I am domestically challenged

She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking. (The Message)


My theory is women generally are good as some homemaking skills, but not others.  I can cook, and do laundry well.  I generally fail at house cleaning and decorating.  I am the woman who has had the same curtains in her living room for 20 years and I still like them just fine, thank you very much!  As I type this, my family room is impassible with tiny Lego parts and various toy vehicles.  My dining room table has books, papers, check book, various bowls of fruit and vegetables, etc on top.  Our mail is in a pile on the piano seat.  Pocketbooks and various bags are on the floor and sofa. My house is basically a disaster.

I am intimidated by women who seem to have it all together, especially the place where I am posting this "31 Days" with: The Nester.  Her byline is: "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful"---are you kidding me?  The photos of her home are stunning.  Where are her children's toys? And her husband's work papers?  Where are the family dirty soxs? Just saying.

I have a dream that someday my home will be small and clutter-free. Where the bathroom toilet and sink are not green, my wall paper is not 20-years old and the floor tiles are not pealing up.  I just can't seem to get there.  Maybe when I live alone, when my children finally move out and my husband passes on and I am really alone, I can have my dream house.

But I don't want to live alone.  I love all these messy people I live with and truth be told, I am the messiest of all. I could be cleaning right now, but here I am writing this blog post instead.

Yet I know that my God is a God is peace and order and joy.  And the mess here gets in the way of that.  This is not happening on my own because I hate housework.  I do.  But I love my family and I want to give them a sanctuary.  

Father, You are my only hope.  You call us to be passionate in caring for our homes, so much so, that we are willing to lose sleep over it.  Honestly, I just don't want to.  I am exhausted by the end of the day and my family often works against me.  Heck, I work against me!  Please help me be diligent in homemaking.  Even if my home will never be picture perfect, help me care for it so that it is a place of comfort and peace.