I listened quietly.  That’s what I do.  I am a quiet observer.

His complaint was valid, I’ll give him that.

I listened to a home teacher talk about his assigned single sister to minister to.  She owned her own home but was “needy” in that she always asked him to help with fix-it chores.  Perhaps he was just venting because he was talking to a family friend.  The problem though is that I also was there.  And I related to the single sister’s situation.

I understand life is busy enough to find time to care of your own house and to be asked to maintain another one is a bit overwhelming.  Seriously, who would be able to do that and not feel a right to vent or complain just a little?  I am not suggesting this man was in the wrong in the very least. In this day and age, our time is precious and filled to capacity so it is more than a favor to spend time working on someone else’s home.

I get all that.

It’s just that, I am a single sister who is the unhandiest person you will ever meet.  I tried to put a new door knob on the door and failed.  It’s just not my talent or skill to be a fixer-upper. In other words, I am fairly needy.  I am just like that single sister that requires help.

But I won’t ask for help.  Not after hearing that conversation. I would rather sit in a house that is falling apart with a leaking roof then to be the ward project murmured about during ward council.  The one where ward members show up at my door to help with smiling faces because they know they are receiving blessings but the one they complain about having to spend so much time helping.  A checklist duty done without love becomes a chore not a blessing.

I prefer to not rely on the checklist duties of ward members.  I hope I will not be that person in distress even though I actually have all the makings to be that person.