These were my thoughts a few months ago, posted to my FaceBook. If you have read them before, sorry for the repeat, but an update from this post is that that quick prayer had a lasting effect. I can say that I have continued to improve on my reaction to situations; and that is comforting.
Thoughts while tidying up
by Stephanie Sneed Sparks on Sunday, April 18, 2010 at 1:56pm
I really lost count of how many minutes I kept setting the timer for in order to clean my kitchen today. It needed every second of the time! Yesterday was filled with camping with our AHG troop, which was loads of fun, but quite tiring. (Especially when Daddy was working and Mommy was the one herding the flock!) Knowing that my house was in high disorder was really disheartening upon coming home from church. Lacey turned out to have a fever (101.3) and was sleeping on the couch as I panned from living room to kitchen and beyond with only mound after mound of "stuff" in front of me. "Stuff" is just a neat little word for all that it is. Stuff I need to do, stuff I'm thinking about, and stuff I'd rather be thinking about! So at that moment I realized the motivation I lacked could be found in my friend, my timer!
My first thought was, "I think I can get the breakfast nook straight in 5 minutes." Progress! "Hmm...this corner of the kitchen will probably be 10 minutes," and so on, until my sparkling kitchen smiles back at me. :) Lacey wakes up cheerful and lively, so now I can relax with another cup of coffee (bad! bad!) and have a bit of "me" time before getting to it on the living room and the study. (And the laundry. And the sheets. can't forget the sheets....) No timer here. Sounds like a flylady testimonial. :)
Anyway, I've been really talking to the kids lately (the past couple of months) about how your mood is your choice. This morning, after last night's hard crash after 12 hours of campfires, dirt and whining, the thought of waking up 4 kids who desperately needed to do more than just clean behind their ears was daunting. But a quick prayer and an hour later, we were walking out the door with mostly cheerful faces. There was a snag. There was that point where I could feel it happening... I considered not going. Maybe I should have stayed home, in hindsight, given Lacey's condition among returning home... but there was this point while getting ready that I knew one child had no clean underclothes, one child was dying because I was actually running a brush in their hair, and whatever else was happening, and I wanted to get mad. But I heard this voice in my head that my children hear my voice and later will associate God's voice in a similar way when the Holy Spirit begins to speak to them. I'm God's first impression. Lord knows I've made over my fair share of mistakes. Yikes. But I needed to "hear" that. I prayed for calm in my heart, and turned the brush over to Daddy and continued to do what was necessary to leave. Happily. I had to make the choice... and perhaps I wasn't truthful to the kids. I didn't do it on my own. The choice was mine, yes, but the ability came from God. :) Thank you, Lord for speaking to me and giving me ears to listen and a heart to follow. God has authored my journey and I am happy to follow Him where it leads.
My first thought was, "I think I can get the breakfast nook straight in 5 minutes." Progress! "Hmm...this corner of the kitchen will probably be 10 minutes," and so on, until my sparkling kitchen smiles back at me. :) Lacey wakes up cheerful and lively, so now I can relax with another cup of coffee (bad! bad!) and have a bit of "me" time before getting to it on the living room and the study. (And the laundry. And the sheets. can't forget the sheets....) No timer here. Sounds like a flylady testimonial. :)
Anyway, I've been really talking to the kids lately (the past couple of months) about how your mood is your choice. This morning, after last night's hard crash after 12 hours of campfires, dirt and whining, the thought of waking up 4 kids who desperately needed to do more than just clean behind their ears was daunting. But a quick prayer and an hour later, we were walking out the door with mostly cheerful faces. There was a snag. There was that point where I could feel it happening... I considered not going. Maybe I should have stayed home, in hindsight, given Lacey's condition among returning home... but there was this point while getting ready that I knew one child had no clean underclothes, one child was dying because I was actually running a brush in their hair, and whatever else was happening, and I wanted to get mad. But I heard this voice in my head that my children hear my voice and later will associate God's voice in a similar way when the Holy Spirit begins to speak to them. I'm God's first impression. Lord knows I've made over my fair share of mistakes. Yikes. But I needed to "hear" that. I prayed for calm in my heart, and turned the brush over to Daddy and continued to do what was necessary to leave. Happily. I had to make the choice... and perhaps I wasn't truthful to the kids. I didn't do it on my own. The choice was mine, yes, but the ability came from God. :) Thank you, Lord for speaking to me and giving me ears to listen and a heart to follow. God has authored my journey and I am happy to follow Him where it leads.
