I am a perfectionist...wanna-be that is!
I would love to have a "Martha Stewart" home where EVERYTHING is neatly organized and sparkly clean; creatively decorated and fresh. But...I have children. Four of them to be exact; a five-yr-old girl who has a passion for art and all things paper, a three-year-old boy who is very much a BOY and loves to rough and tumble, an extremely cute little girl who is a spittin' image of her mama and can't help the fact that she is TWO, and an up-and-coming crawler, our six-month-old baby girl.
All of my "pretties" are still packed away, my raggedy, old couch is secure in its position, because we can't chance ruining a newer one. There are pencil marks and marker marks on the wall still waiting to be scrubbed off by Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Every window and mirror has finger-prints, the fish-tank too, from curious little hands. Though we eat in just one room of the house, crumbs are quickly transported all over the house by the two-year-old who escaped before her hands were wiped clean. And then there's the occasional catastrophe, like this morning. My two early-birds decided to have a cupcake party on the couch. The cupcakes were on TOP OF THE REFRIGERATOR!
Life around here is just like the game; I work really hard to get all the pieces in the right place and then, POP! Everything tumbles back out everywhere. Please know, I am not a slob. I work very hard sun-up to sun-down, and yes, I do get frustrated at times. I am also actively training my children to be neat and clean up after themselves. Perhaps you know the key to keeping a perfect house while raising four children under the age of six. If you do, I would LOVE to know some of your secrets! I will not give up my quest of keeping my house clean and tidy, but it will NEVER be spotless.
It may sound like I'm complaining, but I'm NOT! I know there are hundreds of women out there who cannot have children. I personally know a few! My heart aches for them and I pray the Lord will give them children to love and hold! Honestly, I wouldn't trade places with Martha Stewart for the world! I wouldn't trade places with ANYONE for the world, for you see, my house is PERFECT! Perfect for me. My husband loves to quote, "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean..." I'm sure I'd have a beautiful home if I didn't have children, but I'll take the children!
I remember when I was in Bible college I passed two of the maintenance men in the hall and I overheard part of the conversation. One said, "You see this," gesturing to the bricks, floor, the windows, "this is man's idea of perfect, all straight lines and perfect angles." Then he gestured outside toward the trees and beautiful pond. "God's perfection has no straight lines."
Our idea of perfect for our homes, may not be God's idea of perfect.
Just as God's idea of a beautiful woman is not in her appearance, but in her spirit, I believe that God's idea of a perfect home is a good spirit. This should be our focus!
So things may be a little "dusty" around here, but I have happy kids! And I'm striving to be a happy mama, even while vacuuming the cupcake crumbs off the couch!
No comments:
Post a Comment