Unwelcome Tasks

I am redoing my calendar and trying to make sure my time is spent in such a way as to reflect proper Biblical priorities. I have been reviewing a book that has been helpful in the past called Shopping for Timeby Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters. This quote by Alexander MacLaren (although it doesn't particularly apply to calendar planning) struck me once again.

"No unwelcome tasks become any the less unwelcome by putting them off till tomorrow it is only when they are behind us and done, that we begin to find that there is a sweetness to be tasted afterwards, and that the remembrance of unwelcome duties unhesitatingly done is welcome and pleasant. Accomplished, they are full of blessing, and there is a smile on their faces as they leave us. Undone, they stand threatening and disturbing our tranquility, and hindering our communion with God. If there be lying before you any bit of work from which you shrink go straight up to it, and do it at once. The only way to get rid of it is to do it."

As a stay at home mom I often find myself putting off little unpleasant things that can be done tomorrow. The end result is I am left with a huge task that I wish I could put off again but now with an added level of stress. "I need to do a load of laundry" has quickly turned into "we have no clean clothes and I must wash everything that we own." So I will find the things "from which [I] shrink, go straight up to it, and do it at once."

One thing that I/ we didn't procrastinate today was vacuuming...

With my little helper at my side we accomplished for the week one of my least favorite chores. I am glad I don't have to do it tomorrow. The laundry pile however is still sitting in the corner. Tomorrow I plan to go "straight up to it, and do it at once."