Drudgery

Recently the word the seems to be most often in my mind and on my lips is drudgery. I do the same things over and over again. I repeat small, mundane tasks that require little to no thought. A few mornings recently I've woken up to my kids waking up too early and thought, "This is it.... This is my life.... I am a drudge." It's sunk me into quite a depression or at least a funk several days of each week.

Today I read this thought, "When faith is properly understood and used, it has dramatically far-reaching effects. Such faith can transform an individual's life from maudlin, common everyday activities to a symphony of joy and happiness" (Richard G. Scott, Ensign, Nov. 2010, p.43).

My train of thought after I read that went something like this: "By simply exercising my faith I could raise my 'common everyday activities to a symphony of joy and happiness.' I want that. How do I get it? Well, 'Faith is a principle of action' (p. 43). So what actions need to be added to my life to increase my faith? I've been praying, studying scriptures, exercising, etc. How much busier do I need to be?...

"No. Not busier. I don't need to be busier. I need to use my time better. I could increase my service to others. I definitely have a few minutes each day to call someone. I definitely have an hour in each week to visit someone or do something nice for someone. Hmm. That's good, but I feel like I'm missing something....

"I also read, 'Faith in the power of obedience to the commandments of God will forge strength of character available to you in times of urgent need' (p. 43). I know that my decisions to have children and be a stay-at-home mom were fueled by obedience to commandments from God in regards to family. I have forged my character by exercising my 'faith in the power of obedience to the commandments of God,' even when I knew my decisions would make my life difficult and make my life choices seem crazy.

"With my character thus forged, I simply need to step up and acknowledge what I know. 'Such character is not developed in moments of great challenge or temptation. That is when it is intended to be used' (p. 43) My present challenge and temptation are to get down on my life and myself. It's time to rely on that character that I've been forging as I've made decisions throughout the last several years of my life. I need to have faith in the commandments I know are from God and move that faith from theoretical to practical, everyday application."

I know that what I'm doing each day is, for me, in accordance with God's commands. I have faith in that. That faith will take the "common everyday" that sometimes seems my life and transform it to "a symphony of joy and happiness."