I'll start with the history of the schedule. I love being a wife. I love being a mommy. I love cooking, baking, creating, planning and adventuring. There is one part that really doesn't come naturally though. The cleaning. It's not that I don't like the actually doing of it, it's just that the actually doing of it has a way of not getting done!
I've always known this is a problem of mine. I go in trends, like a compulsive dieter who loses ten pounds, gains ten pounds, loses ten pounds, gains ten pounds (come to think of it, I can relate to that too!). Just as I think I'm finally getting things "under" control, a night where I'm too tired to touch the dinner dishes brings me to a morning where everything has gone crazy again.
As much as I hate to admit it, I can live quite comfortably in a slobby home. I know many of you by now are cringing, gagging and trying to imagine how I cope, but that's just the trouble. I actually cope very well. So while I "knew" I had to fix things, the tyranny of the "urgent" kept me from ever really keeping up.
Until one day, a verse got stuck in my head. Not sure why, except that I know the Lord had much to tell me. "The wise woman builds her house. The wise woman builds her house. The wise woman builds her house." and then the second part hit me like a sledge hammer. "But with her own hands, the foolish one tears hers down." I knew exactly where I stood. If there is one thing I am completely driven by, it is the knowledge that I DO NOT want to be a fool! That was the day I took these pictures. Do I enjoy sharing them now? No way. It's pretty humiliating. But I know that I am nothing without Christ, and with Him I can be victorious.
Our schedule has not been the golden ticket that makes life roses and sunshine. It has been a tremendous tool that has benefited our family greatly. The real secret though, is not in any secret formula. The secret to a happy and fulfilling home is simply by taking the Lord at His word in everything (even the pride wounding areas!) and obeying. Our schedule has helped. Tons! But it's not going to be the answer to all of your problems. The Lord is.
I'll be baby stepping through what we're doing during the next couple of weeks. And remember, this is just what works for us!
Thanks to those of you who still love me and who may even still speak to me in public!
8 comments:
I LOVE this post. I could totally live in a slobby home too, and did live in a slobby bedroom and dorm room growing up. But with 7 of us in this rather smallish home and a husband who doesn't enjoy coming home to slobby (really, come on!) I've had to work at this area too.
Oh, Grace, your post is soo encouraging to me, even the pics!!
I respect you even more after reading and seeing what you shared!
Go team go!!! :)
Grace! I'm So glad you posted this! It takes a strong woman to reveal her weaknesses! It makes me relieved to know that you are human, too! :) Inspiring too that you are applying scripture to your life and it's making a difference! Ahh!
I can very much empathize with this. I can't stand a slobby home, but it's so easy to make, and so hard to make go away! I always feel more peaceful, relaxed and organized when it's neat! With our new house mate who just moved in I'm trying to renew my commitment to keeping things organized and neat, doing the dishes every day or every other day instead of when there's no more space to pile!
I look forward to hearing more about your plan.
A huge struggle for me too. Thank you for baring it all. VERY AWESOME of you to share your "in progress" shots.
Thanks for sharing Grace! That is my problem area too.
Grace, I continually come back to this article and see how amazing it is to make something we can make so complicated is really quite easy, just day by day! thanks this article series really touched me and gave me new perspective! say hi to David and the girls!
Post a Comment