"Power" Cleaner
Good Morning Girls! I hope you all had a blessed and wonderful Easter weekend! My kids had a long weekend and we played non stop. We went bike riding, egg hunting, and (window)shopping. Yesterday we left home at 10am and pulled back in the garage 9 hours later. It was a great weekend. I wouldn't change a thing......
but then.....I was catapulted into the real world! As I walked in the house I could not believe the mess. It's amazing what can happen to the house when you take a few days off to have fun! There is stuff everywhere! I stop and think...."did I really not do a thing all weekend?". but I know I did. I had friends over on Thursday so my house was at least picked up. I had my parents over Saturday night for dinner, I remember everything seemed pretty clean then (not clean clean, but acceptable clean). I kept looking around and everywhere I looked there was stuff. I could hardly breath. Then I went to the fridge to put in some Easter dinner leftovers and, well, it's a good thing I had some leftovers as that is about all we have other than some random things like cottage cheese and sandwich wraps. I stop for a minute and picture a cottage cheese wrap.....nope, not going to cut it. So, now I know I need to clean house and grocery shop on Monday. I already feel myself hyperventilating and getting into Martha task mode.
I write out a grocery list. I go through the Sunday paper....the coupons are crap for this week! That's just great. Why is no one having good sales? Do they think we ate enough this weekend and we will not be shopping this week? Well, okay I did eat enough and I probably won't need to shop for a couple of days, but my kids were not the gluttonous pig that I was.....they want their chicken nuggets man! I add up the price of the things I would like to get, go count my cash, and soon find myself getting a little worked up about the finances again.
In order to distract myself, I go ahead and write out my to do list. Let's just see whats on my plate for the day. When I get to page two I stop and think "this just isn't going to work for me!". I put the paper down and take a couple of deep breaths. "what am I going to do?" "How am I going to get it all done?"
Tom is oblivious to the mental torture I am experiencing. He is watching the stupid Masters golf tournament that he recorded. Every few minutes he would say "watch this shot Jen. This is unbelievable" I watch for a second, unamused. "I can't believe people stand around and watch other people golf for 6 hours!" Is about all I can say. As Tom is watching, probably wishing he was there, all I can say is "I hate golf. I can't believe those wives have to watch their husbands golf for 4 days. It would be like me having to follow you around work watching you all day.....how lame." Needless to say he didn't bother asking me if anything was wrong, or if he could help me in any way.
In fact, no one is going to help me. I am on my own. I mean, am I going to call a friend and say "hey, would you like to come clean my house?" Her response would most likely be "sure, if you come clean mine". Well, that's equally sucky so I guess I might as well do my own. I sit there for a second wondering if I should get up and at least get a jump start on the kitchen. It would be nice to wake up and have a clean counter top.
But then, I start thinking about the mornings church service (which was awesome). Pastor Mac preached and showed us some scripture about moments just like these. He spoke about God's grace. Not just the grace of our salvation, but the grace, as in power to do the things we need to do. I close my eyes and meditate on the things that so moved me during the service. Everything from the music to the drama to the preaching. I thought about those truths and promises and let them minister to me. I thought about the final song "I AM" and I was soon back in my happy place, knowing everything will be just fine. Everything that needs to get done, will get done. The groceries that need to be bought, will be bought. It will all work out, and it will be much easier than what my mind was trying to tell me. I reviewed the lists again and thought, "okay, I can handle this. I always do. I have more than enough grace for this job and any others the Lord gives me."
When I woke up this morning, I looked around again at the mess. It's really not as bad as it looks. It never takes as long as you think it will. I told myself "One thing at a time". The first thing I did was ask for help. I remembered last night that there is one person who is always willing to help me, no matter how big or dirty the task is. I went to Him, asked him for help, and He said He was already on the job, getting started! It's going to be a great day!
Hebrews 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Love you all-
Jen
but then.....I was catapulted into the real world! As I walked in the house I could not believe the mess. It's amazing what can happen to the house when you take a few days off to have fun! There is stuff everywhere! I stop and think...."did I really not do a thing all weekend?". but I know I did. I had friends over on Thursday so my house was at least picked up. I had my parents over Saturday night for dinner, I remember everything seemed pretty clean then (not clean clean, but acceptable clean). I kept looking around and everywhere I looked there was stuff. I could hardly breath. Then I went to the fridge to put in some Easter dinner leftovers and, well, it's a good thing I had some leftovers as that is about all we have other than some random things like cottage cheese and sandwich wraps. I stop for a minute and picture a cottage cheese wrap.....nope, not going to cut it. So, now I know I need to clean house and grocery shop on Monday. I already feel myself hyperventilating and getting into Martha task mode.
I write out a grocery list. I go through the Sunday paper....the coupons are crap for this week! That's just great. Why is no one having good sales? Do they think we ate enough this weekend and we will not be shopping this week? Well, okay I did eat enough and I probably won't need to shop for a couple of days, but my kids were not the gluttonous pig that I was.....they want their chicken nuggets man! I add up the price of the things I would like to get, go count my cash, and soon find myself getting a little worked up about the finances again.
In order to distract myself, I go ahead and write out my to do list. Let's just see whats on my plate for the day. When I get to page two I stop and think "this just isn't going to work for me!". I put the paper down and take a couple of deep breaths. "what am I going to do?" "How am I going to get it all done?"
Tom is oblivious to the mental torture I am experiencing. He is watching the stupid Masters golf tournament that he recorded. Every few minutes he would say "watch this shot Jen. This is unbelievable" I watch for a second, unamused. "I can't believe people stand around and watch other people golf for 6 hours!" Is about all I can say. As Tom is watching, probably wishing he was there, all I can say is "I hate golf. I can't believe those wives have to watch their husbands golf for 4 days. It would be like me having to follow you around work watching you all day.....how lame." Needless to say he didn't bother asking me if anything was wrong, or if he could help me in any way.
In fact, no one is going to help me. I am on my own. I mean, am I going to call a friend and say "hey, would you like to come clean my house?" Her response would most likely be "sure, if you come clean mine". Well, that's equally sucky so I guess I might as well do my own. I sit there for a second wondering if I should get up and at least get a jump start on the kitchen. It would be nice to wake up and have a clean counter top.
But then, I start thinking about the mornings church service (which was awesome). Pastor Mac preached and showed us some scripture about moments just like these. He spoke about God's grace. Not just the grace of our salvation, but the grace, as in power to do the things we need to do. I close my eyes and meditate on the things that so moved me during the service. Everything from the music to the drama to the preaching. I thought about those truths and promises and let them minister to me. I thought about the final song "I AM" and I was soon back in my happy place, knowing everything will be just fine. Everything that needs to get done, will get done. The groceries that need to be bought, will be bought. It will all work out, and it will be much easier than what my mind was trying to tell me. I reviewed the lists again and thought, "okay, I can handle this. I always do. I have more than enough grace for this job and any others the Lord gives me."
When I woke up this morning, I looked around again at the mess. It's really not as bad as it looks. It never takes as long as you think it will. I told myself "One thing at a time". The first thing I did was ask for help. I remembered last night that there is one person who is always willing to help me, no matter how big or dirty the task is. I went to Him, asked him for help, and He said He was already on the job, getting started! It's going to be a great day!
Hebrews 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Love you all-
Jen
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