Work Worth Doing

So I've had this scripture rolling around in my head for a while: "Do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy" (2 Nephi 9:51). What is of worth, and what will satisfy? Where will my time and efforts be best spent?

I'm still figuring it all out, as I believe the answer changes depending on your circumstances and stage of life, but last weekend was very satisfying. A friend in the neighborhood offered us the cherries from her sour cherry tree, so we spend a couple hours picking a cooler full. I then spent the bulk of the day processing them: most went into cherry pie filling, and the rest were dried or frozen.

The work was long and tedious, but ultimately very satisfying in a way that's hard to describe without being trite. It felt real, and practical, and worthwhile. My family would not have starved or suffered if we had not done these things, but I like knowing how to do these things, how to be resourceful and self-sufficient.

Plus it was physical work. I spend so much of my time at a desk in what is a very mental work. Physical labor like gardening and yard work and pitting 20 lbs of cherries is a refreshing change from that. If my work were primarily physical, would I crave mental labors? Probably.

I feel very blessed that I have both options. Balance and variety makes for a happy Heidi.