Our youngest son has been recruited by our friends to help them with some yard work at their home and rental properties. He has always been a hard worker but is finding it difficult to land a part-time job this summer.
The economy has affected everyone but especially hard-hit are college students like our son.
Last week, our friends had him heaving river rock so that stubborn weeds could be removed. He worked 4 hours in the Arizona sun and made $40. Great pay for yard work. This week, they offered him two jobs: 1)clearing out the wind-blown leaves around their backyard; 2)shoveling gravel onto the front yard of a rental. Here in Arizona, gravel is the standard protocol for front yards. Squishing your toes through lush green grass is only possible in one's backyard.
The Youngest took both jobs, grateful for the income. He meticulously sucked up every leaf that could be located along the sides and in the backyard, yet the job seemed to take longer than I thought it should. Worry that our friends might think he was milking the job crept into my mind.
As he returned home, we passed each other in our cars. I called to him. We stopped in the middle of our suburban village and chatted about the completed task.
"Oh, don't worry Mom," he reassured me. "They are paying me a flat $20 for today's work. I just wanted to do the job like Dad would. I looked for every leaf and even took the shop vac around the pool area. You know how nit-picky Dad is. I wanted to do the same....."
I was lost in his words. Pride and wonderment burst into my mind. Here was our son, who always complained about his father's finickiness, now imitating the man in his life. The quality of his work mattered more than what he got paid.
I reflected on how much our walk with the Lord should mirror this attitude. The desire to do something just the way our Heavenly Father would do it brings Him great joy and gives Him great glory.
I'm watching our son now mow down the tickley grass in our backyard, shop vac the once blooming rose petals, and whack the weeds. From the back view, my mind shrinks him down to the 5-year-old helping his Dad.
"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." John 5:20 NIV
"I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do." John 17:4 NIV
What work have you done that mimics the Father's heart and brings glory to Him?
A break in the work
Labels: Blogging Workshop, Christian Inspiration, Faith, Family
