Until recently, when my husband gets home from work and asks about my day, I found myself answering primarily with the number of paid work hours I logged for that day, viewing the success or failure of the day based on how much work I got done. “It was a great day! I got 10 hours of work done!” or “Well, I just had so many interruptions today I am way behind, I only got 4 hours of work done.” (I work full time from home with flexible hours as long as I get in my full hours per week.)

But lately, I feel like God laid something on my heart – How much did Karen accomplish today? 24 hours’ worth.

Twenty-four hours worth of living, of decisions, of interactions with others.

The same as you.

Which led me to the question, how much of these 24 hours am I accomplishing well?

Too often, to be honest, the days I get a lot more work hours accomplished are the days that when my children come into my office just to talk, I keep my eyes on the computer screen, or give short hurried answers to their questions to minimize interruptions. This really hit home when my oldest walked into my office last week, with a slow pace and an expression of deep thoughtfulness (I could see a big philosophical question was coming). All he had said so far was “hi” – and I didn’t even realize that I responded with a brusque impatient “hi” in return – which stopped him in his tracks, and he backed out of the office saying, “Nevermind – I’ll come back later.”

Then I regretted giving him Sherlock Holmes’ type detective books about reading body language. But really – it was me who needed changing. I needed to handle interruptions with grace. With eye contact, getting to a stopping place, saving my work, and turning my attention toward my family. With listening. Then if I really cannot listen long at the moment, telling them and letting them know at what time later that same day I could give them a bit longer attention instead of just being frustrated with every interruption.

It’s hard. Because work does need to be done, bills do need to be paid. But if I’m looking at my 24 hours’ worth – and wanting to accomplish it well – it means that my day’s success or failure rides on so much more than the number of paid work hours I complete.

Why do I fall for the trap thinking that serving others in my job (and getting paid) is a greater accomplishment than serving others in my home (for free, with or without recognition)? What I’m learning is that so much of life we try to categorize and label – “this is worthy, this is not” – but in the end we often miss what is important.

Accomplishments of cleaning up after smelly puppy messes, ordering groceries online for my family, cooking with my kids even when it would be easier to do alone, texting a friend, or even stopping in the busy rush of all the things that ‘need’ to be done to sit on the couch and laugh with my kids at a funny YouTube video – if done with a heart that is worshipping God through all of this (instead of a bitter heart, complaining heart, or impatient heart) – then it all is an accomplishment done well.

Jesus, help me to see every part of life as an opportunity to accomplish something well, with a heart that has a beautiful attitude no matter what comes my way today.

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23