Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Just Doing It




The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are 
fully satisfied." ... Proverbs 13:4

*****

So yesterday I began building a room in our basement. 

Well, 'building' is too strong a word. 'Creating' is better. Half of our basement has been a disorganized mess full of cascading boxes and has weighed upon my mind for months. I've known this will be a large project so I've procrastinated it and--in the meantime--it's all gone despicable and I've cringed every time I've done the laundry down there or cleaned the litter boxes or placed recyclables in the bin or put groceries away in that 1920's kitchen I've got going.

That's a whole lot of cringing.

 For months I've considered making a basement room for Naomi should she ever need to stay with us a few days. So--finally--yesterday I made two walls from large boxes, storing smaller boxes inside them--and already--the basement looks emptier, cleaner and under control. All with just an hour or so of work.

In the 2nd grade we learned a song called There's a Hole In The Bucket. Anyone remember that song? Henry tells his wife, Liza, that there's a hole in the bucket so she tells him to fix it. He asks her with what shall he fix it, she tells him to use straw, he says the straw is too long, she tells him to cut it, he asks her what he's supposed to cut it with, she says an axe, he says the axe is too dull, she says to sharpen it, he asks with what shall he sharpen it and she says a stone, but then he says the stone is too dry so she says to wet it, then he asks with what and she says water and he asks how will I fetch the water and she says use the bucket then he says there's a hole in the bucket............

Good grief. That's the kind of stuff that happens when we get lazy. One undone thing leads to another undone thing which leads to a heavy head full of jobs undone and a whole lotta frustration.

So often I tell myself, "Just do it. Just begin that task. Just give it ten minutes--and then if you wish to quit--quit. At least you'll have accomplished something." But what usually happens? I go way beyond the ten minutes because--once I conquer the inertia of it all--the battle is half-won.

That 'just give it ten minutes' is a Great Thing actually, especially the older I become. Sometimes I do stop at the end of ten minutes, but that's ok. What matters to God is that I give my best--and if my (true) best on certain days is only ten minutes-- then He's pleased with that. It's ok. All will be well--in Time.

So today I'll continue building my basement room and organizing those scary depths. And I'll send that procrastinated graduation card along with a check. And I'll begin preparing the rest of my flower bed. And I'll wash that blanket I've been meaning to wash.

And by the day's end? My head will feel lighter, freer. Pro-activity does that, you know, even on rough days when I can be diligent only ten minutes at a time.


****************


"For God knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust."  ... Psalm 103:14



*****************


I absolutely, positively love this song. (And how cool that it came from a former American Idol kid. I even remember his audition from 2006 because of his funny comment about David Hasslehoff.)  :)

Turn it up loud!


*****************

5 comments:

Bonnie said...

I remember when my kids learned that song. It was second grade, too, with the same teacher, different years. He was one of those fun teachers with a guitar. Lovely.

Naomi will feel loved knowing that room is ready for her now, lovingly planned by her Mom.

I always think it's funny when I procrastinate with getting something done and then it's really such a quick job. This week I painted two little spots where we took a set of blinds down *five years ago*. Hilarious. How are you at keeping current with paperwork? Just wondering. I have a ziplock bag full of stuff I need to go through. It mocks me, some days. : )

Hey, how is the Wallenda/Niagara Falls event moving along?

Anonymous said...

I got up this morning and when I went into the bathroom I saw the hard water encrusted faucet...into the kitchen and saw the same in the kitchen. So I got out the vinegar and 'just did it'. Now they are both cleaned and shiny again....{{my husband is just now as I write this playing There's a Hole in the Bucket off the computer for me since I shared your post with him !! }} Then I sat down to check here and found this just do it post . :) :) That is how I feel when I pick up that..you name it...basket, can, rock or whatever that is in a pile and needs moved some place else. Just take what you can carry this trip and more the next time you are by. Least a bit is done and the job has begun. Yesterday I filled in what seemed like miles of old gofer runs in the yard. Not exciting but oh how good it felt to have that job done. {{then of course two new gofers came up in the same area!!! :-) :-) ]]
I would not have thought of making a wall out of the boxes...how ingenious!! Yes I agree Naomi will feel loved hearing about the room.
Oh my goodness Hubby is still playing kid's songs on the computer and we know them all ! We must have learned hundreds of songs by the time we were out of grade school! Such fun to hear them all again...and remember the words. Makes me sad that when I sing them to younger kids they don't even know them...let alone the basic patriotic songs. :-( Music was such a big part of our lives all the years growing up. Church, church choir, school, among friends, classic music they played as back ground on even cartoons and westerns...in grade school we had music class, music from piano lessons and concerts and plays and musicals..ETC !! .... I loved it all.
Well, I need to get on with the day and yes I too have several things I had on today's list that could have been done last week... :) Sarah

Sara said...

I do the same thing!

Pam said...

Love the post (and the song too!) I will mail that procrstinated graduation card and check today. I'm loving your blog so much.

Mary said...

Ouch! very timely post, Debra:)