Do any of you Mom's feel this way? I am really struggling with the constant assault of messiness in my home! I really and truly do the same thing every day; there seems to be no end ever of all the same cleaning and straightening and laundry and mess, yet if you just stopped by my house at any time, I am sure you would look around and think, "ummm... you might want to clean up here sometime.." It's so depressing to not have it all together!! I feel like I'm on one of those hampster wheels. Everyday I think if I could just get caught up on my chores, I could maybe get to the endless 'other' list: homeschool Elijah, sew Tommy's buttons on his work pants, pay my bills, take kids to the library and return those over due books while I'm at it, make a nice, homemade dinner, clean out the car, Oh! read my Bible and spend some time with the Lord, plan my home business.... AHH!!!

I'm spinning...

I think I maybe have three or four days out of a month where I feel caught up on all those things. That's when I don't mind if you stop by! I do try my best every day- my best is just not cutting it, really. How much do you think Jesus is looking for? I mean, I would love to have it all together for His glory when He comes back for me, for Him to be pleased. Hard to think that when you look around here most days.... ughhh.

I hear ya, Mel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm gonna go try to take a nap, now that Arabel's asleep on my shoulder....
and then I'll surely reply to your very good question when I have a chance!
Maybe I'll do that instead of laundry!

LOL, I doubt Jesus cares how cleaned up it is. All I know is if I let stuff go, it just makes it that much harder to do the next time, so then I leave it - and it gets worse and worse, and I feel worse and worse!

Of course it isn't nearly as bad now that I have no kids at home. Don't worry Melanie, it does get better - but hopefully we'll be out of here so soon you won't have to do any more of the daily grind!

I think Jesus cares about the cleanliness of our Spiritual house much more!

Blessings sis!

Melanie,

Take courage.If the rapture tarries, you will get your revenge. Children do grow up after awhile. Grand children is the reward for not killing your children. They are just adorable. You can fondle and just love them and when they get a little bit out of hand, you just hand them back to their parents.

Feet with shoes on the sofa, chips on the floor, untidy bedrooms. This is not more your problem, but their parent's.

As you might have concluded, I am a grand parent. Enjoying every day of it.

Just hold on!!!

Email: vernavn@iafrica.com

Melanie! You hit a hot button for me! This is probably THE most stressful subject in my life--controlling stuff! I can't stand living in this material world where everything falls apart, gets dirty, and has to be managed! I remember when my kids were little I thought I would never have any peace again because I could never get anything done! I have figured it is just part of the curse that we inherited with this fallen world, which I can't wait to be rid of!

I can hardly take time to post here at RITA because if I do, I fall behind at home! I don't know how you all do it?!

Melanie and Charity - take hope - its not you! It's part and parcel of the blessing of children! I'm a perfectionist, and yet my house isn't as I'd imagined/want it to be (think photo from issue of House Beautiful magazine!). My three are teens and/or twenty something and it's still a struggle - but I am learning that (yes, as Diane posted) it's what we are trying to instill IN our kids (temple where Lord resides) that is most important. In case of older kids like mine, they face so much stress that I never dreamed of when I was their age, that I am having to let some of the less important stuff slide (beleive me, that's NOT easy for me).

But here is a link to a fun (yes, that's right!) website designed to help those struggling with housework. The lady behind it has a sense of humor and isn't a taskmaster - rather she advocates breaking housework down into manageable tasks (i.e. do-able in 15 minute segments). She even has links on her site to someone who has ways of helping plan family meals - and one who has ways to encourage one's kids to help with housework (wish that had been around when mine were younger!)

Here it is:
http://flylady.net/

Hope this helps.

Melanie,

I am in the SAME boat! Even though my kids are preteens now, my house is forever a mess and I have a huge to-do list that only grows, never gets shorter.

When my kids were in preschool, I dreamed of when they would go to school and I would have hours to myself to get everything done.....and spend time with the Lord.

Then the Lord called me to homeschool and nothing has been clean since.

There are days when it gets to me.........and there are days when I could care less.

I HATE having people over because it's 1) embarrassing or 2)exhausting, because it takes me all day and all my energy to get the house presentable.

I always thought it was just me, that other homeschool mommies were clean and organized and I just couldn't get my act together, but that is not so. We are pretty much all in the same boat.

I have a friend who cleaned houses for a living. Her kids were in public school and she had an emaculate house. She couldn't figure out why other moms couldn't do the same. Then the Lord called her to homeschool. Suddenly she was screaming, "How do I DO this? My house is a mess and I can't get anything done!"

We are all in the same boat!

As for the Lord, He doesn't expect perfection, but just do your best. Some days that is just taking care of kids and some days that is getting a heap of stuff done. Don't beat yourself up and expect a model home, though. You will never "arrive".......it's a constant journey.......

Email: marc.kama@sbcglobal.net

Kama, yes we think it is only ourselves that has the problem, but that is not true. I just try to concentrate on what is the most important at the time. Today it is replacing that leaky kitchen faucet (drip, drip, drip, and a trip to Home Depot) and trying to get some spring pruning done, because my plants seem to be sprouting buds already!

That is a great website New Creation. I have favorited it for future referencing!

Oh thank you sisters! Trying to reply.... just waiting for a chance to! :)

Melanie,

Your children won't necessarily remember how clean the house was (or wasn't) but they will remember the love. Our house overflowed with kids. Every so often I'd "lose it" and the place would be spotless - for a few minutes,lol.

My kids and their friends remember popcorn parties, pillow fights, water gun fights, meeting in the kitchen at midnight during snow-ins, etc.

Kids grew up, moved out, started get my house the way I wanted it then kids started moving back in - with their kids. Now I keep my bedroom and my quiet room clean and deal with the rest.

Take time to talk to God and read your bible BEFORE you do anything else and you'll find you're blessed with more time for the daily life stuff.

Love and enjoy those babies while they're little. They grow up veeeeerry fast.

New Creation, thanks for that Fly Lady site. http://flylady.net/ It really is a great site! Clutter is my biggest "issue". I'm going to try her suggestion to "declutter" for 15 minutes every day-- not only put things away, but THROW THINGS AWAY, too!

Here's one of her great ideas:


The 27-Fling Boogie

We do this assignment as fast as we can. Take a garbage bag and walk through your home and throw away 27 items. Do not stop until you have collected all 27 items. Then close the garbage bag and pitch it. DO NOT LOOK IN IT!!! Just do it.

Next, take an empty box and go through your home collecting 27 items to give away. Suze Orman taught me this in her book, The Courage to be Rich. This will change the energy in your home and bring about good feelings. Every time I do this I feel better and my home is becoming decluttered in the process. As soon as you finish filling the box, take it to the car. You are less tempted to rescue the items.

Rule of thumb: if you have two of any item and you only need one, get rid of the least desirable.

I also sing a wonderful song as I am doing this fun job: "Please Release Me, Let Me Go" as sung from the stuff's point of view.



In our case, we can turn on the worship music
and praise Jesus as we get rid of stuff!

Perfectly wonderful advice, Cheryl Ann!!!!!!!!

When Jesus comes for us, He's NOT going to be looking at our house, but our HEARTS!!!

You said it best, Diane, in that Jesus is far more concerned with the state of our spiritual house than our physical house! I'm going to try to put time with Him FIRST everyday!!! That will set the tone for the crazy days, huh! Spending time with Him first in the morning in the past was so much easier, than now... I wonder how early I would actually have to get up to be up before Elijah and Shiloh?! :).... pretty darn early!

Johann, I'm in no way looking forward to my little ones being up and out of the house already!! On the contrary, I would love to have a house FULL of kids- I just am amazed at how challenging the job is... it's almost totally impossible!

Carlee, that's the same conclusion I come to as I talk to myself as I clean- first I think to myself:"didn't I just clean this spotless last week? How on earth is it so filthy already???" Then I say: "This world is just so endlessly falling apart; it IS part of the curse!- so then WHY am I tying to kill myself over the futility of cleaning a house that will just be messy all over again.... I think I'll go fellowship on RITA instead!"

New Creation, THANK YOU for such practicle advice; I do try to do that little cleaning segments between nursing Shiloh and playing with Elijah- my little motto is" SLow and steady wins the race!" Just do a little of what I can when I can. To be honest, clutter is not so much a problem of mine, rather one that I have sort of married into, shall we say! Ohh, Lord, give me grace to just accept and chill a bit; I don't need to be such a perfectionist!


Kama, your advice has really ministered to me; everything you said was perfect and hit the nail on the head. It helps me so to realize that it is not just me; and especially to hear it from more seasoned moms and homeschoolers. I'm going to print this thread out to read when I'm feeling frustrated and overwhelmed!

And yes, Cheryl Ann, spending time with Him must be my highest and first priority; for everything else will never be totally caught up. It's learning to live it out, I suppose!

Charity, that was a quick nap! Don't all these seasoned and been-there mom's have great advice? It's really, helped me today! This is just the way it is, huh!? OK, Lord, I'm up for the challenge!! Use me as you see fit in all this mess and motherhood!

Love,
Melanie

Melanie, I am a self-professed PERFECTIONIST. But guess what? God is really doing a work in me, and I've come a long way since having kids. Just look! I took this picture minutes ago, and I didn't move anything out of the way for the picture!



Does this make you feel any better?

Btw Melanie... I wasn't able to sleep, but I did lie down for half an hour.
And I have a big load of laundry in the dryer right now!

This is a lifelong problem....I really dont think Jesus cares what the state of our home is in as long as it isnt squalorous...I tend to worry more what people will think who are left behind....I know this is worldly but I cant seem to help it...lol

It seems I am always thinking "if the rapture happened today--people would think Im such a slob blah blah....this keeps me motivated though.

Charity! What a great picture; thank you!! You know, it looks pretty clean to me- I wish I could show you mine- way way worse! I'm looking at all the crumbs and pieces of paper on the floor (Elijah's endless fascination with paper and scissors...!) AND yes, truly, we still have the Christmas tree up... I CONFESS... it's driving me crazy, but Shiloh is mesmerized by the lights... Dont' ya just want to run out the house some days with the kids; just close the door and run up to Heaven!

We're out of here! Let's go!

Melanie...

You've hit on an interesting question. Was that pre-trib or mid-trib??? Just teasing!!!

Since my wife's car accident 15 plus years ago and four back operations, I've been Mr Maid. I must admit however, I've always been more domestic than my wife. She was always far better at the day to day taking care of kids. That wasn't me, however, I was always the breakfast cook.

Our home is still messy, messy, messy. We have papers next to our chairs. They may be weeks in collecting. I wish I could say that with the kids gone things are better, but since I do almost all the errands, washing and drying, vacuuming, dishes etc, other than dinners. Well...we've learned to function. That's a good word....function.

Our youngest is 31 now and comes over, but she wants to throw, throw, throw, and I used to say yes, but now say no. I can't find a thing when she's done.

I agree with the fact that the Lord looks at the inside, not the house and how clean everything is. Somehow, life goes on and there are so many days I wish our kids were back in their young years. Up until age 12, they were angels and then......

Enjoy them Melanie and don't worry about the house. Do however clean up before someone comes over, especially family, for a visit. ha...You know, word gets around...It's the Lord, family, and house....well, it's in there some place.

Melanie...all I can say is that after many years of doing my job plus, I fail at all. I really depend a tremendous amount on "grace". And no, we don't invite people over. But on occasion, they come, then I'm dead for a week.

Much love to all you moms. It's not an easy job.

YBIC
Steve

Melanie, here's some advice for you: Use lots of bright-colored things: i.e. blankets, sweaters/jackets, shoes, dishes, laundry baskets, toys, the paper Elijah likes to cut, etc....that way when these things get left all over the house, it makes it look fun & cheery! Then when people stop over unexpectedly, they'll actually be jealous that you were throwing a party without them!

Warning: this only works when you're in a good mood to start out with...
otherwise it just adds to the annoying-ness of it all.

Melanie my dear Sis,

I am a perfectionist; my motto is “If you cannot do a job well, then do not do it at all”
Everyone I know including my children always laugh at how I like things just right.

But these days I look at it this way-
What is my abode? Is it a house or is it a home”

Simply put, a clean house with all the designer looks is just a house

But an abode filled with love, laughter, and tenderness, is a home. And so what if there are things out of place. You have young children and you have a lot of commitment been a Mom, wife etc. Also remember you have not long ago given birth, so all your time is taken up caring for Shiloh.

Even myself, I have to stop sometimes and think, “What is more important, doing that job around the house, or going for a bike ride with my Son?

A house filled with love is remembered forever, but a clean house is not.

Be encouraged Sis, Love ya heaps

In his beautiful love / Paul

Goodness, Melanie....if the Lord cares about a clean house then I am going straight to hell...LOL.....it is the bane of my existence. I don't fight it anymore, but do the best I can. I finally had to let it go, because with four little ones and toys out our ears there is just NO WAY to keep a clean house.

Don't get me wrong, my house isn't a pigpen, but it is far less clean than I would prefer it. I get lots of help from my husband, but it still just is never completely the way I want it. I figure I could spend all my time cleaning and then be irritable and snappy, or I could be laid back about it. It won't always be this way.

I used to have my house decorated to the nines too....but now I just let it go. We got three kittens (boy are we idiots, but how could we say no when each of our oldest three chose a different kitten?)....so now we officially live in a zoo. The kittens have already broken one lamp and a huge flower arrangement I had displayed. I figured the Lord was testing me to just see how much I love my 'stuff'. I decided I don't love my stuff as much as I love Him, so I didn't even get upset over it.

I also know I couldn't spend as much time with the Lord if i spent all my time maintaining this house, and to me that isn't an option. We survive and keep it manageable, but it will never be the way I would have it while the kids are here.

Oh, Charity, your house looks GREAT for having so many little kiddos! You know there is a tremendous difference between "klutter" and "dirty". All families' houses get kluttered just from people living there.

But it's the DIRTY that really gets us feeling overwhelmed! The rings in the toilet and tub and the kitchen floor when your feet are sticking to it! UGH!
And we won't even mention DUST!

I once asked a friend about this very cleaning issue and how to keep us with it all and she laughed and said, "Lower your standards!" When we have kids, we can't have a perfect house!

One day I was complaining to the Lord about my messy kids/husband and He spoke this verse from Proverbs to me: "Without the ox the stable is clean, but what strength there is in the ox!" In other words, the family makes a tremendous mess but what a blessing they are!

Email: marc.kama@sbcglobal.net

Kama, I gave up on dust a long time ago...LOL. By the time I get done with everything else, it is time to start all over again. Only 'special' company gets my house dusted..LOL.

I gave up a looong time ago!

I figure once the kids are grown and gone I can spend the rest of my life getting this place back in order.

This is from one of my FAVORITE devotionals called "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young:

Come to Me for rest and refreshment. The journey has been too much for you, and you are bone-weary. Do not be ashamed of your exhaustion. Instead, see it as an opportunity for Me to take charge of your life.

Remember that I can fit everything into a pattern for good, including the things you wish were different. Start with where you are at this point in time and space, accepting that this is where I intend you to be. You will get through today one step, one moment at a time. Your main responsibility is to remain attentive to Me, letting Me guide you through the many choices along your pathways.

This sounds like an easy assignment, but it is not. Your desire to live in My Presence goes against the grain of "the world, the flesh, and the devil." Much of your weariness results from your constant battle against these opponents. However, you are on the path of My choosing, so do not give up! Hope in Me, for you will again praise Me for the help of My Presence."

Email: marc.kama@sbcglobal.net

Dee,

I can SOOO relate on the dusting! It seems the only thing that gets me cleaning really, really well is company coming! LOL! Wish that weren't the case, but sometimes I need the pressure to get me going!

Email: marc.kama@sbcglobal.net

These days we are definitely "blest" with too much stuff! My biggest problem is papers and magazines that come in my mailbox. I am constantly stacking
stuff on my diningroom table. It annoys me no end.

I don't have any children at home anymore, just my husband and myself. However, I am the first born of 12 children! I know we had our share of clutter when I was growing up, but we had so little, that
it was not a big issue with us. Now my daughter has
several children and I have heard her hounding them
to clean their rooms. But, when I see all of the stuff in their rooms, I feel sorry for them because they don't even know where to begin.

I don't think the Lord is all that concerned with our messes, but they rob us because they become a brain drain. And we could be putting our brains to
better use.

Oh, by the way, I received an e-mail the other day that said that a clean house is the sign of a broken computer! Could be some truth in that.

I can certainly say that my house was a lot
cleaner before I found y'all a year ago!!!

Here is what I have done to try and keep things under control. I have a 3 bedroom home with basement and 6 people in the home. One teenager and a 2 year old granddaughter. I am very unorganized a pack rat and things can get overwhelming. I went through my home and threw away, gave away or packed away for garage sale everything that I thought we didnt need or had to much of., We dont have enough closet space so by each outside door I put hook boards to hang coats, a box to put mittens hats in and a rug for shoes. I put hooks in the bathroom for shower towels. A laundry basket in every bedroom for dirty clothes. Once a week I clean house well. I got one of those steam clean mops. I love it. At night when little ones are in bed I sweep and go over the floors with that mop. My family pretty much puts things where they and picks up after themselves. I wash dishes at least 3 times a day because otherwise they get piled up and I feel overwhemed. When my youngest was 3 he colored all over one wall. I refused to paint over it for a year because I loved his art work. You need to work out your own system and feel content in your home. Your family needs to feel content,. Dont stress out about what people outside your home feel. Take a deep breath relax.

Melanie, if you want to get serious about being organized with cleaning go to www.flylady.com

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the helpful advice and even more, thank you for helping me to 'get a grip' on reality and realizing that we're all in the same boat!! That really helped me most of all! I actually do have an organized house for the most part; I'm just amazed at the constant attention it requires to KEEP it that way. I think I need to just learn to lower my standards a bit and get on to some of the other things on my OTHER list!

Melanie, thanks for this thread - boy can I relate! I don't even have kids in the house anymore and I just don't have the energy or the will to do it any more. I have learned to relax and live with dust, rings around the tub, clutter, you name it. It is not a pigstye but it's not squeaky clean.

My problem is my husband - he expects the house to be clean - he is not a laid back kinda guy at all. Perfectionist - and he sure makes me feel bad over the time I spend on the computer. (sound familiar?)

And I can relate to not wanting people to come over any more - I'd rather be relaxed, happy and at peace than trying to prove I'm superwoman!

Even though I'm only part time 4-5 hours a day at work, I am wiped out when I get home and then there's dinner. I know I could do better, but I don't really see the dire need anymore - I'm just too tired anymore. I don't think Jesus would be spending his time cleaning, do you? Just know you are absolutely not alone if the truth were told by most women.

Oh Melanie! The struggle of my life! My mom was the perfect 1950's mom- perfect housewife, homecooked meals, boyscout leader. I'm so NOT! I have struggled with this issue for so long ranging from not caring to feeling guilty.

This I know. My house is messy 99% of the time. But my kids ages 17,16,15 and 11 are doing TERRIFIC! They're all happy and healthy, make good grades, love the Lord, have wonderful friends and are actually great teenagers! They invite their friends over here instead of going to someone elses' house because I'm relaxed about having kids around AND their messes.

As long as your household isn't in total chaos and filthy ( unhealthily unclean), then I wouldn't worry about it.

I used to tell people that my ministry was making OTHER housewives feel better about their domestic skills!

Melanie,

I was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago with Progrssive MS. I used to weigh 105. Clean house, mow the lawn (an acre), wash clothes, homeschool 3 kids, work a full time job, and help my husband in his photography business.

Now I weigh 130. Can't get near the stove (my son loves to cook thank goodness!), can't walk from my bedroom to the living room without becoming totally out of breath, I no longer work, I only go with my husband now and sit. Our kids do all the work. My daughter does the laundry. I'm scared to try to walk into our closet!!

Because of my illness, I now have the time to study bringing me closer to my Lord!!

I long since decided that if my house offends anyone, they are more than happy to clean it up.

Carla,

Have you tried any dietary changes to help your MS? If you are willing to give it try, I know that this helps a lot. My son has mild autism and they have found that the same diets that helps autistic kids help MS (because you are addressing the nervous system/immune system in both).

Look into a dairy free/gluten free diet. Plus eliminate sugar and coffee (not even decaf). Take 1 tsp cod liver oil a day.......it works WONDERS on the nerves/immune system.

I've also started probiotics, oil of oregano and grapefruit seed extract and I feel marvelous.

I know that these are not cure-alls, but I have heard of people feeling much better when they do them. I know it made the WORLD of difference in my son.

Blessings to you.........kama

Email: marc.kama@sbcglobal.net

Hi Carla, I feel your pain...no...I really feel your pain. I too have progressive MS. I can no longer walk, get fatigued going to (riding my jazzy) to the bathroom, and must rest for several hours before taking a shower and the depression is awful. If anybody would love for the Rapture to happen like...NOW! It would be you and I. I will remember you in prayer my sister.

YBIC
Randy

Email: randyjan@windstream.net

I have 4 kids and when my oldest were younger I had no idea how to balance the kids and the house. I have gotten sooo much better at it now that they are older and can help. But what I did was determine that I would clean only 1 room a day. and do some laudry if possible and some dishes. But I never seemed to get those 2 done. So I just focused on what was important to me. Even today I have piles of laundry and dishes but my floors are clean Thats my priority. LOL. anyway just set goals for yourself that you know you can meet and DO NOT stress yourself...YOUR ARE PERFECTLY NORMAL. God never said we had to be superwomen. When I was a kid I remember my mom was always cleaning but never spent time with me cause there was always work to do...So more important for them to remember the moments you have together!
The mess can wait!

Email: iampriceles@aol.com

That is a beautiful picture, Tea Rose! Very Good advice, too.

Randy, you will remain in my prayers 'till that trumpet sounds, big bro!
So glad to see you are still hanging in there.

Carla, I will add you to my prayer list- straight away!!! I'll put you and Randy together on the same line if you don't mind. He doesn't bite (most of the time)!

COME LORD JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awww, you guys, I have read over your replies several times today; each one is full of wisdom, comfort, encouragement and hope for me- thank you so much for taking time out of your crazy-busy mom/husband/caretaker lives to help and encourage me!! I am saving this thread to remind me of all the support and wonderful, helpful advice. I love all the stories and the 'so-been-there' consolations!

Thank you!



GOD first FAMILY next HOUSE last! yay!!

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. John 8:36

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Lord's Spirit is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

yes, thank you Charity! Amen!!

Melanie hon I've just seen this thread. For goodness sake you've just had a baby and you've got a small child too! I only have one child and my life consists of picking up her stuff and my husband's stuff, nagging them, putting it away, finding it out again, nagging them, putting it away and on and on and on! For the first year of her life I could hardly get out of the house before 4pm and I remember one occasion when I hadn't spoken to an adult all day and finally having got out and encountered a mailman emptying the mail-box, talking quite compulsively to that mailman just because he was there and he was grown-up before he finally backed away and out of there!

Gosh you have two very small children and please don't criticize yourself about the house as you can sort that out later! I admire you and Charity as young mothers for being together enough and keyed-in to the Lord so closely, to be able to fellowship as you do here and at home. I'm sure I didn't and was pretty much brain-dead in that first baby-year.

House-wise, my ideal is something like the picture Charity posted not long ago in that my aspirations are that I want to be Doris Day in a fifties/early sixties retro-film-house, or at least my version of Doris Day in a retro-film-house! I only lack the hair-style, the rest of the style and of course the house. In the meantime I am asking the Lord for a house in heaven that looks like it. I suspect we'll all get something far far better.

Once again sis, don't be so hard on yourself in these early years - you and Charity both do absolutely brilliantly and you do it in the Lord!
love
Ditta

uugghh... it must be Monday- I need to read through this wonderful thread again! Lord Jesus, please help me keep it together today!

Randy and cArla I missed this....I did not know this about you and thank you for letting us know...now Iknow how to pray for you.

But most of all my prayer is for Jesus to come and take us home as soon as possible....

One of my best friends from highschool was diagnosed with MS... I ran into her one day while our kids were little and she told me...I have not seen her since and wonder how she is doing today.... so everytime I think of her I will pray for you two as well....

Mel... I started a house cleaning business while I was in school and i actually really love it....people trust me into their homes and I get to see how others live...It has made me realize that i do not have to be perfect...

The ones who have a picture perfect home do not have kids either!! and the ones with kids have clutter...and well because I clean all the time my when I am not working I do nto want to clean my own home so you can guess what its like!! But I have learned how to get through a house really fast and I am very detailed.... also by going into everyones home I have learned from others how to organize...I really should write a book... the most important thing about this is that I get to help people.. I look at it like a ministry and I releave stress from others...Ihelp people who physically can not do this or are too busy with their own work.....I also have a young mother who lost her first son to cancer with he was less than two and she was in deep depression with a small child and a baby on the way when I met her.... It was God that lead me to her...after I help others you can see the relief in them and that makes my job special to me...and not to meantion that they love me and pay me well!!! and tell all their friends ....

You need me to come help you get organized and then you will feel better But seriously do not sweat it... its normal..trust me I have seen how it is and nothing surprises me.....most people when I first meet them are embarrassed when I am looking around...but really it is normal to me..everyone struggles unless they do not have kids and are home all day!!

Thanks Sis, every prayer helps

YBIC
Randy

Email: randyjan@windstream.net

Website: www.myspace.com/randyjandy

I couldn't agree w/ya' more Diane. As for me, I have dust everywhere in my apt. duplex, as well as an unmopped kitchenette floor to boot, that I've been terribly lax on.

I too, believe that if Jesus condones dirty unwashed hands (check the Gospel of John), he'll condone a dirty earthly house too.

BTW, where did that "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" come from any way? Was that term referring to our souls or an earthly dwelling place?

A clean house is nice, but time with our kids is more important if it is a choice between the two. They grow up really fast.

I Took His Hand and Followed
Mrs. Roy L. Peifer


My dishes went unwashed today,

I didn't make the bed,

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.

Oh yes, we went adventuring,

My little son and I...

Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky

We waded in a crystal stream,

We wandered through a wood...

My kitchen wasn't swept today

But life was gay and good.

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade

And now my small son knows

How Mother Bunny hides her nest,

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

We watched a robin feed her young,

We climbed a sunlit hill...

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,

We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was neglected,

That I didn't brush the stairs,

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.

But that I've helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow,

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know.