Yucky Jobs

Why is cleaning out the fridge such a yucky job?

I mean, really. I store my family's food there. We eat that food. I throw stuff away (usually) before it becomes a science project. (Except for the the stuff that actually IS a science project, such as the snake skins I found on the bottom shelf in a little baggie.) When I spill stuff, I wipe it up.

A HA!!!

Found the problem. I am not the only person moving stuff around in my fridge, and while I am careful to not spill stuff (usually) and wipe up my messes (most of the time) others are not.

So, cleaning out my fridge is a rather yucky job.

But, I did it!!! In a couple of hours, the ice in the drainage hose should be melted and I'll be able to plug it back in and start making ice again. Woot! Woot! (My fridge is quirky. I won't elaborate.)

I'm crossing items off my list right and left. With only 5 days left before we leave for a month-long trip to the US, everyone in the house is scampering around, getting ready to leave. Well, maybe "scampering" is a bit of a strong word. In this heat, the only one doing any scampering is the cat when I catch him trying to grab stuff off my counter. He'd better scamper.

What I have left to do:
Defrost the deep freeze
Clean out the pantry cupboard
Sort through two big boxes of books (of course, I have to clean out the closet so I can get to them first)
Make a multi-media presentation for the churches we'll be visiting
Send out an update letter
And about 5 other things I probably won't have time to do

It's OK, though. I got the yuckiest job done.

I was tempted to do the other jobs first. I would honestly rather sit up in my air-conditioned bedroom and type on my 'puter than mop sludge up off the kitchen floor. Go figure.

But this had to be done -- more for the sake of my friend, Luz, who'll be staying in my house while we're gone than for me. It's not that I'm worried that she'd be offended at my gross fridge which drips constantly. I just want to bless her. I don't want her to have to deal with a big puddle of water in front of the fridge every morning.

And so, in the midst of mucking out the fridge, I began to consider the things that I'd really rather not do, but I do them anyway -- for my husband, for my kids, for my neighbors, for my friends. Then God brought a passage of scripture to mind...

Philippians 2:1-11 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

I added the italics to emphasize the part that really stuck in my brain. My prayer today: God, help me to consider others more significant than myself. Even when it's hot and I'm cranky and I've a ton to do and people just won't stop interrupting me. Help me, God, to humble myself and look out for the interests of others!