Change, Commitment and Control

Someone said, "Keeping the house clean while children are growing is like shoveling snow while it's still snowing!" The fact that I am home all day with my children, (who are quite efficient mess factories on occasion), can sometimes frustrate even my most valiant efforts to keep my home clean. Couple that with the ads for cleaning services I get in the mail and its not long before visions of... neatly made beds, toys all in a row and a couch one can actually sit on, begin wandering through my head. Of course this is possible!! Hire it out! Then I could spend all those extra valuable hours in quality time with the kids! My bubble is soon burst with one quick phone call..."You want how much? To just do the basics? Like dusting and vacuuming? (That's the easy part!) Extra for dishes, bathrooms and...you don't do windows!"

Most likely, you're like me, hiring a cleaning lady just isn't in your budget. And honestly I couldn't quite justify it. There has got to be a way to...are you ready? A way to keep a clean house with...with...kids at home! True, this is a very hard saying, as the thought of it might conjure up ideas of Super Mom - able to handle 10 kids with a single leap, homeschool them all in a single bound, and with one quick sweep - her house sparkles! Well, take heart, there is no such creature. We all have our flaws and shortcomings! But...it is possible to keep our homes reasonably clean - even with children dwelling there, especially if we learn to: organize, create a workable plan and delegate.

If you don't know where you are going, there's no need to start! She who aims at nothing is likely to hit it! We need to set some goals, realistic goals. What are you trying to accomplish? A clean house in which you can eat off the floor or a reasonably, comfy, orderly, inviting retreat for all who enter? Do you want spotless windows, clean desktops,and dust free piano or do you envision a peaceful, calm space with your family moving about happily and unhurried with you in control of your environment. How about that extra free time that seems to flit elusively away each day? Wouldn't it be wonderful to know you are growing and developing spiritually because you now have the time and energy for the things of the Spirit?

Write down what you envision your home to be and then jot down some ways to meet those goals. The hard part is keeping our goals in view when the going gets tough and we see no end in sight. So take time to write it down. In order to meet these goals I had to welcome these three things into my life: Change,Commitment and Control.

Change begins in our minds. I am often quite content, mind you, with the way things are. It's familiar ground. Change means C-H-A-N-G-E! I do have to remind myself though, God is a God of order, and if I'm honest I'm not really happy when things are chaotic and in disarray in my life. God has given us dominion over our world, that includes our homes...it is our responsibility to rule it competently and well.

Commitment involves dedication to a project. If home is important to you...dedicate yourself to cleaning it up. Make it a priority.

Control. Sometimes we get ourselves in trouble by over-committing to, yes, very worthwhile activities and projects, but our first responsibility is our home, not for the sake of the house, but for the sake of our families and our selves. Home is the base from which we reach out into the world. As we get our home base in order, then we may be able to add more to our lives. In the mean time, it may mean learning to say a very hard to say, short word beginning with N and ending in O! "No, I'm sorry I won't be able to help you with that." We only have a limited amount of time and energy. Spend it wisely, where it will help most to accomplish our goal - an orderly on purpose life lived for our Lord.