Only For A Season

Children are a wonderful blessing from God.  To think that He entrusted me to care for and train my two children is completely awesome.  And it can be awesomely hard and challenging.  I want to be the best mother I can for them.  I want our home to be a safe haven and orderly.  But sometimes, with young children, an orderly house is next to impossible.

In this season of our lives, I feel like it is more important for me to spend quality time with them - playing with them, teaching them, talking with them, reading to them, comforting them - than flipping out because the house is not spotless and orderly.  What will they remember?  Parents who took the time to really be with them or a spotless home?

This weekend, we were out of town and spent one night at a hotel.  That night, all my daughter wanted was to go home and sleep in her bed.  She didn't care that our house may be disorderly.  She wanted to be where she felt safe and nurtured.

Yes, we must take care of the home and things God has blessed us with in this life.  Yes, we have to make sure our homes are safe and sanitary.  Yes, we must teach our children how to clean and care for their belongings.  But God does not want us freaking out because the house is messy.  Remember, it's just for a season.

When I was reading Chapter Nine, the story of Mary and Martha came to mind.  Although Mary should have been helping Martha in the home preparing everything for their special guests, Mary knew there was something much more important.  Jesus wanted her to be in His presence and listen to him teach.

Luke 10:38-42 NIV

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

When our children are young, it is more important that we train them up.  We have been given a huge responsibility to guide and direct them to the one true God and the path to salvation.  This is our ultimate goal.  Not a home straight from the pages of Better Homes and Gardens.

Equip Me Lord! I'm Domestically Challenged!

Domestically Challenged.  That's a nice way of putting it.  I love to cook, but I don't like cleaning up the aftermath.  I can be organized about some things and a clutter bug about other things.  Cleaning?  Definitely not my strong suit.  Oh, I can clean.  And when I do, I do the job right.  A clean house really goes a long way in setting the mood for the overall household.  I'm more relaxed and so is the hubby.  For me, it's just a matter of starting.  When I take a look at a room and it seems completely daunting, I go into overwhelmed mode to the point of shutting down.  I don't know where to start!

My only comfort in all of this is I know I am not the only one.  Just Google the words "domestically challenged" and the results are endless.  There are a ton of sites talking about it and offering up their ideas to combat this "affliction." 

Darlene tells us in Chapter Six that she is domestically challenged.  She was able to "find direction in lists, schedules and a few trusted recipes" with "years of practice" to get to where she is today.  Her encouragement to us is that God equips those He has called.  No matter what He has called us to do, he will equip us to do the job and do it well.  It doesn't have to be a job using our God-given talent or gifts that come naturally to us.  God can use the weak to do some powerful, mighty things!  He can turn this domestically challenged girl into a cleaning machine.  I just have to be open and willing.  Here are some passages to reflect on today.  Equip us Lord to glorify you in all we do.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Proverbs 3:5 NIV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Psalm 37:4-6 NIV

Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

Praise and Honor While You Work

As we plan out our days, imagine if we always planned to make it all about Jesus.  Everything on our to-do list glorified Him.  Do you think we could get all of our tasks and more accomplished?  I think so.  If what we do is pleasing and honorable to God, then He is going to bless our efforts.  If the intentions in our hearts are right and pure, God is going to be there to help us through our day.


Philippians 4:8 NIV
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Darlene has some great printables on her website for time management and home management.  I encourage you to hop on over there and take a look.

http://time-warp-wife.blogspot.com/search/label/Printables

I also found this printable over at Intentional By Grace that helps you plan out your day with your priorities in mind.

http://intentionalbygrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Make-It-Impossible-To-Not-Think-About-God-Printable1.jpg

If our attitude about our everyday tasks are about doing them joyfully to please our heavenly father, then how can we go wrong?

“‎What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and work flow.” -Martin Luther