I Loathe the Flylady

After finishing the day with the kids by refusing to stay in the awful mess that is my children's rooms to do our bedtime ritual, I did the sensible thing: I googled "help! My messy house is making me a crazy cranky mom!". Ok, so maybe that isn't the sensible thing to do.  It was somewhat calming to know I'm not the only mother who feels this way.  I do wish sometimes that I was one of those special people who can not even see the mess.  But as my mom pointed out, that is likely a road that leads to some reality television show.  Even so, I wish I could be calm in chaos.  I'm just not. So, looking for solutions I went to a frequently recommended site, flylady.com. 
Oh, flylady, how you taunt me.  I don't really hate her, but it always seems I read the most ridiculous suggestions of how my life "could and should" be on her site.  The gem of tonight, bedtime routines. Her's includes cleaning the kitchen just after dinner, running a bath, quick clutter patrol, free time, devotions and snuggles with the hubby.  Gag, laugh, sputter and snort.  Really, the image of her telling me it is possible to have such a routine with three children, critters and a spouse that is certainly not a cleaning makes me almost violent.  It's not that I begrudge her the life of luxury, but that she somehow implies that this is possible given the right amount of work and planning really ticks me off.  I think I have the same feelings toward Dave Ramsey.  Sure, being out of debt is a great thing, but taking advice and giving TONS of money to a dude that made his millions off of those looking for help just seems so wrong.  Life doesn't always....or ever really...work according to a book.  Well, not just any book. So, that is where I need to be going. What does the Bible say about a messy house?
Nothing. It says nothing about a messy house.  It says loads about how we treat each other, quite a bit on not being lazy and fair amount on our attitudes.  So, lets see, advice to live by for today...for me. Take what you will.

1)But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  -Matt.6:33

What is my priority? Do I make time for this one?  And the peace that I've been lacking is promised if I do this. So, my first priority should be to make time to seek the Lord....even if the sink is overflowing and the cat just vomited on the floor.  I need this to be a priority.

 2)“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

-Matthew 18:1-6

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

-Colossians 3:21

My children are precious, God has a plan for them and their lives. I need to remember to treat them as the gifts that they are.  I also need to remember that they are on loan from God, ultimately they are His and my time with them, in this role is limited.  It wont last forever and I need to make sure it is spend wisely and cherished.

3)Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
-Proverbs 22:6

Again, God has a plan for their lives. My role as a mother is to prepare them for whatever may await their future.  I will seek the plan God has for their lives and teach them to do the same. I also need to teach them the skills and wisdom they will need in those roles, which likely will include laundry.  Unless of course they join a nudist colony.  Even then I'm sure they will still need to learn some cleaning skills.  

4) Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
-Nehemiah 8:9-11

The JOY of the Lord is my strength. Not the sorrow, not the anger, not the judgement or vengeance.  The joy!  What a wonderful God we have if His joy is what gives are strength and spurs us on. And what an example of leadership.  I wonder what the outcome of a truly joyful mommy would be on our household. One that is a servant, like our Lord, and is joyful in the tasks set before her.  

This is my prayer and hope, that our house can be a joyful place, a peaceful place, and Lord willing, a semi-clean place.  But in the end, I can stress myself out about the mess, I can beg and plead, bribe and cry for help with things, if it's not God led, it wont last. If I don't follow the Lord with my own heart, attitudes and actions, what hope is there of my children developing a relationship with the Lord that will also result in a giving, loving, servants heart?  No, tomorrow is a new day, and tomorrow this mommy will devote herself to her God, her husband, her children, her neighbors, her creatures, and let the other pieces fall where they may. God promised to provide, and I've walked with Him long enough to know he will.  Sometimes I just need a reminder.  

Oh, and bless the flylady in her bubble bath too.  When we walk the streets of gold together, it really isn't going to matter who had a shiny sink.