The assignment over at Blogger Friend School this week is a challenge for me.  Especially after the post where I admitted that keeping up with the housework has been my greatest struggle lately.  So, I thought I'd write about the goal I'm working towards and actually have had the pleasure of living in at different times in life.

Assignment: How do you keep energized so you can get it all done? bouncy music? treat it like a workout? Do you use a schedule?, a housekeeping binder system? luck of the draw system?.. or is this an area where you need encouragement? Do you need God’s help to keep order and beauty in your dwelling place? Take this week to tell us how You diligently keep going with your housekeeping chores.

Years ago when I was walking through that dark valley of depression (for the first time) I found FlyLady.  Now, I know that some people would be overwhelmed by FlyLady's plan but for me it was a perfect fit.  I am a very schedule, rules, structure type of person so I really just needed someone to "tell me" what to do at that point in life.  I remember meeting DH at the door and beaming over the fact that I had washed the dishes that day.  At that time in life washing the dishes was a tremendous step and about all the energy I could muster.  He was quite excited for me (wink at ya honey)! 

Fast forward (through the frustratingly difficult time of depression) to just a couple of years ago...I found that I could more loosely schedule my days and still get everything done.  It was a wonderful feeling to know that my house was clean.  The clutter and toys, of course, were really my only nemisis at that time.  I cheerfully worked through my week this way:

Monday was vac/dust Living Room, vac/dust/counters in the Kitchen

Tuesday was vac/dust bedrooms and clean upstairs baths

Wednesday I skipped because of Bible Study but I did do more laundry in the afternoon

Thursday was vac/dust/organize playroom and clean bath/laundry room

Friday was errands and management duties (menus, planning, etc)

This worked great until we moved to a bigger house, had two more children, and added in schooling during more hours of the day.

I do truly thank God for the strength to focus on my children and not my dust though.  For example, right now my in-laws and parents are visiting and the house hasn't been vaccumed in about 2 weeks.  I did get a bit of the clutter picked up and cleaned the baths but I'm not going to stress over the floors.  I believe that getting school done yesterday was more important than the vaccuming.  So, I'm living in the "choose your battle" mode for housework right now.  It does overwhelm me at times but I'm not allowing it to consume me.  Dust and dog hair is not eternal!  The souls of my children are eternal and my time with them is short. 

I will continue to prioritize my housework according to the maturity of my children.  I know that someday I will have the luxury of maintaining a cleaning schedule again and until then I do my best.  I found such hope in the words that pastor shared with dh and I during counseling for Peanuts dedication.  He commented on how a family pursuing Christ should be a place of order and life.  If you go visit some houses there is order and no life (no children) or there may be life and no order (children but no structure).  I'm dependent on God for the strength to be content with where we are...we live in organized chaos on most days.  I'm learning to find joy in our times together rather than how long the bathroom stayed clean once I finished it. 

Perspective!  Its all about perspective.  I'm reminded of the children of Israel when the snakes bit them.  They were told to "look up" at the rod that was in Moses's hand in order to be healed.  I am finding that I need to "look up" for a perspective adjustment when I focus my eyes on the tasks rather than the "get-tos".  I get-to teach them the Word of God, read with my children, teach them to focus on doing their best, use our collective creativity to do projects, listen to their happy chatter/laughter while playing, and help them learn to solve their differences through training in peace-making.  Oh, and sometimes we manage to clean the house too!

The Scripture that has influenced my thinking this week was a memory verse for the children last week..."No on can serve two masters."  Matthew 6:24a

I cannot serve my cleaning schedule...but that doesn't mean that I am going to just give up and let things get ugly dirty around here either.  It is a blend of perspective and balance, thus the organized chaos.