I can't do it all. I can't keep my house perfectly clean with not a cobweb in sight while baking bread, making soap, and homeschooling four children. I have come to accept the fact that I am not superwoman. But you know what, I don't have to be. God loves me for who I am, afterall, He created me this way. Now, I'm not saying I shouldn't strive to be my best or that I should let my home fall apart around me while I am schooling my children. What I am saying is that I have to lay aside this image in my head of Suzy Homemaker and just resolve to do my best. It's ok if there are books strewn about my living room and kitchen. It's ok if there is dirt on my floor because my children run in and out all day instead of camping in front of the television. It's ok if there is a layer of dust on my shelves, it will just reappear tomorrow if I dust today anyway! Yes, most of the time there is something sticky on my floor, usually because my children fix their own snacks and drinks. And horror of all horrors, you might just find food stuck to a plate when you pull it out of the cabinet, because my children wash the dishes and put them away. I think I am finally coming to the realization that this is my life and my family and we are just the way God wants us to be. We love our Lord and Saviour, we worship Him alone and spend time in His word daily (ok almost daily). Isn't that what is most important in life anyway, being a child of the King of Kings? I believe so.
Now, all that said, I know I need to be a good steward with what God has given us and that includes cleaning house, let's say more than once a year :) I am called to be hospitable and that means my home should be comfortable for guests, that doesn't mean it has to be a museum. I know I am responsible for cooking healthy foods and doing what I can to keep my family healthy, but I certainly don't think a frozen pizza and a glass of soda every once in awhile is going to kill us. Oh and lands sake, once in awhile I buy bread from the store, GASP!!!
I have to end this by saying that I am writing this mainly to myself because I have been stressing lately that I am not getting enough done. There is a balance between chaos and perfection, I pray that I can find and maintain that balance with the help of my Lord.
Blessings to you my fellow bloggers and may God help you to find the balance in your home as well,
Rashel
Sharing my race of life in faith, fitness, food and family ~ 1 Cor 9:24-27
I just wrote you a long comment...LOST IT! >:/ lol
ReplyDeleteSo basically, around 5 yrs ago, I was visiting a homeschooling friend that I really looked up to. She had 8 children, she had it all together, she had a huge/gorgeous house as they had a lot of money. I'll never forget that she told me once that she would NEVER EVER keep all of her homeschooling stuff out as it was SOOOO tacky(snooty voice). I went right home and took down all my maps, charts, calender, etc. I hid it all away...for the next FIVE YEARS!! I was so embarrassed that they were coming to my home and I didn't want the ladies to see that I had mine out if it was so tacky!
SO, last year, we got our yearly grain order and I had all the buckets stacked all around, and I was so embarrassed b/c I didn't want people to think we were so junky and had all this stuff sitting out, and my husband says, "Honey!! We are a homeschooling/food prep/survivalist family!We have six children schooling here and we have to have food for the year to feed them!!! WHO CARES what anyone else thinks!! (I still had all my homeschooling stuff in the closet where I was hiding it away and having to hassle getting it out each day!) So from that day on, I got out all my stuff! Now we have a kitchen full of maps, charts, Bible stuff, bulletin boards, computer, calenders, art cart, etc. We also have buckets stacked upon buckets all over the kitchen tucked away into corners!! LOL!
I finally realized that as long as my family is happy and comfortable, and as long as I can put on a cup of tea for a friend if they come to visit then my house is A-OK!
I refuse to ever let something that someone else thinks of that nature bother me again. I have been so much happier having all of our stuff out and accessible, and it has really been a blessing! I'm so thankful that the Lord finally used my husband to open my eyes!
Just think of it like this....
There are some that you look to and think that they can do it all, but there are also some who are looking at you and thinking the same thing! :)
--S
I'm with you there Rashel! I am very often inclined to take on the 'super-woman' role...though I can only last so long before I burnout! When I lean on the Lord, I am renewed, refreshed and strengthened!
ReplyDeleteFaithful Mama, I'm so sorry you lost the first comment, that is so annoying. Thank you so much for your input. I'm so glad your hubby set you straight and encouraged you in that way. It is so easy to get caught up in what others think, but it isn't the right thing to do. We are to please our God and our families, not everyone else in the world :) Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteSarah, I too get burned out by trying to be super woman. It just doesn't work. I've been leaning on the Lord heavily lately and that is what renewed my outlook! Thank you so much for sharing with me.
I love reading all of the comments I get on my blog, so keep them coming :)
Gasp! I can't BELIEVE you buy store bread and eat frozen pizza with a glass of soda! I'm Horrified! LOL..J/k of course! Love your post! It's very encouraging! Too often I get discouraged because I'm not "like" someone else, who I think does a much better job than I do! God put me in my family for a reason though! Definitely need to try to be better, but not be discouraged cause I'm not perfect yet! ♥T
ReplyDeleteT- You made me laugh out loud! Glad I could encourage you and you definitely aren't the only one that isn't perfect yet!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Rashel