Bark
The
word “bark” has a couple of meanings:
1) a dog’s loud call and 2) the surface of a tree trunk. Sometimes we combine these in an expression
like “you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
(That’s a joke!)
In
Washington state, people spread bark on their yards to keep out weeds and make
them look pretty. It can take many
hours to spread bark in a typical suburban yard. First you put the bark into a wheelbarrow with a shovel. Then you dump the bark and spread it with a rake. It’s good physical work!
What
kinds of work do you do in your life?
Do you work with your hands, your whole body, your mind? Do you relate to other people a lot? How much of your work is physical, mental or
social? Do you like a mix of physical,
mental and social work in your
life? What combination of work is ideal
for you?
There
is a kind of work that we do as a career, and another kind of work that we do
to take care of our home and family.
Are these kinds of work very different for you? Or are they similar? Do you like both kinds of work? Why or why not? How do you and your spouse, family or roommates divide up the
work at home? Do you choose by skill or
by preference?
How
does leisure fit into your life? Do you
prefer mental, physical or social types of leisure activities? Give examples.
How
do you like the balance of activities in your life right now? Has the balance been better in the
past? Do you think it will improve in
the future? Why or why not?
What
kind of physical shape are you in right now?
Think of your lungs (aerobic capacity), your arm strength, your leg
strength, flexibility.
“Do
everything you can to live a quiet life.
Mind your own business. Work
with your hands, just as we told you to. “
1 Thessalonians 4:11
“People
who don’t want to work say, “There’s a lion outside!” Or they say, “I’ll be murdered if I go out into the
streets!” Proverbs 22:13
“I
went past the field of someone who didn’t want to work. I went past the vineyard of a man who didn’t
have any sense. Thorns had grown up
everywhere. The ground was covered with
weeds. The stone wall had fallen down .
. I learned a lesson from what I saw.
You might sleep a little or take a little nap. You might even fold your hands and rest. Then you would be poor, as if someone had
robbed you. You would have little, as
if someone had stolen from you.”
Proverbs 24:30-34
What are the messages from these
three different quotes?