Feb. 17, 2006 - Dress to your shoes?
If any of you have heard of Flylady you will know what I mean by dress to your shoes. Her idea is that if you dress to your shoes each day in your home you will be ready to accomplish what needs to be done. This doesn't mean to put on shoes while still in your pajamas and do your stuff around the house. Personally, I really thought she was daff to suggest such a thing. Doesn't she know that we don't wear shoes in our house. Its supposed to save on the vacuuming. (My husband would still cruise through the house with his shoes on, but he doesn't go into the bedrooms with the white carpet. . .usually.) You know what? After years of practicing some Flylady principles my home is way more manageable than ever before and I can't seem to get much done, except blogging, while still dressed in my blue flannel plaid shirt and lavender pajama bottoms with cute little bears on them. (Can you believe that I took my daughter to school in these? I didn't get out of the car, though.) Flylady says to dress nice, not frumpy, even for a day at home. Now I'm not talking about dressy nice, but just not be slobby. She even says to wash your face, do your hair, and put on make up (if that's something you would do to go to work or out anyway). This is all easier to accomplish if we get up 15 minutes before our family, she says. What???? I love that 15 minutes, but I don't love the rush and hurry about the house. Today I was up for awhile before I realized things would be easier if I put on my glasses! We are the Titus 2 keepers of our home. The Proverbs 31 women whose worth is far above rubies. Each morning we are preparing ourselves for a new day of adventure in our homes. I don't know if Flylady knows it or not but what she tells us to do in our homes is also what we are to do in our spiritual lives. Ephesians 6 tells us to "Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-" Why do we take up the whole armor of God? So "that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." For me, I am much more joyful and prepared for the journey ahead if I have taken time to dress, wash my face, and brush my hair. (Sometimes I don't brush it because its just easier to pull it up into something that resembles a bun!) Flylady says to put on tie up shoes, but I don't always do that because of our white carpet in the bedrooms. There are days, like today, that I know I need those shoes I can't just slip off so I'll wear my brand new gym shoes. They need to broken in anyway. So, I'm off to get out of my frumpy clothes and prepare myself for the battle ahead. As I do that I will also shed that part of me that is lazy and not prepared like the virgins who ran out of oil. I will put on my armor and look over the ways of my household and as I go about keeping my home I will also be keeping over the spiritual lives of the children in my home.
Comments
Feb. 17, 2006 - Great post
Posted by hsmomof2
Thanks for stopping by my blog the other day. I enjoyed this post! Inspiring! I wear inside-only shoes around the house. I work out in them and then wear them most of the day. More comfortable for me than bare feet, and since they've never been outside they don't get the carpet dirty!
Feb. 18, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Rebeca
I just wear my slippers all day. No wonder I have such a hard time getting anything done. Do you still rinse your dishes? :>
Oh I love you Dar! Let's get together soon! I'll call you.
Love,
Beca
Feb. 18, 2006 - rinsing dishes?
Posted by keldaris
Are you kidding? I only rinse if its chunky or really really stuck on. My dishwasher can handle it. Hey, I instruct my servant, a.k.a my Frigidaire dishwasher, to do my work! Then the kids empty the dishwasher. My next task is to teach them to load it perfectly as I would. You know, load it to its maximum holding.
I love you! You're a ruby!
Feb. 19, 2006 - I do this too.
Posted by OnTheVerge
I used to believe it didn't matter what I was wearing to do things at home. BUT now that I do get dressed to shoes I am much more productive and actually get things accomplished like running errands, etc because I don't have to stop to get dressed before leaving the house. Glad to kknow I'm not the only one who resisted at first. I like the connect you made with Ephesian 6.
Feb. 19, 2006 - flylady
Posted by Aligirl
Isn't flylady cool!! I tried it out a couple of years ago, and I loved it. I couldn't get it all down at once, and gave up cause we moved into our new house at the time, but I would love to start it up again. You'll have to let me know how it goes! A lot of mommies use the flylady techniques. I always loved the scrub your sink. It does make you feel like the kitchen is clean and your in control when you see it sparkling!
Feb. 22, 2006 - Flylady/Armor of God analogy
Posted by i love this analogy. As I have had 4 "grungy/lazy days" in a row, this blog has gently pearced my spirit. What an incredible reminder that our shoes are a part of our armor. God gifted each of us with a special job as homeschooling moms. Your blog has reminded me that this is a job. One of the most important ones I will ever have. I would never dream of working outside the home in what I have on (including attitude) so WHY in the world would I do God's work this way??? Thank you again for this loving reminder of our special calling and the special "uniform" that it requires.
Hugs,
Brandi
p.s. I HIGHLY recommend that you send this to flylady as a testimonial!
Edited by lonestaracademy on Feb. 22, 2006 at 4:49 PM
