Daily Tasks Are Not Small Things

 

"A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman- who is he who can find her?
She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far more above
rubies or pearls.  The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently
and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack
of honest gain or need of dishonest spoil. Her children rise up
and call her blessed and her husband boasts and praises her."
(Proverbs 31: 10, 11, 28)

Image courtesy/Pinterest

"The days are just filled with little things, and I am so tired doing them,"
wailed a friend recently.

Since then I have been thinking about the little things or these things we
are in the habit of thinking small, although I am sure our judgement
is often at fault when we do so.

"Feeding The World"

Working in the garden; taking care of the poultry, calves, and lambs;
milking the cows; and all the other chores that fall to the lot of farm women
 may each appear small in itself; but the results go a long way
 in helping to "feed the world." 

Sometimes I try to imagine the people who will eat the eggs I gather
 or the butter from my cream and who will wear the clothes made
 from the wool of the lambs I help to raise.

Doing up cut fingers, kissing hurt places, and singing bedtime songs are 
  small things by themselves; but they will inculcate a love for home and family
 that will last through life and help to keep America a land of homes. 

 Putting up the school lunch for children or cooking a good meal for the family
may seem very insignificant tasks as compared with giving a lecture, writing a 
book, or doing other things that have a larger audience; but I doubt very much if,
 in the ultimate reckoning, they will count for as much.

If when cooking you will think of yourselves as the chemist that you are,
 combining different ingredients into a food that will properly nourish human 
 bodies, then the work takes on a dignity and an interest.

 And surely a family well nourished with healthful food so that
 the boys and girls grow up strong and beautiful, while their
elders reach a hale old age, is no small thing.

It belittles us to think of our daily tasks as small things,
 and if we continue to do so, it will in time make us small.

 It will narrow our horizon and make of our work just drudgery. 

 There are so many little things that are really very great, and
when we learn to look beyond the insignificant appearing acts 
 themselves to their far-reaching consequences, we will
 "despise not the day of small things."

We will feel an added dignity and poise from the fact that our
  everyday round of duties are as important as any other part
 of the work of the world. 

And just as a little thread of gold, running through a fabric,
 brightens the whole garment, so women's work at home,
while only the doing of little things, is like the golden gleam of
   sunlight that runs through and brightens all the fabric of civilization.

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Photograph courtesy/Literary Ladies Guide

"Daily Tasks Are Not Small Things"
(May 1923)
Laura Ingalls Wilder
(1867-1957)
Prolific American writer and original pioneer girl
 Author of the "Little House" series of books.

An essay taken from the book,
 "Little House In The Ozarks
  A Laura Ingalls Wilder Sampler 
The Rediscovered Writings"
 By Laura Ingalls Wilder
Edited by Stephen W. Hines
(1991)
The Guideposts Edition