Delighting in Dirty Dishes

Blue and White by Louis Joplin

You may be one of the "blessed" ones like myself who doesn't own a dishwasher… Sometimes I look at the pile of pots and pans and want to dump them in the back bushes and then curl up with a nap. However, before I do that, I remember the poem which hung in our kitchen while growing up (author unknown).

This humbles me and reminds me that dirty dishes are truly a blessing! When we rethink our work in those terms, it becomes a delightful task.  We can hum songs while washing and enlist the help of the little ones to dry.

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men..." ~ Colossians 3:23

Washing dishes would certainly follow under the "whatsoever you do" category! Washing them with all your heart will also show your children the delights of doing your duty. How can we ask them to be a cheerful worker if we are a begrudging one? We must be what we want our children to become…

Dishwashing Tips:

• Do not leave a pile of dishes for later because "later" always brings more dishes and more of a mess. 
• For greasy dishes, add a capful of vinegar to the dish water as it will help to cut the grease.
• Wash the cleaner dishes such as glasses first and save the greasier pans for last so you don't add grime to the dish water at the beginning.
• Cut your cleaning sponges in half to make your dollars stretch. It is actually easier to clean the corners of the pans with a smaller sponge.

I hope this has encouraged you to view those dirty dishes as a blessing.

At the same time, may it inspire you to help those that have no dirty dishes at all…