the daily grind

i don't know how many times i've had the thought, "how did the women of the past do it? day in, day out. no change. no breaks. just hard work every day." i'm speaking of course, of the women say, a hundred years ago. every time i feel overwhelmed, overworked, underappreciated, exhausted, wasted, frustrated, or just plain whiny, these women come to mind. how is it they found value and joy in their lives? i imagine their days went something like this:
get up with the sun. if it's cold out, stoke the fire. start to prepare food for breakfast. (nothing instant then). go out to milk the cow for fresh milk. get the kids dressed and fed while preparing lunches for school. maybe send some off to school, while a little one or two stayed home. then clean, work the farm, prepare more meals....repeat, repeat.
you get the picture. the point is, most likely their homes were probabaly about a 1/4 of what most of us have. there was no escaping little ones. there was no hotly pursued "me time." most likely the idea of "girl time" was rare once married. so what's the difference in them and us? well, i definately think it's perspective & training. women grew up knowing what to expect. they saw their mom do it & they knew it was what they would do. i think they also had to keep their head in the game. no "woe is me," for those women. there was no time for that. it was survival of the fittest. but as i sat at the end of a long day, having done all the duties by myself from 7am - 9am, another idea occurred to me. maybe it was the lack of distraction. a lack of people, things, and opportunities to distract them. no tv to tell them about the latest and greatest or to tell them all the things they were missing out on. no malls or catalogues to tempt their senses. no internet to feed their lusts (for things of course :O) or steal their time. it was just them, their husband, and their kids. they worked as a team. one unit. every one did their part. there was no other way.
i'm not saying they had it better. i'm not saying we do either. i just know that at times i can find myself thinking thoughts of disappointment in my life and yet it would seem i have so much more than they did. but then again do i? opportunity, money, furniture, nice home, 2 vehicles, and a pantry full of ready to serve food. do all those things constitute better? i'd say yes and no. with the life i live, i get to enjoy time with my children and peope i love. i have the ability to serve and do things i love. but they can also be what steal my joy. they can be a vice that at times strangle the joy right out. so what's the balance?
i guess simplifying is the key. i can still enjoy the blessings and bounty of living in this modern age and at the same time remember my roots and the One that actually gives life. figuring out what's worth watering and making sure that the majority of my time is spent there. that will give me balance and value.
at least i know one day, i'll meet those great women in heaven and really have the answers to my questions.