Finding Joy in the Mundane

This week, as I packed lunches and did laundry, I found a little more joy than ususal in the work that I did. I was thankful that I had these wonderful people around me who I could serve and take care of. I was thankful that I was able to perform these necessary, yet mundane services for my family. My perspective, for the moment, had changed based on a couple of events that occurred around me just the week before. They were the kind of events that make you shudder - the ones that make you hug your kids a little closer and love your husband just a little bit more - the ones that make you ponder the injustice of it all & wonder why bad things have to happen to good people. Yes - the events that hit way to close to home & remind you how vulnerable you really are. These events made my heart feel heavy!

First was the news that the home of Lacey's music teacher burned down. In one day a family became homeless. Children lost their toys, their blankets, their beds, and their clothes. Family heirlooms, pictures & precious musical instruments were gone. My mind cannot comprehend what it would be like to digest the fact that you had nowhere to go that you called "home". Whenever you go anywhere, isn't it always the best feeling to just "go home." I can't imagine what it would be like to not be able to "go home." And as bad as the loss of your home seems, worse things can happen. On Sunday I learned of a family (connected to my sister-in-law Katie through her sister's husband) that was literally ripped in half by a drunk driver. In practically the blink of an eye, half the family was taken because of a teenager's poor choice. Mom & two of four children, gone. As I heard about the family & read the details of the accident I thought, wait, this can't be true. These people are "us" - they are Brad & LaRae & our kids. He is the bishop (so is Brad), she was pregnant (I had a baby within the last year), they're about our age, the kids who died were the same ages as our kids. As I heard about this horrific accident I thought, "ok - let my house burn down - let it burn down 5 times" - a home, you can rebuild, but people - you can't bring them back to life.

So - these events have been on my mind all week. These events made me think - yes, I am glad that I am here to do laundry & pack lunches. I am glad that my children are here so that I can do these things for them. I am glad that I have a home & a washer & dryer & kitchen for doing laundry & packing lunches. Joy can be found in the simplest of tasks, you just need a little change of perspective.

I had to take a picture of my mountain of laundry - this is the accummulation after one week. Note that it isn't far from the top of the railing. No wonder my mom had us doing our laundry when we were about 12. Look out Madi - your turn is coming!