Play Out Our Salvation?

The following conversation can be heard at least once a week in our home:

Children: Work!  Work!  Work!  All we do is work!

Me: We don't always work. But, we do work FIRST, play LATER.

Children: But working is SO boring!

Me: I know it may seem that way right now, but working is good for you!  It helps you to learn.  To grow.  To understand.

Children: Agh! Why do you say that every the time?

Me: Because it's true.  Do you remember what the Lord says, "This is my WORK and my glory?"  Notice He doesn't say this is my PLAY and my glory.

Children: We knowwwwww!  You tell that to us all the time, too! GOSH!

Me: I tell you because we don't PLAY out our salvation, we WORK out our salvation. Playing will NOT get us into heaven.

Children (Big, deep cleansing breath sigh): So what this means is that we have to WORK today before we PLAY?

Me: Umm, has it changed from yesterday?

Children: No.

Me: Then let's get to work!