example (working cheerfully) and to take the time to teach them about things that are important to me - especially gospel principles.