Humble Pie

So today I decided to be rebellious. And by rebellious I mean "rebellious." So my brother came home from Mexico and whenever he says home we end up getting ridiculous lists from my mom. We have to do house chores which we procrastinate and eventually do a half job. Today the list said, "No TV or Computer until you clean your room and clear off the table." Considering I got up at 8 and didn't go downstairs until 10:30ish meant I already hadn't obeyed the list. Whoops. So what do I do...go back upstairs and play even more Balloon Towers Defense 4 (almost defeated it!) Then I have the usual thoughts, "I could go clean....eh...I could go workout...today's my easy day...I could...thinking is too hard."

Around 11 I decided to just get up and clean. Not my room though...that would be doing what I'm told and I'm a teenager so it's in my job description to be rebellious. So instead I cleaned the ENTIRE house: swept, mopped, scrubbed, organized, dusted, vacuumed and whatever else needed to be done. I spent 5 hours intensely cleaning. Oh and while I was folding towels and such I watched TV...room still not clean...broke the list! Haha. Yup...I'm a rebel!

Instead of using this to do something I wanted this weekend I told my brother that if my parents ask it was the magic cleaning fairy. My goal: being humble. Today my mom and dad came home from work together. They noticed about 1/8 of the things I did, but they were VERY grateful. They asked who did it...my brother and I both said the magic cleaning fairy. However, as time went on, I just wanted to say, "IT WAS ME WHO DID ALL THE WORK!!!!" Why? Because my brother was doing dishes at the current moment so it made it look like he was doing the work. I didn't like the fact that he was getting credit subconsciously in my parent's minds.

Isn't this how we all are. When we accomplish something we want the credit and want to show off and brag. God calls us to do just the opposite. 2 verses I like are:

"Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." -Matthew 23:12

I will get a reward for being humble eventually! The other verse is:

"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." -James 4:6

I like that one because it was a memory verse for the camper at Trout last summer!

Anyway....humble=good. Even though I wish I could get instant gratification from all the cleaning I did, I just have to keep in mind that all the work I do and strife I go through- God will pay me back!

Fun update: Tomorrow I start my lifeguarding class! I'm super excited. While I'm there I get to see a camp friend! Yay! Happy Friday!