Flashback Friday -- The Value of Work

It's that time again...Flashback Friday. The subject of this week's flashback is one that has become near and dear to my heart, especially this week -- Work! I am sooooo grateful to have a new job. I don't think I could have imagined how much I missed working. It's not that I was sitting at home doing nothing (anyone who knows me knows that I am not an idle person, I've got too many hobbies to be idle). It is that I missed feeling like I was "earning my keep". Part of my personality is a desire to contribute -- whether it's contributing to a church committee, a family activity, an outing with friends, or the work force. I need to feel like I'm making a difference somewhere, and for a while there I didn't feel like I was making much of a difference.

Anywho...I think this enjoyment (for lack of a better word) of work was instilled in me by my parents. We've always been a family where everyone was expected to pitch in and do their part to make our family run smoothly and make our home a better place -- Saturday morning chores, weekly chores, and extra projects just for fun.

Today's flash back pictures are from one of our earliest family projects. The top photo is of my dad, the twins (we called them "twin" at this time), and Justin and the picture at the right is of Kiki. We were living in our old house at 1642 W. Plana, in Mesa when my parents decided to put new flooring in. I think a major flood due to a washing machine problem was the inspiration for this project (but mom can correct me if my memory is faulty). As with all home improvement projects, it was a family affair.
I am so grateful for parents who, though it was probably more work than help, allowed us as children to participate in these types of activities. Here's what I learned about work:

• Planning is an important stage in undertaking a new task. Good planning can mitigating future problems.
• Everyone can contribute something, and should.
• You can do anything. Just checkout a book at the library on it.
  
• Work is not always easy and often not fun, but it needs to be done.
• The job is not done until everything is cleaned up and put away nicely.

These are things that I will hopefully pass on to my own family someday.