There was a work meeting today and although it went all right, I came home sandpaper-tired, the kind of tiredness that comes when there are things to do but nothing to lift your spirits to the call of work.
I tried to be strong for a few hours before I remembered that God wanted honesty from me. So, I went before Him and emptied myself of all the day had brought. Once done, I took my leave with His words from the Cross, Into Your Hands, I commend my spirit, upon my lips.
There were some chores to get done and dinner to cook. As I absently went through the motions, a tiny vine of words appeared and uncurled before my heart,
Do little things well
They were there for some time, curling up and then, uncurling, before me. They followed me as I collected the laundry, as I washed the floor, as I prepared a simple dinner.
Do little things well
Do little things well
Do little things well
It took a while before I realised that Someone was trying to tell me something. And suddenly, I realised who the person was. This being the First Wednesday of the month, in the morning, at my altar, I had offered up my difficulties of the day to St Joseph to be used for all those who were still suffering from tyrannical work conditions. In the late hours of an extraordinarily sultry evening, St Joseph had come to stand beside me, watching as I dully went about my little chores.
He knew of my heart and the tiny thorns I carried within.
He knew that sometimes, although we’ve been through so much worse in life, the little thorns still had the power to scratch.
And like the loving father he was to his Jesus, St Joseph had come to gently draw me away from those thorns – by telling me, Do little things well.
When life gets too big and looms dark, sometimes the wisest thing to do is to retreat into the shade of the little calls in life. Sometimes, we just need to get busy with the small things that matter to God. Today, those little things were the dinner to be cooked, the floor that needed some washing, the laundry to be collected, the plant that asked for a drink. Tomorrow, I chair a work meeting. Honestly, nothing to it at all, but the thorns might come out again, for all I know.
But just as it was today, there’ll be little things to go to and to do well, for that is where God will be waiting.
writingonmyheart 
This reminds me of St. Therese of Lisieux (the Little Flower) who did little things as part of her spiritual devotions…
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Exactly. The Little Way. Entwined with humility, it seems to be a recurring theme for me this Lent.
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The little things are often grounding, because when we pay attention to them, we tend to see things more as they really are. That’s probably the reason why we feel closer to God then.
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That’s true, Ann. Not everything we’re placed into matters equally. But that’s not always immediately apparent. As you’ve so perceptively expressed, we need the grounding of the littles to see this.
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“Do little things well.” That phrase will be rippling through my mind often in days to come. Thank you for this.
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Thank you, Joy, for letting me know. I hope the words give you what you need most. I know how many times little words from other people’s posts have remained with me long after, gentling my hours and days and turning my heart more deeply towards God.
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You are so inspiring to me and comfort like s mother. God bless you, dear one. love Michele
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God knows how tough life can be, so He tucks little flowers along our way as a reminder to us that He cares.
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