The Daily Grind 2: Time for Chimes!

Watching the gears move on a grandfather clock can get very boring, hearing the tick-tock, tick-tock, of the mechanism over and over again. The gears seems to spin in endless circles, going nowhere. When I was a child, I loved investigating the workings of the larger clocks. But it didn’t take long for my attention to drift. At least until it got to the top of the hour. Westminster Chimes has always made me pause. You listen for the tune, and then count the bells for the hour. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. The big show was at 12 o’clock. Each clock has its own surprises. The clock at Small World in Disneyland is one of my favorites. No kid can resist the magic of the hourly clock parade.

It’s these special moments that make the “daily grind” worth all the effort. During Spring break we got to take three of our granddaughters to Disneyland. My wife made princess dresses for them to be made up as Aurora and Ariel in the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. The littlest one was just pure cuteness no matter what she wore. Seeing their smiles, hearing their laughter, and even seeing tears of joy makes all the hard work before seem trivial. Who doesn’t want to hear, “Best Day Ever!” from their grandchildren. There were even some tear from the adults when memories came flooding back during parades and the evening night shows. It was a weekend to cherish.

I am reminded of the advice a business man once gave our group while I was on summer tour with a college Gospel Quartet. “Work hard; play hard.”  I didn’t understand it then, but it has come in helpful as an adult. I know some people whose idea of vacation is doing absolutely nothing. Now that may work for them, but I would rather get out, explore, adventure, and see new things. Sometimes I need a vacation because of vacation, but that’s the fun part. Work hard; play hard. It can make the daily grind that much more fulfilling!  

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 NIV