Dirty Dishes and Dog Bowls

I live in a very small house of five people and six dogs. I love my family and our dogs very much, but sometimes life happens and— Dishes get piled high, overflowing the sink. Dog bowls seem to disappear into thin air. It’s not like they have sprouted legs and walked off! Well, here is a simple solution to these occurrences… 

1. Wash your dishes as soon as your done using them. 

2. Have a designated spot for all your dog bowls and put them back when you are done  feeding the dogs.   

It’s as simple as that! But honestly, is it really that easy? Not sometimes. These chores seem so easy yet they usually build. One day of leaving dishes in the sink, and you will have a mountain of dirty dishes the next day. One day of leaving the dog bowls where you fed the dogs, and the next day you will have forgotten where they are! 

Dirty dishes and dog bowls aren’t the only things that seem small but build bigger problems. I could make a very long list! 

Does it get overwhelming? Yes. 

Are these chores always fun or easy to do? No. 

But they are necessary. People and dogs have to eat! So, how do we go about our day and not drag our feet on the jobs that we don’t enjoy? How do we become less busy so that things, big or small, don’t get pushed back? 

To answer the first question, lets look to see what the Bible has to say.

1 Corinthians 10:31

“…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

We are to glorify God in WHATEVER we do! Even in the small tasks like cleaning dishes or feeding the dogs. We are to praise, exalt, honor, and magnify God our Father. God has given us so much to be thankful for! Take washing dishes, for instance. Instead of looking at the mess, look at the blessing. Are you thankful for the food you ate off those dishes? Are you thankful for the help of your dad, mom, or siblings that help you wash the dishes? Are you thankful for a dishwasher? etc…

Also, in Philipians 2:14 with very clear instructions it says, “Do all things without complaining and disputing.” 

Notice it didn’t say do SOME things without complaining, it said do ALL things. This is hard! But, it is really important to stay positive. Complaining just wears us down.

Another verse that goes hand in hand with this is Philipians 4:11 “…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:”

Paul says to the believers of Philippi that he has learned to be content. Having contentment means to be in a state of peaceful happiness. To be satisfied. I’m still learning this, myself.

So, how do we go about our day and not drag our feet on the jobs we don’t enjoy? We have to learn to be content where we are at. Complaining gets us nowhere. If we focus on giving thanks to God for His many blessings, then we might not even notice the things that used to make us drag our feet.

The last question was, how do we become less busy so that things, big or small, don’t get pushed back? Everyone struggles with being busy. Sometimes having a busy schedule is a good thing, but not when it takes away from your goals, your chores, your family time, and most importantly your time spent with God. 

How do we keep this from happening? This answer is different for everyone. Ask yourself these questions. What do I choose to spend my time doing? Does it strengthen or weaken my relationship with God? What comes first in my life? What can I say “No” to, so I can have more time for the things that are important to me? 

Time management is important! There is only 24 hours in a day, so we need to be spending that time on the things that really matter.

Colossians 3:23

 “And Whatever you do, do it heartily, as unto the LORD and not to men,”

To sum up, dirty dishes and dog bowls, though small tasks, may grow to be giants. But hang in there, God defeats giants! Don’t complain about your mundane tasks, choose to be in a state of peaceful happiness. Think through your time management. And throughout it all, praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Have you ever felt like small everyday tasks can easily become overwhelming? How do you manage your time? How can we find peaceful happiness, or joy even when doing the jobs we don't like? 
What was your favorite bible verse from this post? 

How do you like the graphic for this post?? Would y'all like reading a wrap-up/highlights/end of summer/end of August/etc. post next Wednesday?
Lets chat in the comments! :)
➵✩➵✩➵✩