Six Things I Hate

1. I hate potty training. I hate cleaning up accidents, not leaving the house for quite a few days, and never being able to turn your back on the kid so you're always aware of when she needs to go. But I do love not having to buy diapers and the freedom of not carrying a diaper bag everywhere you go.

2. I hate running. I hate the feeling of your lungs about to burst, of your legs burning, and of just getting all sweaty so you have to get cleaned up again. But that feeling after you're done running when you have energy and you feel good about yourself and all your clothes fit is such a great feeling.

3. I hate cleaning the house. I hate scrubbing toilets, mopping floors, organizing closets, vacuuming carpets, and picking up toys. But I do love the feeling of walking into a clean house. There's nothing better than sitting on the couch at night with your husband knowing there is no laundry to be done and no mess to be cleaned before you go to bed.

4. I hate losing baby weight. After 9 months of having an incredible appetite, feeling sick to my stomach if my stomach ever got empty, and not being able to work out hard, very bad habits are formed. I hate finding the will power to break those bad habits! But I do like being able to fit in my clothes and feel healthy, and I love having the energy to chase after my kids and play hard with them all day long.

5. I hate confrontation. I hate that feeling of knowing you need to talk to someone and that the conversation may get uncomfortable. But there's nothing better than clearing the air. Than talking through an issue, apologizing, understanding and at least knowing you did everything you needed to do to reconcile. Sleep is so much more peaceful.

6. I hate waking up while its still dark outside. There's nothing worse than the alarm going off before the sun comes up. But I do love sitting on the couch, drinking a cup of coffee, and reading my Bible before the kids get up. I love the quiet of the house and the intimate time that can be had with our Father before the distraction of life and being a mommy gets in the way. There's nothing better than that!

It seems like there are a lot of things I hate to do in life. However, the effect of those things are some of my favorite things in life. As I sit and watch the Olympics, I bet the athletes feel the same way at times. I'm sure grueling workouts aren't all that fun, but the end results of those workouts bring them their dream. I guess I just need to remember that as I pick up a broom to sweep the kitchen floor after breakfast. The mundane and hard things in life are never fun. Its the end results that bring us pleasure.