Who Ransacked Our House?!!!! (Oh... we did.)
Sunday afternoon, lying on top of my nicely made bed, talking with my best friend, I realized something. MY HOME IS A MESS!
Wasn't it just last week that I walked around, surveyed the situation - and thought, "Wow, we are really on top of things and organized. What a nice place to live!?" Didn't I wake up every day, tidy and clean up after us ALL day long, even folding laundry late into the evening?
WHO RANSACKED THIS PLACE ???!!!!!
Sigh. It was us. Five of us, plus a sweet, crazy cat, and an adoring dog. We live here. The problem is, we are not robots. We smell bad and need to take showers. We eat and leave behind crumbs, dirty dishes, and compost. We have creative ideas that turn into wonderful things .... and leave behind MESSES, that are anything-but-wonderful to put back into order. Sigh. No one broke in and ruined our nicely ordered home. IT WAS US.
A tear comes to my eye. I am thankful my children are not little machines who always make their beds, put away their laundry, and smile sweetly at their siblings and mom and dad. I am thankful for the messy fingerprints (everywhere), the equipment and folders and artwork that goes in and out, in and out, and in and out of this place we call "home." I am thankful. I love our mess for what it represents ... but I still need it to go away so I can think clearly and create, and cook, and smile again. Too many icky corners and I simply cannot think. Or breathe deeply. Or smile.
So - there on the comforter, my kids wondering in the background why lunch was an hour late, my husband and I made a plan. I am taking a week off. I have informed all three places I normally volunteer this week that I am taking a week to help myself. I love being a part of my kids' schools and I truly hate to miss being there. But this week, I am staying put until this place becomes a haven again.
Sometimes we just need to step back and have a good, long conversation with our best friend to figure out what is going on that we can fix. I have my work cut out for me. I literally am praying for faith and wisdom to sort out these problem areas of our home that will not easily be subdued.
Does anyone else feel as though they need a gift of faith for the mundane things, the little things of daily life? I certainly do. It is not as though I have not tried before. I just have not found what works. And in order to really think it through, I need a week. I need to think and ponder what will really work. I have a mustard seed of faith and I plan to use it!
God made me a helper fit for my spouse, a mom fully able with His strength to lead this home back into order. He does not limit my creative spirit to choreography, music, and card-making ... this week I am trusting Him to help me be creative in some very frustrating areas of our home. With His help I will bring these trouble spots of our household into fresh, usable spaces.
Here are the continuing battle zones: (Flylady calls them "hotspots." They feel more like full-on combat areas to me.)
1. Our main entryway (also a laundry room - with no linen closet in the house - bad plan).
2. Paperwork that spills out all over our kitchen (despite the nice Thirty-One organizer I bought).
3. Desk area where I now sit and type (staring at totally unorganized, falling over piles of papers).
Off to work I go!
Wasn't it just last week that I walked around, surveyed the situation - and thought, "Wow, we are really on top of things and organized. What a nice place to live!?" Didn't I wake up every day, tidy and clean up after us ALL day long, even folding laundry late into the evening?
WHO RANSACKED THIS PLACE ???!!!!!
Sigh. It was us. Five of us, plus a sweet, crazy cat, and an adoring dog. We live here. The problem is, we are not robots. We smell bad and need to take showers. We eat and leave behind crumbs, dirty dishes, and compost. We have creative ideas that turn into wonderful things .... and leave behind MESSES, that are anything-but-wonderful to put back into order. Sigh. No one broke in and ruined our nicely ordered home. IT WAS US.
A tear comes to my eye. I am thankful my children are not little machines who always make their beds, put away their laundry, and smile sweetly at their siblings and mom and dad. I am thankful for the messy fingerprints (everywhere), the equipment and folders and artwork that goes in and out, in and out, and in and out of this place we call "home." I am thankful. I love our mess for what it represents ... but I still need it to go away so I can think clearly and create, and cook, and smile again. Too many icky corners and I simply cannot think. Or breathe deeply. Or smile.
So - there on the comforter, my kids wondering in the background why lunch was an hour late, my husband and I made a plan. I am taking a week off. I have informed all three places I normally volunteer this week that I am taking a week to help myself. I love being a part of my kids' schools and I truly hate to miss being there. But this week, I am staying put until this place becomes a haven again.
Sometimes we just need to step back and have a good, long conversation with our best friend to figure out what is going on that we can fix. I have my work cut out for me. I literally am praying for faith and wisdom to sort out these problem areas of our home that will not easily be subdued.
Does anyone else feel as though they need a gift of faith for the mundane things, the little things of daily life? I certainly do. It is not as though I have not tried before. I just have not found what works. And in order to really think it through, I need a week. I need to think and ponder what will really work. I have a mustard seed of faith and I plan to use it!
God made me a helper fit for my spouse, a mom fully able with His strength to lead this home back into order. He does not limit my creative spirit to choreography, music, and card-making ... this week I am trusting Him to help me be creative in some very frustrating areas of our home. With His help I will bring these trouble spots of our household into fresh, usable spaces.
Here are the continuing battle zones: (Flylady calls them "hotspots." They feel more like full-on combat areas to me.)
1. Our main entryway (also a laundry room - with no linen closet in the house - bad plan).
2. Paperwork that spills out all over our kitchen (despite the nice Thirty-One organizer I bought).
3. Desk area where I now sit and type (staring at totally unorganized, falling over piles of papers).
Off to work I go!
Good thoughts, my sister! You already KNOW I struggle with these mundane issues of life. It often robs my peace and joy. It's true that we must find balance between enjoying our lives and families (even with the messes they leave), and stewarding our homes in such a way that they bless both us as moms/wives, etc., and others. The Creator and Organizer of the universe can surely help us!
ReplyDeleteSo beautifully said. Thank you.
ReplyDelete