confessions (of a mama) part.21.

I used to have a love.hate relationship with this place.

Loving the (rare) moment it was clean, hating the (usual) moments it was a mess.

I used to get really overwhelmed by the task of keeping our house decent'ish.

House cleaning always seemed like a necessary evil in my life.

I would clean it with the power of *rage*...rubbing the dirty spots clean while muttering dirty words under my breath.

This ol' house often taunted me like the Hydra monster of Hercules... for every head I cut off, three more sprang from it's root.

Like a continual game of whack-a-mole... the dust bunnies and grime kept popping up their heads.  Sometimes I'd catch myself begrudging the little mess-makers around me.  "If only they would just clean up their toys right away" "If only he would just put it back where it came from".

Sometimes I'd catch myself wishing for a natural disaster: "If only a house fire would do the cleaning for me!".

 -------------

So, needless to say, keeping this house clean really showed the dirt in my heart.

------------

Because I used to love when I thought my heart was clean, and I hated when I saw the sin festering there.  I'd get overwhelmed by the mess.  For every sin I thought I conquered, three more sprang up.

The problem was, I was trying to do it all with my own elbow grease.

As if I could rub my heart clean by pretending perfection.

"We have all become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment."

(Isaiah 64:6) 

--------------------------- 

Back to house work.  Guess what the winning solution was?

Maintenance.

I used to just let the dishes pile up all day, and then in an overwhelmed heave of exasperation I'd clean them late into the evening. 

Now I do a bit in the morning, after lunch, after dinner.

Small, manageable piles.

The art of home maintenance.

It takes only a few minutes to sweep.

Fifteen minutes to wash a floor.

Another fifteen to clean the bathroom.

Instead of sitting on the couch feeling guilt and anger over the mess, I just had to get up and 'crack on' and see how quickly they could be dealt with.

What freedom!

 --------------------

Maintenance works for most levels of our lives.

Keep in touch with people regularly.. it's easier than putting them off for months and trying to reconnect.

Keep in communication with your partner.. it's easier than festering in silence and isolation.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle.. it's easier than the heart-attack to restart.

Keep the path to your prayer room well worn... it's easier to go to God quickly when your heart is kept soft.

Maintenance.

I'm still learning the value of such a word in my life too.

Mel ;o)