Feeling Convicted...

Lately, as the sun comes out and I want to open all the windows and enjoy the sunshine, I've been feeling convicted. When I open the windows and let in the light, I see DUST! Everywhere! I start to look around, and that's when I notice all the little things out of place. There are piles of junk mail on the table, empty wrappers on the coffee table, old drinking  glasses scattered throughout the house... Not to mention the laundry that has somehow taken over our bedroom again (I just spent a good 4hrs cleaning our bedroom about 3wks ago!). Don't get me wrong, I vaccuum on a regular basis and keep things clean... It's just that I've let go of the "a place for everything, and everything in its place" idea.


I get so frazzled sometimes. How does this happen?! How do I let it get like this time, and time again??

I grew up with an exceptionally clean mom- and very organized too! We had schedules for our chores and if they weren't done up to the set standard, we did them again. She'd say "It's my job as mom to prepare you for when you're a wife and homemaker." I'm so glad my mom raised me this way, and I so greatly appreciate her attention to detail! But it seemed like as I got older, my bedroom was always a disaster. There is something about a "lived-in" space that I find kind of comforting! I don't have to worry if I sit on the bed and mess the covers up, because, it's already messy! I think having a super tidy mom made my pendulum swing too far the opposite way. It's easy to let that happen in life, but finding balance is so very important.

Now as I'm sitting in my living room surrounded by mess, I've realized that- yes, I'm saying it- MOM WAS RIGHT. I hated doing the chores and more often than not, I ended up doing them more than once. But she was preparing me. She was preparing me for adulthood, for responsibility, for taking care of a home and husband- and eventually children! My husband works so that we can live comfortably, and I should at the very least be able to keep a clean home for him to live in. I think of it as a respect thing :)

I'm feeling convicted to have more respect for my husband by doing my part, to show better stewardship of the precious things God has blessed me with, and to strive to be a Proverbs 31 hardworking woman (I still don't think I'll be rising with the sun, however).

How do you all do in this area? Any tips on staying organized or motivated? Please share!

Mommy for a week...

I'm sitting here at almost 1:30 with a desk full of papers in front of me. I'm in the process of cutting out bridesmade dress ideas, paying school loans and bills, grading my sister's math work, and trying to find all the papers I need in the ever-growing mountain between me and this computer screen. But want to know the best part? I've been up since 7:30 and I haven't even showered yet! I'm wearing an array of grunge clothes I found on my bedroom floor, and I finally found a precious pink heaband with sparkly flowers to hold my greasy bangs out of my face... I hope no mormons or neighbor kids come knocking on my door- I'm a sight to behold! I probably could have used this to my advantage if today was halloween instead...

While I bask in the glory of getting up two hours earlier than I'm used to, cleaning sleepy faces, and making breakfast and school lunches for three energetic children (while I'm still in my groggy "I'm still asleep but I'm walking around because I have to" state of morning), my mom is basking in sunshine, warmth, and the splendor of Hawaii.

Can I just say I'll take a rain check on having children of my own for a while? Maybe I'll consider it when my siblings are old enough to take care of my children for me while I take a trip to Hawaii for a week...

Afterall, that's what siblings are for... Right? Time for some heavy duty coffee.



WORK!!!

It seems that my life is completely taken over by work! Working two jobs and trying to get the ball rolling with my photography is rather difficult... I constantly have so much to do and so little time to do it! However, I truly love bringing home the paychecks ;) If I had tried having two jobs a year ago I would have absolutely lost my mind! i don't know what's changed.... maybe my motives are the answer. Trying to save money for next summer is a HUGE motivation! In fact, it's all I can think about some days :\ But let's not get distracted. The point of this is to complain about being too busy.

This is usually my thought process throughtout the day:

... What time do I work?... Ugh I'm hungry.... What time do I work next?... Ugh I'm hungry... Must. Edit. Pictures!... Ugh I'm hungry... What time do I work tomorrow?... Sleep time?...

Yes. Those are my ONLY thoughts all day long. Nothing else matters. Work, Food, Pictures, Sleep.
My life. Good thing I love what I do...

Sigh...

Motivation?? Now that's laugh...

As I face the long summer ahead of me, and think about my time, I know there will probably be too few workouts, too many "seconds" on dessert, and plenty rain to keep my motivation to a minimum. Living in rainy, cloudy weather all year long can be quite discouraging! Instinctively I just push exercise to tomorrow when "it's sure to be sunny!" Being on the track team during the school always helped keep me in shape... I had no choice but to run my hiney off! Now that those scheduled workouts are done, I can almost feel myself putting the extra cushion on.

I've found that as much as people say "Motivate yourself!", It's simply not going to work that way. Good ol' ice cream and white cheddar popcorn are the only things that remotely motivate me, and those are the things I am supposed to be cutting out of my diet! Self-discipline is going to have to win. Maybe with some discipline I'll get my cardio going once again...