Today as I was sweeping Lake Pergo again, I was musing on the fact that there is constantly a tremendous amount of crumbs under Daniel's high chair. Thank goodness I can sweep it instead of hauling out the old vaccuum like I used to, I thought. After all, what would Jesus think of crumbs under my table if he came to visit, or the toys strewn throughout the floor of the house?
Then came a second thought: I don't think he'd care nearly so much for the crumbs or clutter as he would care to see if we are loving each other, helping one another, sharing, doing these in His name. I quickly began to grade our little family...OK, so Hannah pushes her brother down outside every now and then - but we've noticed that it is only on the grassy area - so that's not that bad...Let's see, Daniel tends to be too rough with Caleb. He kisses him too enthusiastically, almost launching him out of the bouncy seat(!) - but it's because he thinks Caleb is so cute - so it's not really that bad, he means well!
Then I looked at myself. What about my responses? How do I respond to the constant action around here? Am I impatient when things don't go as I want? Do I miss a moment to show love to my husband because of "all I need to do?" Do I miss the opportunity to teach one of my precious babies things that matter because I'm too focused on running a tidy and orderly home? Someone once said that "cleanliness is next to godliness." I take that to mean 'second to godliness,' but do I believe that and let things go for the sake of eternity? I hope so.
What would Jesus think? What does He want? That's what I want.
So if you come by, and the house is not looking perfect, this is why.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Full Circle
Yesterday was my day to work at the office.
It's interesting to say "my day," because I used to work there full time. (I work for my dad.) I have done every support staff job in the office throughout my 18 years there. For those of you who do the math - I just added it up. I started when I was 16 in 1988!
When Peter and I first got married, I remember telling my friend and neighbor, Karen, that I felt very unconfident and insecure about certain aspects of being a wife, like grocery shopping. I told her that I felt super-confident behind my desk at work, and I could figure out a lot on the computer, or be of assistance to my dad in a legal matter, but I felt really insecure at grocery shopping and cooking! I even begged Peter to go with me to the grocery store the first time I shopped after we got married. (Bless him, he went with me.) I still hadn't figured out what foods he liked to eat, and how he liked them prepared. (Now I know, he likes almost everything, prepared almost any way. He's just happy to have someone make it for him and VERY happy to have someone do his laundry!)
Yesterday I reached full circle.
Through the years, my work at the office has gone from full time to part time. Later part time went from 20 hours to 15 and became only bookkeeping and billing. Then after I had a baby it went to 10 hours a week. Two babies - 7.5. Then I added doing bookkeeping for Nana, and now for Peter too - all in the same 7.5 hours. Recently, circumstances have changed again and I have had to do the same amount of work in about 3 hours a week. I feel like I'm doing triage at the hospital while I'm in there. Who is bleeding the most?
After a very stressful morning, I accidently hit a wrong button when I was doing billing on the computer, sorting papers, and talking to a client on the phone at the same time. This one little button cost me WAY to much time to go back and fix, and I was already stressed from rushing. Peter came out and told me to change something that he'd already had me do, and noticed that I was "a little uptight." At that point I blurted out that I think I'm a lot better at making dinners than working at the office.
And then it hit me. How far I've come!
Maybe I am better at dinner than I am in the professional world?! I'm OK with that!
It's interesting to say "my day," because I used to work there full time. (I work for my dad.) I have done every support staff job in the office throughout my 18 years there. For those of you who do the math - I just added it up. I started when I was 16 in 1988!
When Peter and I first got married, I remember telling my friend and neighbor, Karen, that I felt very unconfident and insecure about certain aspects of being a wife, like grocery shopping. I told her that I felt super-confident behind my desk at work, and I could figure out a lot on the computer, or be of assistance to my dad in a legal matter, but I felt really insecure at grocery shopping and cooking! I even begged Peter to go with me to the grocery store the first time I shopped after we got married. (Bless him, he went with me.) I still hadn't figured out what foods he liked to eat, and how he liked them prepared. (Now I know, he likes almost everything, prepared almost any way. He's just happy to have someone make it for him and VERY happy to have someone do his laundry!)
Yesterday I reached full circle.
Through the years, my work at the office has gone from full time to part time. Later part time went from 20 hours to 15 and became only bookkeeping and billing. Then after I had a baby it went to 10 hours a week. Two babies - 7.5. Then I added doing bookkeeping for Nana, and now for Peter too - all in the same 7.5 hours. Recently, circumstances have changed again and I have had to do the same amount of work in about 3 hours a week. I feel like I'm doing triage at the hospital while I'm in there. Who is bleeding the most?
After a very stressful morning, I accidently hit a wrong button when I was doing billing on the computer, sorting papers, and talking to a client on the phone at the same time. This one little button cost me WAY to much time to go back and fix, and I was already stressed from rushing. Peter came out and told me to change something that he'd already had me do, and noticed that I was "a little uptight." At that point I blurted out that I think I'm a lot better at making dinners than working at the office.
And then it hit me. How far I've come!
Maybe I am better at dinner than I am in the professional world?! I'm OK with that!
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
More Hannah Quotes
"After I came to earth, did I have an x-ray?" - She recently saw a picture of a girl getting an x-ray and has been asking questions ever since. She was further clarifying when she had an x-ray, because she doesn't remember it. (She had one when she broke her arm learning to walk.) I'm not sure where the idea came from about her 'coming to earth!'
"It's called a 'Toddler Train.' It's going to France." - Hannah's comment after I mentioned that I liked how she had organized all of Daniel's cars into a nice curvy line.
"It's farther to Bethlehem than to Africa." - What Hannah has learned after playing with the talking globe from Granny. Everyone should have a globe like this! It is a LeapFrog Explorer globe. Between that and Google Earth, we've got a leg up on geography!
"It's called a 'Toddler Train.' It's going to France." - Hannah's comment after I mentioned that I liked how she had organized all of Daniel's cars into a nice curvy line.
"It's farther to Bethlehem than to Africa." - What Hannah has learned after playing with the talking globe from Granny. Everyone should have a globe like this! It is a LeapFrog Explorer globe. Between that and Google Earth, we've got a leg up on geography!
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