Scooping from the bottom of the peanut butter jar.

Ugh. It’s the worst!

Like, get behind me, Satan! You know what i mean?

This morning, I was preparing a peanut butter & wild blueberry jam sandwich for the kids’ picnic lunch at the pool. When I pulled out the Peanut butter jar, I scrunched up my nose at its condition.  

It had peanut butter leavings all along the sides & not even an inch of peanut butter left on the bottom. I began to mentally prepare for the inevitable peanut butter all over my fingers & hand while scooping it out. It’s one of those things you just know when you see it.

You may be thinking, “that’s not a big deal? Just wash your hands after?” & you have a valid point. But I still can’t stand that grimy/oily feeling that lingers even after washing my hands multiple times.

I honestly contemplated just throwing the last bit away… but had a change of heart, concluding that it wouldn’t be very frugal to do so.

I thought, maybe if I carefully maneuver my plastic fork (it’s all we had), I could avoid it! But the jar was one of the largest on the market, much taller than my fork. So, I pinched the very end of my utensil with my index finger & thumb & extended my fingers as far as they would stretch, in an attempt to keep my hand out of the jar = clean. But I couldn’t get enough leverage to scoop it out.

As I stood over the peanut butter jar angry & frustrated, something came over me…my thoughts immediately focused on how much love I have for my kids & how grateful I was to even have groceries! I was all of the sudden grateful for that little bit of peanut butter at the bottom of the jar, that I had just contemplated throwing away. I took a better grip of that plastic fork & got right into the jar with a bit of excitement, welcoming that oily residue! The outcome was a delicious sandwich that nourished my kids & a mood that went from grumpy to glad!

So, whatever you’ve got in front of you that needs to be done that you’re dreading to encounter, like an almost empty peanut butter jar, switch your mindset!

Why does it need to be completed?
Who will it bless?  

Whether it’s cleaning out your pantry, writing & mailing a card, starting a workout, meal planning, or maybe it’s something small, like making a PB&J sandwich for someone, I challenge you to intentionally switch your focus from how annoying or hard said task is, to fixating on all the reasons it is worth your time & effort.

When I focused on gratitude for groceries, health, & how the work of my hands was going to help my kids grow, I was more than willing to stick my hand in that peanut butter jar & couldn’t have cared less about how messy it was.

I washed my hands & smiled as I could still feel the greasiness from the peanut oil. What used to annoy me now served as a reminder to keep my thoughts on what is good & true.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

So, the moral of the story is, fix your thoughts on goodness with a grateful & thankful heart, rather than fixating on all the negative & you’ll start to see the beauty in all our to-do’s.

The Heart of the Home

The heart of the home,

is more than a room.

It’s an atmosphere,

an ambiance,

it is an attitude.

But the heart of the home,

is more than a mood.

It’s a discipline,

a practice,

a habit of servitude.

The heart of the home,

when led by the Spirit,

beats for the souls,

for all those within it.

– Haley Littlepage

Happy homemaking,

kortney sue