Sunday, February 24, 2008

Oh, my house!

When I was growing up I remember that my Mom would always say "cleanliness is next to Godliness".  Um, ok?  So what does that mean?  My hair, my nails, my bedroom?  WHAT!!

Now here I am a woman, mom and wife and I still ask myself what does that mean.  I'd hoped by this point in my life I would have that answer squared away.  All joking aside I know that a clean HEART is truly next to Godliness.  Whew!   Because if it is that my house was to be next to Godliness, well my salvation would be over!  

I live with my Husband, my 11 year old son, my 3 year old son and my Nephew who just turned 18 on Friday.  I have a dog and 2 hermit crabs (not because I wanted those crabs).  We rent a wonderful home that has a one bedroom mother-in-law house in the back where my Mom AND my Brother live.  Let me just say that there are days that I want to move, just me.   
I have always had a nice house, decorated to suit my taste, always clean and always organized.  But today I find that on any given day I may have one or two rooms that are cleaned and organized and the rest of the house is organizationally challenged!   No way would I have lived like that when I was single or even when my older son was a baby.  

When I was working in the world I was always told that one of my best assets on the job was how organized I am.  My files, my desk, my in/out box, etc. where clean and everything was just so easy to find. Now I need metal detector to find what I need in my house.   

Every day I wake up to the same "work" load.  Washing clothes, cleaning the kitchen, sweeping the floors, vacuuming, cooking, beds, chasing my 3 year old, keeping my boys from using T.V. to entertain themselves, and the list goes on.  I always prided myself on the fact that I was a very good multi-tasker, but now I may have to turn my crown in.  If I where me, I would fire "that woman" who works in my house.  I would take her spatula away and send her down the road.  But, noooooooooo.  All I hear is "well, maybe tomorrow will be an easier day for you".  Gee thanks!

Now, I do not want anyone to think that I do not love my family or appreciate that I have one because I do.  I just would love to be done with my "work" load early in the day so I could...I don't know....pull weeds, water the yard, plant stuff.  I know it sounds like more work but the garden is NEVER work to me.  The garden is my quiet place where I go to "feel"  God.  I see His beauty in the flowers and trees and I love to feed His birds and watch them eat.  The need for quiet times is real. The need for quiet with God is real.  Amen to that!

With all I have already said I know in my heart what is true, that I do all things as though I am doing them for the Lord.  When I think and focus just on that, I feel energized to complete anything in front of me.  I have learned that even the "maid" gets a day off!  I have become content with the fact that all my rooms may only be "done" when I have parties or when certain company comes to visit.  I am content with the understanding that my salvation has nothing to do with whether or not I swept my floors today or whether all the laundry gets put away.  Our Lord has given me a ministry which took me a very long time to understand that this is just what it is, a ministry.  In my ministry I clean, I homeschool, I chase my 3 year old, I counsel my nephew and I love my husband and all of them too.  What a blessing.  What a joy.  I am so very grateful that the Lord thought I was the right person for this job.  I am also grateful that He shows me so much grace in how maybe I might get everything done today...or not.  I am so very grateful for the women in my life who laugh with me and not at me and for their hugs and encouragement.

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