Shuck: Always making things better

Jenny had felt devalued, for a while, like she wasn't living out her full potential.

She thought that she was seldom outwardly recognized for all the efforts that she put forth in her family and within her community. She did not receive a regular paycheck, and she felt she was "just" a mere housewife — a stay-at-home mom who was gone more than she was at home.

Jenny and her husband had four children and she constantly chauffeured them to and from their activities. This same woman soothed the children's feelings when they were upset or distraught, listened to her husband's work concerns and made sure everyone had a warm environment in which to live. Still, no one seemed to notice her contributions. Her family unknowingly took her for granted and forgot to compliment her on the things she did to make sure everyone had their needs met. Jenny tried to make things better than they already were.

This scenario is relatively common among many whether they are stay-at-home moms or dads, carpenters or anything else that one does. Yet, what we do, regardless of how mundane or seemingly unimportant our job appears, deserves recognition. We all are, hopefully, trying to make the world a nicer place and we can all do things to make life better. Author Susan Meissner says, "There is always a way to make something better even if it's just sweeping up the broken pieces and starting all over again, pieces as bright as heaven."

Jackie and her husband, Anthony, found themselves caught in a tight financial bind. They had taken chances with various properties that promised to be good investments. However, the couple neglected to check all the behind-the-scenes and hidden business necessities. They jumped off the cliff of reasoning and fell into the jagged rocks of dreaming and trying unproven strategies to pull themselves up and out of their dilemma. Jackie and Anthony found themselves in a hole so deep they could not climb out. The two got to the point that it was taking all their income to barely stay afloat.

"What are we going to do?" they asked each other. If the man and woman could not think of something, they would be sitting out in the middle of the road! It was ironic that although they owned a number of properties, things were not panning out as they had planned. The way the couple had figured was unrealistic. What could they do to make things better?

This type of situation has visited many of us. What did Jackie and Anthony do? They knew by now they must find a way to put the pieces together so they would fit into a realistic pattern — into a finished puzzle that would come together as a whole workable scene. They wanted their lives to be better, at least financially.

Although the two had caused their temporary situation with poor judgment and money management, they decided to stop dreaming of ways of living they couldn't afford and start all over. Surely some fragments, out of the conglomeration of broken pieces, could be saved. Their life could fit together. If only they could figure out how to make things better.

Luckily Jackie and Anthony came up with a solution. They decided to swallow their pride and repair an unlivable house they owned and let their other property investments go. Without the overload of debts, Jackie and Anthony breathed a sigh of relief as they repaired the dilapidated house to make it into a livable home again. Even though they had to start all over at an advanced age, they were able to make life better. Ahh, and what wisdom they gained.

Making things better isn't a difficult task. I can think of many ways: helping others, sweeping a sidewalk that's left unattended, offering encouragement, smiling at a lonely person or cooking a free meal. Anything that we do to make things better matters, it's never too small or unimportant. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Ellen Shuck holds degrees in psychology, religious education and spiritual direction. She is the author of the book, “Wisdom for the Journey.”