House Messes

I stress about the shape of my house. I want it to look perfect all the time. Perhaps to hide the fact that we still havn't painted...or that I still haven't redone my dinning room chairs, and that Kaylin's room only has one coat of paint on the walls. After a month. Jacob's room is still purple...sigh I seem to think that as long as the house is spic and span everything else will be overlooked. Silly isn't? When an opportunity comes to open your house to others your first thought is about dishes in the sink. Since when is having dishes put away more important than hospitality? I have to remind myself that when the day of judgement comes God will not question the state of my house, it will be the manner in which I opened my doors for others. How I shared the things that HE has given us. Funny how perspectives are so lost over such little things. This is the mess to which I opened my doors to this morning.



Not like me, my house is usually in order. Well, I should say most of my house is in order. I usually end up shoving things in closets right before piano lessons need to start, but for the most part its in order or at least appears to be. But despite the mess we did manage to have a lovely cup of coffee/tea and good fellowship. And because it was at my house rather than the park (which was so cold and windy I know Jacob would have gotten an ear infection) Jacob could take a much needed nap. Its fun to see the blessings in small things as well. Or not so small...for when Jacob misses a nap he's a bear for about a day or two.

There's a stigma for stay-at-home Moms I think, that they have too much time on their hands. I often hear this response from others when I tell them what I do "and do what??" they say. I find myself apologizing when people come over about not having finished decorating. Apart of me wants to scream "don't judge me, I'm busy". But I'm learning not to care so much...someone once told me its not a house that reflects on a Mom but the behaviour and happiness of her children. The time spent teaching children about God, about love and about what is right and wrong. For that is first and foremost the task that parents are given. I like to remember this.

Besides when I do clean up this is what Jacob does to my flowers. They rain down petals! How fun!