On this day in 1812, Peter Gaillard patented the power mower.

Mr. Gaillard must have lived in a warm climate; otherwise, how could he test his mower?

Ah, grass—the green stuff that comes after the snow leaves and the ground thaws. You may have had to mow the lawn as one of your chores. If you use a power mower, aren’t you glad for Mr. Gaillard’s fine invention? But 1812—why did it take so long for power mowers to get to the public? They didn’t become popular till the 1960s. Don’t ask; just start and push.

You probably have mixed feelings about chores. You know jobs have to be done, but you really don’t like doing them. What if no one washed the dishes? Soon the kitchen would be overflowing with plates, silverware, and glasses. And if no one took out the garbage, what a smelly mess you’d have! Your parents could pay an outsider to do those jobs, but that would waste a lot of money. Besides, chores help the family work together, with every person playing an important role—like a team.

The Bible talks about teamwork, especially in the church. Today’s verse, for example, says each person should do his or her “own special work.” Paul also wrote, “We work together as partners who belong to God” (1 Corinthians 3:9).

Certainly some jobs are more unpleasant or more difficult than others, but someone has to do them. And sometimes we compare our chores to others’ and don’t think we got a fair deal. Instead, we should do these family jobs with a good attitude. Paul even told slaves, “Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people” (Colossians 3:23).

So grab that shovel (or mower) and smile!

Under [Christ’s] direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love (Ephesians 4:16).

To Do

Today, do your chores before being reminded by your mother or father. Watch how they react. Caution: they may be shocked at your actions and positive attitude.

Also on this day

This is National Wear Brown Shoes day.

1619—America celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day in Virginia.

1680—A hen in Rome, Italy, reportedly laid an egg imprinted with the image of a comet.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.