Ang the flying kiwi ~ living by Romans 12:2 God wants spiritual fruit - not religous nuts!

Feb. 13, 2007

Finding joy in the everyday

I'm struggling a bit with finding joy in the everyday tasks of being a homemaker...I so desire to be flourishing instead of just 'getting by'. I get really frustrated sometimes because the jobs are never-ending...you know, even when you do get the washing 'up to date', by that evening there's a pile more...you sweep the floor only to turn around and there's paper-cuttings everywhere (my pet peeve ;-), I tidy the lounge only to come back 5 minutes later and the children have pulled all the cushions off the couch again...! I think that, with other 'jobs' outside the home, you get a feeling of accomplishment, when something is finished - it's done, you know? And you move onto the next thing. I think with home-making things are not ever done, you always have to start over again (with the same old task) the next minute, the next hour, the next day, the next week...I know that I'm not doing this for 'earthly' rewards and I need to keep my eyes 'above', but I'm really missing the everyday joy, you know? I think I need to start reading "Hidden Art" by Edith Schaefer again (I started it then stopped...I have so many books I'm trying to read at the moment!!)...maybe that's the key to finding that elusive joy?!

I don't know...maybe it's just my heart attitude that I need to make a decision to change? There are a few books by Nancy Campbell (Above Rubies) that I'd like to read that might help, but funds don't allow at the moment. Probably what's missing from my life at the moment is quiet time...I haven't picked up my Bible since before Christmas *gasp*!! The other thing that's missing from my life at present is exercise!!! Eek!! I really want to get in shape so I'll have more energy and 'get-up-and-go', but I'm just not sure where to fit it in!

Okay, so the plan is to think about fitting in some excercise (and DOING it!) and start having a daily quiet time again...I have recently put into place a daily quiet reading time for the children at 3pm every day (ds 1's nap-time), so I'm going to make sure I spend at least 15 minutes (hopefully more) of that time reading my Bible and praying.

Blessings & love

Ang

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble" Helen Keller

• Post A Comment! • Send to a Friend!

Comments

Feb. 13, 2007 - Prayer.

Posted by BarbaraLee

Have you simply asked God "Help me to love my duties. Oraganize my day?" It might take awhile but day you are going to realize that OH I love this or things went well. That is what happened to me when I was vaccuming one day. I realized how I enjoyed it. The buzzing sound in one tone. You know like the sea waves. Or the warm suddzy dishwater as you do dishes. You keep asking God you will realize this too. Write them down once you figured it out. I wish I would have done that. I always had a neat house but to enjoy it was another story. I felt overwhelmed too. God Bless

• Permanent Link

Feb. 13, 2007 - HUGS!!

Posted by Liz

{{{HUGS HONEY}}} This is exactly where I was at a week or so ago... I'm still playing catch up on housework, but I'm just not so frustrated by it at the moment.

Keep your chin up and your eyes fixed on Him.

I try to go for a 15min walk around our neighbourhood after DH is home and the kids are asleep. That may or may not work for you, depending on when DH gets home and when kids go to sleep. I try to do my Bible reading in the mornings, so that if things don't go as planned, I still have the rest of the day to try to fit it in. That's just works for me though...

Have a great day!

• Permanent Link

Feb. 14, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by 40winkzzz

I don't know how many times over the past 20 yrs I have expressed exactly the same frustration about housework-- that it's not lasting, it always has to be redone, and so on. I often long to do more "permanent" things, things that i can go back to time and again and say, "Look what i did" and enjoy it! Yet there is not a lot of time to do those kinds of things (scrapbooking, decorating a room, etc) bc I am always so busy with all that stupid little stuff that just gets undone!

I have to remind myself that, even tho so many of my tasks seem to bring only temporary benefits, the culmination of all I do DOES have a permanent effect! I have to look at the big picture. Instead of thinking, "(Groan) I'm spending all this time making dinner and it will all be gone in half an hour and I will just have to do it again tomorrow...", I need to say, "You know, I make a good dinner for my family almost every night, and that has lasting benefits." The small, "temporary" tasks that i do are really just parts of a whole, and when I can see it that way, it helps.

• Permanent Link

Feb. 21, 2007 - Been there!

Posted by lovinlife

I can relate! Lately I just try to realize as long as we are clean and fed the house can be a bit messy. I know it can't be messed up all the time, but it is impossible to have everything perfectly clean all the time. When I put too many expectations on myself, I suffer from burnout. Making time for prayer and the word has to come first or else we do run on empty. I got into a ladies bible study recently that really has helped me. The accountability is so important, because I know I have to read and do the lesson for the Monday session. Even if I miss a day, I want to catch up so I can be part of the discussion. (I love verse by verse studies so much more than topical ones.) Anyway, maybe you could find a friend or a group to meet weekly and be accountable. It does wonders for me. Plus, it's nice for my husband to be with the kids so I can have time to get spiritually fed with other ladies. Just some thoughts...:)

• Permanent Link