Discouragement Comes

This morning as I woke to my mess that I created yesterday during my creative processes, I quickly saw all that was undone and needed my attention.  The amount of energy that must be expended to maintain my family and my household is often daunting and sometimes discouraging.  Today began as one of those days.  As I began my discouraging self-talk and felt myself sinking, I suddenly had a new thought.  I thought to myself, "I will text my friend and ask her to pray for me today."  There is nothing wrong with that thought and I know my sweet friend would have prayed earnestly for my day; however, the "shocking" thought then occurred to me that I was capable of taking my concern to my God who is always bigger than my problem and most capable of cleaning up my messes.  As I turned my thoughts upward, my mood also followed.  During this time I searched my mind for a song that would fit my moment...my mind could not find a common song, but it led me to a poem my mother passed on to me a year or so ago written my her grandmother.


The Small Duty
written by Mrs. C. L. Conaway


Through all my life I've wished to make
Some little song or poem;
but all that I could ever do was wash and iron 
and bake and stew
to keep things daily going.


I've bathed wee baby hands and faces
and stitched on little frocks,
Lo- even have I done this thing
I've darned my husband's socks.


Yet Lord, if it should be thy wish
I do the trivial thing
Please grant me strength to do it right 
and let some other sing.


Perchance, who knows when life is done,
my record bad or good,
may read thus on the Book of Life - 
"She hath done what she could."


Dear Great-Grandma - Thank you for your words so real. I echo your request of ages past...please Lord, grant me strength to do it right.


~Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.  Colossians 3:23