When keeping a nice home isn't enough...at all.
I have been feeling great conviction lately over my obession with a clean and neat home. It's kind of funny that one person's obsession that turns sinful could be another person's weakness that can become sinful, you know what I'm saying? I realize that as women according to the Bible in Titus that we are to be busy at home. We should strive to have our home be a reflection of ourselves, our love for the Lord and our family. We are also called to serve our husbands and our families in the home, to keep the Lord first...to rise early in the morning and spend time with Him. We are to fear the Lord because beauty is fleeting and a woman that fears the Lord is to be praised. We are to put our husband's and children's needs ahead of ours. Who's need is it that the house is to be perfectly decorated, in order and smelling delicious? Oh no, not smelling delicious because of food, but smelling delicious because of the cookie candle or the lemon pine sol. Sad case, aren't I? I do take pride in my home but do I take pride in the way that my children's needs are met and also my husbands? No, not really. My children's discipline suffers and my husband attention and devotion suffers because of my obsession with keeping a nice and neat home. It's really an all day project for me. I wake up picking up and I go to bed picking up. I pick up in the middle of meals, I redecorate during my quiet time and I light candles and pull up and down the shades in various rooms about 10 times a day. Hey, I'm just trying to paint the picture for you! I really want to please the Lord. I know that he is pleased when I serve others, and when I decorate and when I try and make a pretty ambiance for my guests and family but the reason I am doing it is not Christ like. I'm doing it because I want to do it and I'm putting that need above all other needs.
Lord, I come to you with a selfish, selfish heart. You know my love of "things" for my home and my constant obsession with things looking nice. Please guide me Lord to the things of You, father. Please help me to stick to my quiet times with you, Lord with no interruptions. Please allow me to let the dishes go for a few hours, or the dog hair on the floor to go as well....(eep!)...please allow me to breathe when toys are all over the place. I want to keep the focus on you, Father and what you want for me. I know that when you are the center, Lord, everything else will fall into place. Help me to have a serving heart for others and not for myself. Forgive me Lord for allowing my needs to come before yours and my families.
Alrighty, ladies. I need your support!
Lord, I come to you with a selfish, selfish heart. You know my love of "things" for my home and my constant obsession with things looking nice. Please guide me Lord to the things of You, father. Please help me to stick to my quiet times with you, Lord with no interruptions. Please allow me to let the dishes go for a few hours, or the dog hair on the floor to go as well....(eep!)...please allow me to breathe when toys are all over the place. I want to keep the focus on you, Father and what you want for me. I know that when you are the center, Lord, everything else will fall into place. Help me to have a serving heart for others and not for myself. Forgive me Lord for allowing my needs to come before yours and my families.
Alrighty, ladies. I need your support!
posted by Beth Young at
10:44 AM
7 Comments:
Beth, your post had me laughing. Why? Because I'm just like you. I could understand everything you're saying. I especially laughed at the redecorate during your quiet time comment. I've been known to do the same thing.
I was in the same place you are today last Thursday (what is it about Thursday?). I was angry and discontent. Everywhere I looked was another uncompleted project. I was too busy with work to do anything about it during the week, and the weekend was going to be busy helping others. I couldn't even stand to sit down in the house, it drove me crazy!
On Sunday, Jim's message really convicted me when he talked about how things in this world fluctuate. If our heart's set on the things of this world, we'll fluctuate with it. But heavenly blessings never fluctuate. They're stable. So if we "set our mind on things above" or "fix our eyes on Jesus" in our spirit, we won't fluctuate either. And that's the type of person I want to be. It's easier said then done. Have you stopped and prayed, in the midst of it all, for God's strength and peace? Can you look around and whenever you're tempted to be discontent or redecorate in your head, turn it into a thank you? I'll be praying that we BOTH can do that!
Thank you, Danielle! And yes, this past Sunday's message hit straight home for me. It was amazing. I actually wanted to get prayer and when I returned to give Camryn to Chad the praying had already begun and I didn't want to jump up and be like "hey, guys, wait!".
Thank you for your example of honesty and humility. It is a mark of much grace at work in your life, so be encouraged that this same grace will continue to give you wisdom and the ability to obey.
You are such a sweetie! I really do love being around you, Beth. Thanks for including me the other night at Double T. fun times.
Whoa, girl. You have been really transparent here. Refreshing. I never heard someone actually admit that their obsession with cleaning is ...well, not NESSESSARILY a good thing. Most "cleanies" seem to give off a self-righteous air, or at least "this is so natural to me, I don't understand any other way"and I just feel inferior. My neighbor from New York,who owns her own cleaning business, when I asked her "what do you do with clutter?" she said "Cluttah? Whaddya mean, like a sahk in de middle o'de floor?" I'm like, "um, NO, like three loadsa lawndry, last week's mail, and a person your kids brought home in the middle of the floor." I would love to have more "Beth" and "DAnielle" days, to be honest. I love homemaking but I really struggle to keep the level of order day in and day out like you do. I can have an hour of quiet time without redecorating anything, but I have to keep inviting people over so that I have external motivation. So hospitality feels better when I'm on top of the housework and thankfully cleaning doesn't totally consume me unless my cleaning heroine from out of town in spending the night! I'd love for you to POST IN MY COMMENT BOX SOME OF YOUR TIPS. IS THAT A MAJOR ENOUGH HINT? :)
That would be spelled "necessarily."
Beth
I USED to be like you but only in the cleaning area. I am not so confident w/ the decorating skills so I often don't even try. However, it's not b/c I had some major revelation of the overwhelming glory of God that keeps me in balance w/ the cleaning issue as much as I'd like that to be the case. It's b/c God knew it would take TWINS to break me of my obsession.
Even now, with my standards seriously lowered...seriously lowered....I will have an occasional "episode" where I will look at my husband and say, "I HAVE to clean/organize right now or I'm going to go crazy." It sometimes feels like a physical compulsion and if I don't wash the dishes that have been piled in my sink for two days or put the stuff away that is sitting on our stairs, I will die or something.
All in all, it's so totally about control for me. It always has been and continues to be. Cleaning/Organizing/De-cluttering is a tangible way I can 'feel' in control of my world. Thankfully, it is one sin that at least has some beneficial results, but I do appreciate and will be praying for you as I battle myself that same heart that gets things out of whack from time to time.
Thanks for your frankness. I am in some serious need of Beth Young humor, so I hope you'll have some good vacation stories to share of better yet, that we'll be able to hang out soon!!
Hi! I started a blog http://homemakerjournal.blogspot.com/ about this very topic! My weakness is more towards the area of laziness, but I have noticed that the more and more stressed out and upset I am the more and more extreeme I become either in cleaning or laziness. Thank you so much for your honesty - it is so encouraging to remember that we are ALL struggleing one way or another!
I would just encourage you that as you seek God to help you in your Homemaking He WILL answer your prayers!! It took about a year for me to make any significant progress, but I am so thankful for the journey.
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