Twenty Things I Did Right

At this very moment, there are sheets sitting on the couch.
Matthew was supposed to put them away last night after we folded them.

In the kitchen is an empty cake box on the counter, and the mixer is sitting there, too.
Elizabeth forgot to take care of them after she did some baking last night.

Also in the kitchen there are a few pans in the dish rack, which Joshua didn't take care of when he unloaded the dishwasher.

Honestly? Part of me wants to rant and rave about their inability to do a complete job.
I mean, seriously! How many times do I need to tell them to do what I've already told them to do. A hundred times!
How many times do I need to tell them to do what they ALREADY know they're supposed to do?

But something happened at work recently which is changing the way I'm going to approach my kids on this oversight.
My boss came to me about something I'd neglected to do. It didn't seem like a big deal to me, and I was happy to take care of it right away. But the way she belabored the point of the task needing to be done made me want to *nicely* yell, Did you notice this and that which I did? Have you seen this other thing I took care of? And what about that? Did you see that thing over there? Oh, and by the way, I had a feeling you were going to want this other thing to be handled soon, so I took care of it yesterday.
You noticed this one thing I didn't do, but have you seen the twenty things I did right?

Now it's my turn.
Matthew took the sheets downstairs and put them through the washer and dryer, just like he's supposed to. He brought them upstairs and helped me fold them, just like he's supposed to. And he put his own sheets back on his bed.
Elizabeth didn't ask me to make the cake. She did it herself. She rinsed the bowls and utensils which were used in the process. Looks like she even wiped the counter!
Joshua put away all the dishes which were in the dishwasher. Every plate, bowl, cup, lid, container, fork, spoon, and knife. All of them! And he did it without being told.

When I consider the things my kids have done right - particularly when I list them - my attitude changes about the things they haven't done yet. And I am thankful. My reminder to them to finish their jobs is going to be a lot more gentle now.
*Thankful for the fact that God even uses my frustrations to grow me.*