I read this story over at Sarah Mae's blog this morning and I got several things out of it that I want to share with you.
Finally, at 10:00, thinking about falling into bed just to stay alive, did I say, beyond weary to the bone, if possible,
when I passed Joy’s bedroom. (She was out at her very last speech party, with friends and comrades.)
Piles everywhere–strewn clothes on chairs, floor; shoes, speech ballots and paper all over the floor, dirty tea cups, plates with crumbs in them, and unmade bed with stuff here and there…….an overall mess…….
She was not being irresponsible, she had given her all–practicing, writing, dressing, running from room for room for giving over 30 speeches, adrenalin spilled, energy expended. Her bedroom was a reflection of our weeks.
If I were her, I would not want to come home to such a mess.
I know what it is like to return from conference weekends to a messy bedroom when you are beyond tired. It oppresses one to think of more work and more effort……
And so with one last weary push, I hung clothes, stacked papers into neat piles, picked up all the dishes, folded her sheets and covers into a straight and welcome turn down for needed sleep, placed shoes in the closet, picked up random things off the floor and placed beloved stuffed animals in the proper place of old, when she as a child loved their welcome.
When she returned at midnight, she would see love all over her bedroom, a little more ordered place, where rest would come more easily, because I needed to do unto her as I would have her do unto me–if I had been so weary and in need of an angel to straighten my room.
Please read the whole post over at Sally’s blog, I Take Joy.
I can totally relate to this story. Not from the perspective of the mom, who lovingly serves her daughter, but from the perspective of the daughter who had "given her all" to a project/task and her bedroom was "a reflection of our weeks". When I am focused on a big thing (working on a presentation, leading a Bible study at church, a holiday season or birthday party, preparing for a trip, etc.) I let my home go. I get so absorbed in the task at hand that I literally walk in the door, dump my crap and my kids' crap and walk back out the door. I just don't have time to to deal with it all until the "one big thing" (or lots and lots of small things!) is over and done with. After several days of this routine...it becomes utterly painful to come home and look at the filth and disorder. Overwhelming. Uncomfortable. Exhausting.
The other thought that I had after reading Sally's story, above, is "Wow....I want to be that kind of mom!" Jesus demonstrated his love for us through His sacrifice on the cross, giving up His own life on our behalf. Am I demonstrating love to my family by choosing to lay down my selfishness and serve them? I need to look at my "chores" not as sacrifice of my own time and interests but as service to those I love. The laundry...an act of love. Mopping the floors...serving the littlest ones who play down there. Doing the dishes...showing a visible heart of gratitude for the food we are blessed with eating.
I don't know about you, but I need to CHOOSE to love my family well. To share a quote from Sarah Mae, "I want to be that, I want to be the woman who loses herself in Jesus, who lays down her life to give life to others. And in losing myself, I can find reason to clean and to write about cleaning. It is just another gate through which to show people Jesus; it is another way to love."
______________________________________________
Today's Challenges (from Sarah Mae)
Mary Challenge: Take a few moments and write down all the ways you have felt loved in someone else’s home – what were the little touches that warmed your spirit? Think about how you can implement those kind of things into your own home. Write down some ideas of how you can really make your family feel loved and special in their home.
Martha Challenge: Move on to the next task in a bedroom. Today I’m cleaning my son's room!
Can you relate to my post today? In those busy weeks or months, does your home become a place to dump your crap and sleep at night so you can start over again the next day? I would love to hear from you in the comment section below!
No comments:
Post a Comment