Ready for Spring (cleaning)

I'm at the end of a two week push, one of those weeks when something is on the schedule every single evening.  Thank goodness for the rainy day that cancelled Doug's track meet one night, but Hannah promptly reminded us that the introduction to junior high was that evening, and we'd lost the paperwork that was sent, so she and I went out that night, too.

My brain feels mushy today.  I went back to bed this morning when Garion kindly decided to sleep in and Olivia decided she would love to watch High School Musical. I'm oddly satisfied by things like folding the four loads of laundry that are cluttering up the hallway and finding a section of the kitchen counter under all the dishes that have been piling up.  I think I could take another nap, but I don't really need it, so I'm trying to decide what put-off project I should resume for naptime.

It's an amazingly beautiful, sunshiney day.  It makes me want to throw open all the windows and clean everything!  I look around and there is stuff everywhere!  Time for a purge and cleanse!

It's not just in our house that things get put off when we're busy.  I know I put off dealing with stuff inside of me because I don't have time to think about it.  When issues come to mind, I shove them down, not having the energy to even look at them.  I think I'm ready to do some spring cleaning inside me, too.  I want to try to look at myself with clear eyes, to see how I really am and not how I convince myself I am.  No excuses, no defensiveness.  I need a healthy dose of reality and honesty to spur me on to grow.

I also need to start working on my eating habits and exercise routines again, but I know that all these things go hand in hand.  My physical behaviors are connected to my emotional and spiritual condition, which directly affect my home and the people who live there.  Like it or not, I am one of the keystones of my family and my attitude often sets the tone for everyone.

So let's start shoving the junk out, letting the light in, and rejoice in this season of renewal.

3 things

A lot of nights, I look back at my day, and am disgusted with how I spend my day.  I "didn't have time" to exercise or read my Bible or play a game with my kids, but I did win a few computer games and read about all the things other people are doing in their houses.

I want my daily life to reflect what is the most important to me.  I decided there were 3 things I want to have in each day:
1. Some time with God
2. Something active, which has to include my back exercises
3. Intentionally connecting with each person in my family

I am really good at feeling guilty about all the things I should be doing.  All the things I think I should be doing overwhelm me so I don't do anything.  I needed to create an achievable goal.  "Lose weight" is too big and vague.  Same with "keep the house cleaner" or "do a better job with my kids."

This I can do.  If I do these three things, I can be okay with my day.  Hopefully I'll get something clean in the house and make healthy food choices, but that will just be icing on the cake.

mmmm, cake.

You make everything glorious

I love the song that sings to God "You make everything glorious, and I am yours, so what does that make me?"  We are created to be beautiful, glorious, enchanting creatures, but we're stuck in this sinful, crazy world that makes it easy to forget that truth.

I want to look for those beautiful things in my every crazy day.  I want to share the things that make me smile or laugh out loud or well up with tears of joy.  You'll hear about my kids -- five amazing daughters and one sweet baby boy.  After 12 years of marriage, I'm crazy about my husband, even when we're driving each other crazy.

We've recently moved into the house I think we'll be in forever, and I'm slowly working to make it beautiful and perfect for us.  I'm enjoying exercising my creativity to make the most of what we have, and I'll enjoy showing it off a little.  One great thing is that our house is across the back yards from my parents, and my husband is even happy about that (most days).

It's going to be a journey of choosing each day to focus on those things that are glorious and beautiful.  That choice will shape my attitude toward my husband, my children, my (sometimes crazy) schedule, and my house.  I will choose to rejoice and be glad in this day.