I am a do-er so even in my down time I am pulling up my various checklists of things to do when I’m not busy to work on them 🙂
My eldest son is home with me for a few days and doing schoolwork at home, so I’ve focused on making our second office desk into a space where homework can be done. This is less simple than it seems because his homework requires coloring, cutting, gluing, stapling… and … since he shares an office with me, it needs to be kept somewhat tidy!
We quickly got his items together and have a cadence — finish one activity and he sets a timer for himself for 30 minutes of TV. When the timer goes off, he gets a snack and comes in here for the next activity. Bless this kid for having a “to do” mentality like me. Now if only I can learn to take breaks like him 🙂
We have been working on decluttering and a new round of toddler proofing (since the toddler will of course be curious when he gets home) and thanks to our organization, we were able to get his supplies and shuffle away stuff we didn’t need easily. I laughed as we rounded up 7 pairs of scissors — enough for all the kids to have 2!
It made me think about stuff, and how stuff can weigh us down. I’m grateful that the Spirit has placed on me a desire to preserve the Earth, to reduce waste, to reuse rather than purchase new, and reduce clutter. This has lead to several things including:
- Easier cleaning (less things == less things to clean up)
- Safer home (less stuff to trip on or drop)
- Mental health (the appearance of space and counters rather than clutter)
- Better budgeting (when we know what we have and where it is, we don’t buy it multiple times)
- Time (due to less cleaning and searching for stuff)
- Someone else can gain – We have been giving out about one hamper of stuff a month (either donating it or posting it on our local buy nothing group.
So why am I blogging about cleaning up on my faith blog to my future adult children?
Because we don’t get a clear 10 step manual on the Christian life, especially the home life.
And a gem I’ve found is that there is peace and joy to be found in an organized, clutter-free home. If you find yourself buying things you don’t need, stop. And then regularly get rid of things! I used to think it wasn’t feasible with small children but even a cursory study shows that kids thrive with less toys which produces more room for imagination (and less cleanup for Mommy). It also reduces the false mental connection that things == happiness.
In a way I can be Mary and Martha more easily — there is less stuff for Martha to do, so Mary, despite having a surprise child visitor for two days, can sit in a chair with a candle and my coffee before work and reflect on life in a clean, clear environment. These are precious minutes that help me build myself daily to be better, and Praise God for them!
Let us pray:
Loving God, you created me with a purpose which is worship to You and love for others.
Help me rid myself of anything that causes us to turn from that purpose.
Keep me focused on simplicity and lightness — let me be as nimble as the disciples called into the work with nary more than the shoes on their feet.
Deliver me from the false promises of the world that declare that the priorities of the world — luxury, beauty, expensive things — would bring me happiness.
Let the fire in my heart burn and be rekindled as I make moments together that build up the Body of Christ on Earth.