Count your burdens as blessings

You're never too old to learn, to be reminded of what you once learned or to be called to practice that which you knew theoritically.

For years, there were nearly a dozen people in our home. Meals, laundry -- everything was done on a large scale. As the children matured and moved out, the number of people in the home grew smaller until it got to the point of almost feeling like an empty nest. I complained that I didn't know how to cook for just three people and that those here didn't really relish leftovers. I had to relearn lessons I thought I had down.

Then, another moved back home. Then, another. Then one moved out. Then more came to stay temporarily.

Meals, dishes, laundry, noise, messes multiply proportionally. And, if (or when) tempted to complain or indulge in self-pity, God graciously, softly reminds me of the many, many blessings associated with having a large family. And, of having family close by who really enjoy being together.

I am reminded of a traditional Jewish story about being content with what you have. I'm not sure what book it was in when I read it as a small child, but I've recently found it in "How the Children Became Stars" by Aaron Zerah, published by Sorin Books.

Let me share a bit.

A poor man lived with his wife and six children in a very small one-room house. They were always getting in each other's way and there was so little space they could hardly breathe!

Finally the man could stand it no more. He talked to his wife and asked her what to do. "Go see the rabbi," she told him, and after arguing a while, he went.

The rabbi greeted him and said, "I see something is troubling you. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

And so the poor man told the rabbi how miserable things were at home with him, his wife, and the six children all eating and living and sleeping in one room. The poor man told the rabbi, "We're even starting to yell and fight with each other. Life couldn't be worse."

The rabbi thought very deeply about the poor man's problem. Then he said, "Do exactly as I tell you and things will get better. Do you promise?"

"I promise," the poor man said.

The rabbi then asked the poor man a strange question. "Do you own any animals?"

"Yes," he said. "I have one cow, one goat, and some chickens."

"Good," the rabbi said. "When you get home, take all the animals into your house to live with you."

The poor man was astonished to hear this advice from the rabbi, but he had promised to do exactly what the rabbi said. So he went home and took all the farm animals into the tiny one-room house.

The next day the poor man ran back to see the rabbi. "What have you done to me, Rabbi?" he cried. "It's awful. I did what you told me and the animals are all over the house! Rabbi, help me!"

And, so the story goes. Each time the man returns to the rabbi, he's told to take in more animals. Until finally, he is told to take the animals all out.

The conclusion?

The next day he came running back to the rabbi again. "O Rabbi," he said with a big smile on his face, "we have such a good life now. The animals are all out of the house. The house is so quiet and we've got room to spare! What a joy!"

The house didn't change size. The man's perspective did.

So, too, you and I can change our perspective and see burdens as blessings and learn from the situation in which the Lord has placed us.

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Editor's note: Annette Beard is the managing editor of The Times of Northeast Benton County, chosen the best small weekly newspaper in Arkansas for five of the past six years. She can be reached at [email protected].