ONE AFTERNOON A man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house…

His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.  The door of his wife’s care was open, as was the front door to the house.

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess.  A lamp had knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall.  In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.  In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed upstairs, stepping over more toys and piles of clothes, looking for his wife.  He was worried she may be ill, or that something serious had happened.  He found her lounging in the bedroom, still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel.  She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.

He looked at her in bewilderment and asked, “What…happened…here…today?!”

She smiled and answered, “You know every day when you come home from work and ask me what in the world did you do today?”

“Yes,” he replied incredulously.

“Well, today I didn’t do it…” 

THOUGHT:  We may not always see or perceive the extent to which someone has contributed to our family, whether in the church or at home, but let us make sure we express and show appreciation where it is due.  Jesse Wagner

“Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.”  Romans 13.7

 Mike Benson