Little things and big things

Some not so pretty things... 

Some pretty things...

I recently got into a discussion with the kids about the "little things" and the "big things" in life.  I had just been criticized for focusing too much on "things that didn't really matter", which I'll admit that sometimes may be the case.  But what I told them was, "I take care of the little things so that you can focus on the big things."  That's what moms (or dads) do.  I do the little things that no one notices - laundry, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, yard work, record keeping, memory books, doctors appointments, chauffeur to sports and activities, and many other "little things."  Things are just there when they need them, food is on the table, they get to all their activities, and memories are preserved in books and on-line to enjoy in the future.      

One of the things I had to do recently, which I wasn't happy about, was clean out the lint in the dryer...the lint trap had become so full that you couldn't push the lint screen down all the way.  Clothes were getting caught and twisted on the edge of the trap sticking up.  I knew it needed to be cleaned out.  My mistake was trying to use a fork to scoop out some of the lint, and I ended up dropping the fork down in the trap... I couldn't fit my hand down there to get it back out, so I wondered how I was going to deal with my new problem.  I eventually came up with an idea to try to get it by using a magnet.  I taped a magnet on the end of a long thin cake spreader and was finally able to get the fork out of there.  I was frustrated that I'd wasted so much time on that little thing, but it was necessary for the dryer to function properly without snagging the clothes.  

Later in the month, I snapped some pictures of the pretty flowers that were growing in my flower bed.  I'd planted flowers last year and they bloomed full and pretty for a while.  It was looking pretty dead after a while, but some new pretty flowers bloomed again this spring.  I was glad that God had taken care of the little things in this instance, so that I could focus on other things and also have some pretty things to enjoy in our yard. 

Speaking of little things and big things, I like this quote by John Wooden:  "It's the little details that are vital.  Little things make big things happen."  I also like this one:  "With God, no problem is too big and no detail is too small."  God cares about all things, and even when no one notices the little things you do, He does.  He knows and loves you and is there with you through it all.