I know everybody is busy. It is just busy having a family & homeschooling. Some days I just don't know where to begin. I have come to a realization, though... it begins the night before. I can't go to bed at midnight ANYMORE!!! 10:00 should be my bedtime, not midnight. (...and its 10:30 now, hmmm...) If Momma doesn't get her rest, all the rest will fall apart!
Before Christmas our home was such a disorganized mess, I didn't know how I would ever get it cleaned up. So I offered to host Christmas! Sounds silly, but I work better with a deadline! I got the house pretty clean... though my bed was covered in last-minute clutter when everyone arrived! But over all it was pretty clean! I had gone through the school room, play room and "family room"/"Tyler's bedroom" and had it in as good of shape as an unfinished basement could probably get. I had the upstairs decluttered and cleaned up as good as I could get it. Then it hit me: the only mess left is that clutter pile I stuffed in our room on Christmas morning! Wow! I was so close, surely I could finish it up curing Christmas break! What incentive, to be almost, dare I say... "DONE!" That is NOT a word I would normally EVER use in my household tasks. My work is never really done!
So now I am in maintenance mode, and I must say, I like it a whole lot better than chaos!!! I don't feel guilty if I sit down for a few minutes when my back hurts. I don't feel guilty when everyone's homework is done on Friday night and the kids want me to sit with them and watch a movie. I don't feel guilty NFL Playoffs weekend when I want to snuggle up to Hubby on the couch and watch the games because there's nothing to feel guilty about! Don't get me wrong, ITS NOT PERFECT, but its not chaos.
Even our bedroom isn't chaos! Our bedroom has always been a "catch-all" and has never been "really clean". It is pretty clean! (Notice I said, "pretty clean".) I have a sense of pride in my work, but much more importantly, I know that I didn't do it in my own strength. God is the one who gives strength. I have been so short on energy these last 5 years, it feels great to have energy!
I am also trying to get up early to exercise and pray. BEFORE the kids get up! My goal is to (eventually) go to bed at 9:00, get up at 5:30 for exercise, personal devotions, shower, and prepare dinner. If I do it in the morning, I will have more free time later when I can spend time with my family, eat dinner earlier, clean up earlier, and... go to bed earlier!!! It is sort-of a cycle, which starts with going to bed early. The problem is, I am a night owl! So by God's grace and my obedience to Him (and a schedule) I CAN DO THIS!!!
