What happened to the days when my bed was made every morning, there was never a single dish left in my sink when I went to bed, the family room was perfectly in order when I woke up in the morning and the bathroom mirrors never had water spots (let alone toothpaste or spit!!) on them???
Oh yeah...that was my life before kids.
To those of you who have known me for many years, you can recall the days of OCD cleaning, not an item out of place and coasters on "grandpa's table". God must have a sense of humor because I have two children that are slobs and can't pick things up to save their lives, one that is a stuffer (under his bed, pillow, in his drawer or closet, in all his pockets) and one that just leaves her things any and everywhere she pleases. The verdict is still out on Aaron.
The Lord has really worked on me because there is just not the time in a day for me to make my house so clean that it looks like we don't actually live in it. I had to give up control, which is such a challenge for me! Over the last few years I've had seasons where cleaning came before my job, where cleaning came before homeschooling, where cleaning came before the needs of my husband and children. Thankfully it isn't quite that bad anymore, but I'm still battling.
"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar." Psalm 139:1-2
So I pray daily for the strength to focus on the right priorities in my life. I pray for humility so that if my house is dirty and friends come over, I won't care. I pray for patience in dealing with my children whose cleanliness standards conflict with mine. And I pray for acceptance of the fact that my bed may not get made, or my husband may be wearing the same pair of jeans again, or the dishes may pile up for two whole days before getting washed, or my kids may be wearing their underwear inside out!
"Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:8
And I am learning to willingly accept that I may have to break up a fight instead of sweeping, or nurse a baby instead of folding the laundry, or put a band aid on instead of drying dishes, or sit and talk with my husband instead of picking up the family room. And in the long run, what is going to matter more?
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