Already behind

I started this 31 day challenge to gain a clean house and not lose my soul to it last Sunday.  I can honestly say:  I. Am. Behind.  BIG TIME.  You can read about the Challenge on Joyful Mothering.

Obviously the challenges were made more for stay-at-home moms and not moms who have jobs outside the home.  I am finding it nearly impossible (not impossible, just nearly so) to meet the Martha challenges.  For those of you who are not aware of what the Martha Challenge is, it is basically a chore assignment for each of the 31 days.  For instance, the first day was to clean your 'fridge.

Anyway, when I come home from work the last thing I want to do is housework.  I want to play with my two kids. I want to have a real conversation with my husband.  But failure to do housework makes my home chaotic.  And I've already determined that chaotic makes me anxious -   anxious does not a fun wife/mama make.

So I try to do everything that I can to keep up, but still miss the mark.  Is this failure? No, I don't think so.  I just consider it a revised plan.  While some followers of the Challenge may do all of the challenges on schedule, this girl is making up her own schedule.  A lot of my work will, by necessity, be done late in the evening after kids are in bed or on the weekend.  Either way, I will come out ahead.  As long as there is improvement, I am content.  And isn't that all we really need? Contentment?

Praying for contentment for you!

Thirty-One Days to Clean - a Challenge

A couple of weeks ago, I was reading through a friend's Facebook page.  She had read that a new eBook about house-cleaning was about to be published called, Thirty-One Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way, by Sarah Rae.  The premise of the book intrigued me.  You can check it out here.

It bring to my mind the story of Martha and her sister Mary from the Bible in Luke 10:38-42.  Jesus and his disciples were traveling among several towns when they came to the village of Martha and Mary.    I can just imagine how the story would read in modern times: Martha invites Jesus into her and Mary's home.  It is a mess!  How could she let Jesus see her home in such disarray?  She immediately sets to work cleaning, fluffing pillows, picking up Mary's shoes (she always just seemed to walk out of them the minute she came through the door - was it too much to ask for her to put them away?).  Meanwhile, Mary is sitting in the living room listening to Jesus teach.

When Martha complains to Jesus about Mary sitting there while she did all the work, Jesus replies: "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary.  Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)

This gets me thinking.  Why I am so anxious about my house being clean and neat, or more aptly, not being clean and neat?  Was I going about this all the wrong way?  Why do I snap at my family when they mess things up or don't help out as much as I think they should? Moreover, why is it so important to me that I keep our house neat and clean?

I feel like I put a lot of undue pressure on myself when it comes to home and family.  I cannot seem to balance these as well as I would like.  I started searching out others who seemed to have found that balance.  In my search, I found Christin's blog, Joyful Mothering.  She is farther along in her journey to find that balance.  Her blog is inspiring, uplifting and, most of all, hopeful.  I highly recommend it.

It was on Joyful Mothering that I discovered Christin's 31 Day Challenge using Sarah Rae's book.  You can read about Christin's challenge on her blog.  I have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking the challenge.  A good friend from church is taking the challenge as well, although she won't be blogging about it.

The challenges are relatively simple.  Perhaps the most difficult challenge is the very first one: deciding why it is important to me to keep a clean and neat home;  I thought a lot about it, and came to this conclusion:

I need order around me so that I have a sense of calm.  If my surroundings are chaotic, messy and disorganized, I am anxious and unable to focus. 

My friend that I mentioned above, Debbie, did her "Mission Statement" so to speak. I liked it so much, that I asked if I could include it in this post. 




Debbie's Mission Statement

I have begun my mission.  May those of you embarking on similar missions have success!

The Easter Bunny came!

I've been thinking a lot lately about the paths that I have chosen and whether or not I want to continue down these same paths.  Some paths have been perfect just the way I've travelled them:  For instance, I would definitely choose my husband and kids all over again. I would choose the narrow way and not the wide path. I would not choose the convertible car, but I would choose the minivan (even though it is SO non-sexy!).  I would choose the English/journalism major again.  I would not the law degree.  Do you get the idea?

The cool thing about paths is that you can always deviate from them.  Just be sure that in your trailblazing you keep you eye on the final destination.  In my case, I am not sure of the path, but I AM sure of the final destination: that place where I am able to give my God and my family the best me that I can give.  I can see that place.  I am not sure of its name, though.

I am not on the right path yet, but I have my maps, books and a good GPS.  I have every intention of finding my way.   And I am looking forward to it!  Happy Trails to you!

Change of Direction

I have decided that I need a change of direction.  I have felt the gentle (and sometimes, not so gentle) nudge in my spirit to simplify, declutter, and toss things that are draining to me and my family.  In doing so, I hope to get myself and family to a healthier place.

A big part of getting there involves reworking this blog.  I am not the speediest person on earth - I tend to move slowly on techno stuff.  BUT, with that said, stay tuned for changes...'cause they are a'coming!

I didn't expect that!

I am about 3 weeks into Project 333.  It has not been as difficult coming up with 33 pieces as I had first thought.  I didn't expect that.  I discovered that I actually have fewer than 33 pieces that I regularly wear. I also found that I need to add some key pieces to my wardrobe in order to have some variety.  I didn't expect that, either.

I also did not expect that I would have such fun coming up with outfits!  I have stretched my comfort zone in some of the outfits I concocted.  Some were hits and some, well, not so much.  Probably my biggest fashion mistake (according to my fashionista friend, Debbie) is wearing extremely casual khakis with a nicer blouse.  But that is a minor faux pax.  I can live with that. And I did expect that!

I am enjoying the process of finding my style.  It is not something that I will discover overnight, but over time.  Maybe I will get the nerve up soon to post some outfits - but I expect that will be a long time coming.

Project 333

Project 333 - It sounds mysterious, doesn't it?  But it isn't a nefarious plan by aliens to overtake the world.  It is really a lesson in simplicity.  Simplicity in dressing.  (More can be found on Project 333 by clicking --http://www.theproject333.com/)

Several have taken the challenge to make do with fewer number of garments.  I admit that less is not a word normally found in my lexicon.  I am a "more" kinda girl.  If one is good, two are surely better.  It has taken me quite some time to rethink my idea of what a well thought out closet should look like.  Used to be that I thought I had to have a different outfit for every possible event.  Three to four outfits for church - ten different outfits for work - clothes to work out in - clothes to knock around the house in.  You get the idea. 

In comes Courtney with her Project 333.  Three months wearing 33 items of clothing.  Not 33 outfits but 33 items of clothing.  The idea of winnowing my clothing choices down to just 33 items seems daunting, if not plain impossible. Thirty three

I started making a mental checklist of my closet.  The number of slacks I had.  How many blouses, tops and shirts were hanging in there.  Belts, scarves, jackets and what-nots.  There were items in that closet that I had not worn in months, if not years.   I also discovered treasures I had long ago forgotten - like my cowboy boots!

I am taking stock now to determine by 33 pieces over the next three months.  If you should decide to join me in doing the same, I would love to hear how it is working for you!