Responsiblity

Can you think of a time when you haven't been responsible for something? I remember as a child, I thought I really had it hard when it came to being responsible. I had to make sure my homework was done. I had to keep my grades up.  I had to make sure the pets were watered and fed. I had to do numerous chores around the house. I remember washing dishes was a trade off chore with my brother. I remember always having to vacuum and sweep. I remember having to dust everything too. I disliked dusting, because it made me really sneeze. I remember I had to keep my room tidy and make my bed every morning as soon as I got up out of it. 

I remember my Dad had a strict policy about making the bed. He taught my brother and I the military way of making a bed that was all folded and tucked in at each corner, it included folding the top sheet over the bedspread before putting pillows neatly at the top of the bed. He used to tell us that his Sergeant used to drop a dime on his to make sure it was tight enough to bounce a dime on it. He may have tried to impose that rule on us at one point, but even he couldn't get it that tucked and tight enough to bounce a dime. But I remember all the lumps underneath the bedspread had to be gone. If the bed wasn't done to the standard he wanted, he would pull off all the covers down to the sheets and make us do it again, until it was done his way. Sometimes, it was more than once.

Brushing our teeth was a ritual as well. My parents never took me to the dentist my whole childhood. The first time I saw a dentist was when I was 19 and I paid for it myself. However, my Dad used to do an inspection of my brother's and mine's teeth. I was so mortified and grossed out by it. My Dad would stick his big obtrusive fingers into our mouths and scrape our teeth with his fingernails. If he found food product or any residual in our mouths, we would be required to brush them again. You can bet I would brush my teeth to the core, just to avoid him sticking his fingers in my mouth. I didn't know where those nasty hands had been.

As we got older, the chores got harder. I remember having to do the dishes. I disliked doing dishes. One reason is because my family didn't know how to rinse out a cup and use it more than once. They would use it and pile it in the sink. My dish washing chore usually took place after dinner. So from after I did the dishes until the next day, the dishes were not even rarely rinsed and stacked in the sink. Sometimes they would overflow onto the counter. I remember when gas stations were giving away glasses when you put 5-10 gallons of gas in your tank. My parents must have accumulated 24 of those darn things. I remember having to wash as many as that every single day. Because it was so aggravating to wash that many, I started breaking them until we got down to about 8 of them. I remember my Mom asking what happened to all her glasses, I responded, I think they are getting broken. My Dad used to work the graveyard shift, so he would come home tired and sometimes grumpier than usual. One particular night he came home and shook me awake -- I had already been asleep for a few hours when he came home. He told me to get my butt out of bed as I was going to rewash every dish in the house, because he had gotten a fork that hadn't been cleaned properly. So he proceeded to pull every dish out of the cupboard, every utensil out of the drawers, all the cups and saucers, plates, bowls, Tupperware, pans -- you name it. They all came out and were set around the counters and he told me to get started. I was to wash them and dry them and put them back into the cupboard. Needless to say, I didn't sleep that night. I can't recollect, but I'm sure I got smacked or spanked along with having to wash everything all over again. To this day, I wondered if that fork was actually my fault or my brothers or God forbid, my Mom, but he knew I had done the dishes that night. It was torturous -- that is all I remember. I know the whole time I was washing the dishes, I was crying.

If you think you have it hard in the area of responsibility as a child, there is absolutely no comparison to the responsibilities you have as a wife, mother, employee and church member. It's not only the tasks of each title, but also the tasks outside those responsibilities such as having to make ends meet and paying the bills timely. I remember there were many times where I just wanted to throw my hands in the air and say -- enough is enough, but realistically that was entirely impossible. And when things got tight, you had to figure a way to make it better. (I was very, very prayerful during these high responsibility days. I still am.) Once I got through all the phases of life, I thought retirement -- surely things will slow down then. No, you just develop a different kind of responsibility. The only difference is you have more free time to accomplish them. Then here is when things really get harder. You finally have time and funds to do things and travel, etc. then your body starts giving out on you. Then you have the responsibility of going to so many different doctors and specialists, just so you can keep going.

I remember as two of my older children graduated from high school, they started going to university and working. My twin boys who are the youngest will soon be finding out how life will change after they get their bachelors this year. However, the other two, have expressed to me how they really hate adulting. They are very successful and provide well for their families. They tell me there is so much responsibility. They also say, it was so much easier when you took care of us and paid for everything. I remember telling my kids as they were getting older to enjoy the time they have now, because once they start living for themselves, they will reflect when things were much easier.

Aside from all this responsibility, there is one area of your life that you should really concentrate on and that is your responsibility to develop a relationship with Christ. Because before you know it, it might get too late. I've always tried to maintain a relationship with Christ, but at times He wasn't really a priority. Although I would justify it by saying that my primary purpose in life has to do with relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I knew when I was backsliding -- my life reflected the chaos. By the end of the days mentioned above, I was so tired and had cramped my schedule so tight with busyness that there were times, I would skip church, I wouldn't wake up and go to sleep with devotion and prayer. I had every version of the Bible in my house, but many days those Bibles would just become dust collectors. There were many times, I'd get back on track and you know what? It was during those times that I put Christ first in my life that things got easier. In retirement, I am loving that I have time to finally read all those wonderful books and resources that were sent to me by Harvest Ministries. I have time for daily Bible Study. I make time in the morning and evening for reading scripture, devotion and prayer. I think my only consistency has been my worship music. It keeps me focussed when I stray off into other things. Some of my easiest days when I worked for the district were when leadership was very prayerful and we even had weekly after school prayer and worship times in our auditoriums. When Jesus said, come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest -- He really means it, because it really is who we need to rely on for EVERYTHING!!!

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.