My whole body ached. It was dinner time, I was folding my sixth load of laundry and I’d been cleaning since 6 am, with a brief break for lunch at a park. I wanted nothing more than to hide in my room by myself. But I couldn’t. My list wasn’t done and I needed to have the entire house clean at one time. And it needed to happen today.
My kids had helped with my list of chores. But, by the time I’d checked all their jobs multiple times, it was anyone’s guess whether it had helped or hindered. I have a child or two who hates cleaning to the point of tears and likes to do as little as possible. But that wasn’t going to cut it today.
Today the house was going to be clean. Deeply clean.
The week had been chaotic. And while I am no one’s perfectionist the messy house had my nerves on edge.
I had started the day with a smile. I’d listened to music as I organized drawers, danced with AJ and let him “help me” until I offered a Daniel Tiger show to recover from the “help”.
The smile had faded as my kids had slowly finished their lists. Mine still loomed in front of me and now it was accompanied by choruses of, “Mama read with me?” and “Mom will you play uno with me?” I shoved the tears back into my eyes with my palms as I said, “Not right now,” for the hundredth time.
It’s just one day. They’ll be fine.
I just need the house clean all at once for just a minute.
The focus was on the house. The need for order.
And then I saw this note I’d taped to my fridge months ago.
And I shifted.
My goal isn’t a clean house. That’s the by-product. My goal is to teach the kids responsibility, hard work, and to do their best at a job they may not love.
A shift from-
frustration to acceptance of what is, right now.
Last month I heard a talk that suggested that you approach everything on your to do list as a way to glorify and give thanks to God.
Another shift from:
This is boring, monotonous, I never have time….
to
joy