I bit off more than I could chew on Friday and Saturday. I stopped working on the projects at my house and volunteered for a project at my son and daughter-in-law’s house. The project was to take up the brick patio in front of their house, clean the grass out that was growing between the bricks, clean the bricks, and put it all back.
Why do I think I can do these things???
I worked roughly ten hours on both of those two days with very few breaks. It was a monstrous job. The first day I realized I had definitely bit off more than I could chew. But there was nothing to do, but to keep going, get it finished, and then go home and die, ha ha.
Here it is in progress. Once I removed the brick, I cleaned out and leveled the area as best I could. I re-laid the bricks on dry concrete, put polymeric sand in between them, hosed it off to set everything, and called it a day. The polymeric sand drys like concrete, and it also has a weed killer in it so the grass can’t grow back between the bricks.
I was so tired I failed to get a final picture, but it turned out pretty good.
For the time being, I think I will stick to my projects at home. It is more nerve racking to do projects at someone else’s house and be worried you can’t finish, or that you will do something wrong.
I have enough projects at my own house to last me for years.
And, I should allow others to learn the joy of starting and finishing projects at their houses, while learning new skills.
On the other hand, it is also very important for us to care for each other. It is very important for us to help each other.
It’s all very conflicting.
I was reading a book this morning that talked about the importance of family, extended family, and small communities helping each other, for our psychological well-being. The book talked about how we have lost a lot of that because jobs and social media have taken us out of our original communities, and we have not recognized the importance of these relationships.
My Bible reading for the day landed me in Psalm 142 this morning. I was shocked to read verses 4-5. It says, “I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me.” (Psalm 142:4-5 NLT version)
The Title of the Psalm says, “A psalm* of David, regarding his experience in the cave. A Prayer.”
How sad to know that no one gives you a passing thought, that no one will help you.
But, you also have to recognize how much you can chew at certain ages and stages of life.
See the conflict?
I guess the moral of the story is… try not to bite off more than you can chew, but also, don’t disregard others. Offer what help you are capable of, and allow others to do the same.
*How do you balance helping others while not biting off more than you can chew? Please comment below.
It’s a lesson we all have to constantly learn – how to care for ourselves and still help others.
Amen to that! Thanks for reading, Joni:)
This reminds me of the story “The Little Red Hen”. She had a lot of work to do to gather wheat, grind it, and make bread. No one offered to help her and found excuses not to, but they were all perfectly willing to eat her bread once she’d done all the work.
My sister read this to me many times when I was a wee one.
Yes, we have to take care of ourselves, but we are called to help one another also. Not always easy to do.
Thanks for the reminder! How like our God to give you that verse!!
I loved that story when I was a kid! It takes a lot of looking for balance when helping others versus getting our own work done. Thanks for reading and comment, Debbie!