making a not-so-joyous thing, a joy

Oh, housekeeping

Why can't I be like the girls who have this innate love for keeping a home tidy? Why can't I be one of those women who just naturally love doing dishes and laundry and dusting and ...? Why can't I enjoy being organized and neat? I can only find one word to answer those questions.

Sanctification.

I married a man, who I adore, who loves to have a clean house that is not cluttered. I, however, do not seem to have the same affection for a tidy home. Now, don't get me wrong it feels good when our house is clean and put together the way it should be, but it doesn't get under my skin when it's not. For my husband, that is not the case. This is one of the many ways God is sanctifying us.

I know myself - I am 100% an extrovert who loves people and make being with people the priority. If I have the choice of spending time with people I will choose it over any other option in most situations. While this is one of my greatest strengths it is very much so one of my greatest weaknesses. It lends itself to a lack of discipline in our home. Don't misunderstand me, I still love people and there is nothing wrong with the desire to be around those I love, but at what expense? My husband? My marriage? Our home? As a new wife of only 6 1/2 months, I am learning (sometimes painfully) that as I conform to the image of Christ and fulfill my role as help meet to my husband I must die to self, which includes my desire to make everything outside of our home the priority. It is a harsh lesson to learn, but God is faithful to teach me. He has given me a gracious husband who loves me and is showing us what it's like to live for someone else.

SO, my response to all of this is to set up a system! Not so much set up a system as steal one that has already been set up from a blog I stumbled on today. And by "stumbled on" I mean searched "monthly cleaning calendar" in Google. I found the Time-Warp Wife blog, which I believe is going to be of good use to me in many ways. It has already served its purpose in providing me with a great weekly schedule (yes, I searched monthly, but weekly seems to be all I could find so I'm taking the hint, smile) for keeping our home clean without exhausting me or making me feel like a one-woman maid service.

My prayer in this is that my dread of doing these things will become joy. First and foremost, because it is Biblical.

Do all things without grumbling or questioning. Philippians 2:14

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23

It's funny to me that in searching for the Colossians verse I noticed for the first time that it comes from a portion of Scripture entitled "Rules for Christian Households". I have NEVER noticed that before and I have quoted that verse a lot in my lifetime! Love watching God teach me in small ways like that when I least expect it.

Secondly, because it serves my husband well. It shows a respect to him that me saying I love you or I respect you could never show.

Now, the last portion of this blog is a type of favor I have to ask of the reader. Most people reading this will be people I know in real life so I am asking you to help hold me accountable in this area of my life. When you see me at church, school, in the grocery store...ask me "Lindsey, how's the cleaning schedule going?". When you post on my wall on Facebook or tweet me...ask me "Lindsey, how's your heart in the cleaning schedule? Joyous?"

And pray for me in this, please.

Comments are always welcome on these blog posts. If God is teaching you the same thing or if you have a great system I could steal, wink.

Giving credit where credit is due....the schedule I found can be found by clicking here.