Reminisce

I wrote this on Friday, but Blogger just finally decided to cooperate and let me post!

I just finished a chore that I have been meaning to do for a while, but just finally got around to and it caused me to reminisce. It's funny what can cause one to think back to past days. Since it’s Autumn, for many it might be a walk in the brisk air, the sound of leaves crackling under their feet, the sights of trees painted with God’s paintbrush, or the smell of a fire in the fireplace. Yes, that might cause many to reminisce, but that’s not what did it for me today. No, the chore I just finished was pressure-washing the deck in preparation to re-paint it. Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true.

We finally got around to borrowing a friend’s pressure washer, and while Bug-a-Boo was napping (or playing in his crib as the case may be today), I went out and pressure washed. When I was a pre-teen and early in my teenage years, my dad had his own business pressure washing. It is how we paid for our family vacations. I was his #1 employee (no offense to my sisters of course.) It was hard physical work in the hot sun, yet it was somehow rewarding. One of my motivations for doing it was to get paid, but I didn’t make that much, so I think the other motivations were more primary, although I didn’t realize it at the time. One reason I did it and enjoyed it was because it was time spent one on one with my dad. We would often talk while we worked about anything: sometimes big things, sometimes not. But it was time spent with just my dad and I. I think that was one of my favorite parts about it. Every now and then on an especially hot day, we would stop by a gas station that had vending machines and buy a cold soda each to enjoy as we rode home. Now I might think, a cold soda from a vending machine – no big deal. But then it was huge. I so looked forward to getting that soda and sharing it with my dad.

I also enjoyed looking at the homes that we were working on and really seeing progress. On many homes there was a very visible line between the clean section we had finished and the dirty sections we had yet to do. This is one of the ways I developed my work ethic – through work that while it was hard, I could see the results. As a matter of fact, the results would be so obvious, that it was common for folks to stop by and ask for a business card and information while we worked. Until they saw what we were doing, they didn’t realize how dirty their home was or thought nothing could be done about it. (We even developed a little song we would sometimes sing on the way to and from work about people wanting to know who we are. I sang it in my head today as I worked.)

There’s another thing. We became known for excellent work. If we couldn’t get it clean, the customer didn’t pay. Now today I didn’t have all the equipment dad & I used, and I had more limited time (a 15 month old only naps so long!), so I didn’t do the job with the same excellence that dad & I would have, but I accomplished the purpose – prepping the deck for painting. Still that early training helped me realize that if a job is worth doing, it’s often worth doing well. (Although sometimes you just have to do what you can do to at least get something done, but I think you get my point about doing things with excellence overall. )

The final motivation to work with my dad was the joy of knowing that I was contributing to the family. I remember dad telling me that he wished he could pay me more, but that he hoped I would enjoy our family vacation a little bit more, knowing that my work helped to pay for it. Now as I read parenting resources that talk about developing in a child a desire to help the family, I realize that washing houses with dad did that for me.

While I had all these motivations to do the work, that doesn’t mean I always wanted to right then. It’s funny. Today as I was working, I also remembered one area where we worked that had a neighborhood pool. I remember envying those kids who weren’t dripping sweat and building strong muscles while working, but rather were enjoying a lazy summer day splashing in the pool. I wished that we could have a pool membership. I’ve actually wished that quite a bit since that time, so this past year hubby, Bug-a-Boo, and I got a summer pool membership. We used it a lot at first. Then the summer wore on, and I realized that we weren’t going as often. It was closed for the fall before we realized it. The fun & novelty of playing in a pool wore off after a while in a way that the satisfaction in seeing a job well done doesn’t. Now don’t misunderstand me. It was a ton of fun to splash in the water and watch Bug-a-Boo as he played. I am so glad that we got the pool membership. At the same time, I realize that I learned more important things working beside my dad washing houses than I ever would have if I’d spent the summers playing poolside with my friends. I don’t think I would have had the same work ethic, the same desire to strive for excellence, or realized the importance of contributing to my family as much. I wouldn’t have spent the time with my dad that has built the foundation for a lifetime not only with my physical father, but with my heavenly one as well. While pressure washing was hard work, I’m glad I spent my summers doing it instead of playing poolside like I desired as a kid.

That makes me think about now. What other things are not quite how I want them, but are making me a better person? How will these memories make me a better parent?

Today it was funny – I finished the deck and just couldn’t stop there. Ever since we bought this house, there are places on it that have been just crying out to be pressure washed. I couldn’t stop until I had hit all the worst places. Of course, dad & I used to do this during the summer, not mid-October. Brrr. It got cold quickly today. I was not only limited by the length of my son’s nap, but by my fingers ability to stay warm. I wonder if the paint will stick as well in cold weather? I didn’t even last a full two hours when I came in to enjoy a hot cup of cider while reminiscing. Just as I was thinking, the high school down the street’s marching band struck up and began to practice. Ahh – more memories.

“The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, . . .” Proverbs 10:7 Thanks dad, for good times spent working hard making memories of washing houses!