Carpe Diem

After doing two loads of laundry, and a sink full of dishes last night, I began to stress out about needing to do other chores around the house.  I dusted, vacuumed and mopped about a week ago, but I could not shake the guilt that I was slacking on the housework.  But it was too late to tackle those tedious chores, so I went to bed instead with guilt eating at me.

One of the struggles I have about staying home is the need to have my house in tip-top shape.  To some people, it is not a big deal.  However, I become obsessive about it.  One thing out of line and it throws me off.  I have struggled with this for a few years and these are the two best advices I have ever received:  1) I am in a season where I have three small children.  There will be a time when I will have a clean house because all my kids will be grown and on their own.  Enjoy this time because I will never get it back.  Clean until it is just good enough.  2)  A friend of mine and I walk my neighborhood periodically.  We were talking about cleaning house and she said she admires those people whose house looks lived in.  It's cozy, homey and inviting.  I do not want my house looking like a museum, making guests feel uncomfortable sitting on our vacuumed couches.  I want my house to be warm and inviting.

I have told myself time and time again that my main priority is to raise God fearing, God loving adults.  That is not going to be accomplished by a clean house, a skinny mom or other things that take me away from my time with them.  I will have my season where I can work out whenever I want, and the house will stay clean.  But God has allowed me this time to not let any distractions take me away from these times I will never get back.

Trust Him enough to spend ample time with Him, pushing back the demands of the day.  Because He is omnipotent, He is able to bend time and events in our favor.  We will find that we can accomplish more in less time after we have given ourselves to Him in rich communion.  As we align ourselves with His perspective, we can sort out what is important and what is not.  Do not fall into the trap of being constantly on the go.  To avoid doing meaningless works, stay in continual communication with Him.  He will instruct us and teach us in the way we should go.
Luke 10:41-42; Psalm 32:8

I need to align myself with His perspective because then I will feel less guilty, and stop beating myself up, for the things of this world.  As it states in 1 John 2:15, "Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."  I need to seize everyday that God blesses me with.  Time is a gift from Him, and it should not go to waste.