Lessons in Service and in Cleaning

Yesterday was a big service project for our ward. Apparently once a year we are supposed to do a major cleaning of the building. We polished all the wood in th chapel (never noticed how much wood is in there before!), we wiped down every metal chair, we cleaned all the windows, inside and out, we wiped down all the baseboards, we wiped down every cupboard in the kitchen, and much much much more.

I have thought about it a lot since then. the church teaches us so many things. I would have never thought to do some of those things! It seemed really quite unnecessary at first - like a make work project. However, as we were doing it I realized how dirty things were, and how amazing it all looked after! Made me re-think the cleaning I do in my house. I have never dine some of those things in my house, and we have lived here 12 year!!! Ugh!! Time to get busy I guess.

I am not sure I coukd ever take on a big spring cleaning like that in my house - but if I could just get in the swing with Fly Lady and really do zone cleaning every day I might come close. Time to do that I think!!

One thing I have also thought a lot about is how it seems to always be the same 10 or 12 families who show up to these things. It took about 3 hours to do the building - well, truth be told, some leaders were there an hour before the rest of us doing some of the more nasty stuff.....so maybe it took 4 hours. I bet it if everyone had shown up we could have done it in an hour. They did have a bit of a scheduling issue. We were to start at 10am, and then the other ward said, "Hey! Wait a minute, we have a primary activity planned! And no, we aren't moving it!" (had to wonder why in the last 3 months that was never noticed in meetings.....oh well!) so maybe some people had planned to come in the morning and when it got changed to afternoon then couldn't. I would think that if I hadn't heard people ranting at the ward party Friday night about how they work full time and only have one day to grocery shop and clean their house.....you're right. stay home. After all, the rest of us usually have more days in our weekend than you do. *sigh* I will stop on that topic.

Anyway, the truth is, I was glad I went. And I am glad I have the opportunity to learn from what originally seemed like a make work project. I have totally changed my mind on that!