Activities? Tasks? Duties? How about Responsibilities? That’s the one I went with on our children’s "chore" charts. "Chores" sounds so — negative. No one wants to do "chores".
Actually the first definition doesn’t sound too bad – "the regular or daily light work of a household or farm," (especially if you emphasize the "light".)
The second definition isn’t bad either, "a routine task or job". Kind of boring, but not necessarily negative.
But that third one gets us down, "a difficult or disagreeable task". No one wants to do something difficult or disagreeable. That’s what we think of when we hear "chores", the "disagreeable" part.
"Responsibilities" sounds a little better. At least it has the connotation of good character; being responsible means trustworthy.
But whatever we call them we need to remember that God created us to work and to be responsible in and for our work. Perhaps I like "responsibilities" because work is a primary way that our character is shown and developed.
I think, the Puritans had the right idea. In fact it is a Biblical idea, that work is worship. How we work can be, and should be, an expression of our worship to God. Paul put it this way, "Whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord." Col. 3:23
