Perhaps somewhere in the world there were people who measured their days by how much they got done-----at work, in class, wherever. I measured my days by whether, at the end of them, the members of my household had been dressed and fed and bathed and put to bed. I f we had been, then that was a good day. I had done what mattered most. Everything else was gravy.There are a lot of days when I feel like I haven't accomplished anything worthwhile so I was encouraged by this. I think it's very important to get the basics done every day - your family fed and clothed and put to bed. But what about the "gravy?" When God created the universe didn't he use amazing creativity? Colors abound, details are intricate. We could be fed with manna and quail every day, but God gave us a world of variety. He didn't "sweat the small stuff." He created it!
I think I understand the author's intent in this book, I just don't want to settle for less than I should in this area.
Why not fix things up and make them pretty? Growing up, my mom was a master at that. When she made a tuna salad sandwich, it looked pretty on the plate. The first time I made Ray a tuna salad sandwich (the way my mom did) he ate it. I didn't know for a long time that he didn't like tuna salad, he just liked the way it looked. Since then I have quit making him tuna salad, but I still like to make things pretty. I like to see a bed made with plump pillows or a stiff crease in a dress shirt. So as I go about my daily life, I try to see that some of those extras get done, but a lot times I fail. And I guess that's why Peterson's quote was encouraging.
So as you pull the covers up over your bed, put a plate in front of your child, brush your hair- is there something you can do to make it more appealing to those you love? What are some little details that may not be too difficult to attend to, but show your family you care? Gravy tastes good, why not try to have some every once in a while?
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