“Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” (D&C 88:119.)
Ladies, this post is for you. Ever find yourself stressed? Feel like your house needs to look spotless, organized, immaculate? Like the home of that sister you visit taught last month? I feel like that sometimes. Though it's true we have been counseled to establish a "house of order", it doesn't mean, "spend every minute dusting/mopping/scrubbing the toilet with your toothbrush, and if you don't, you have failed as wife and mother".
I love it when my house is clean and I do my best to keep things organized. I will teach my kids to work before play. And that "hard work pays off!" (I know, mom :) But I want to remember that my kids will keep in their memories the time I spent with them. Not whether or not the book shelf was dusted. And I cherish the moments my momma spent playing with ME. Going on a walk with me so I could ride my bike around the block, coming into school as a room mom to help with parties and teach a unit on Clouds, taking me swimming over at grandma's house.
So here is the cute poem (shared with me by Jorg's mom) that inspired today's thoughts:
Dust If You Must
Rose Milligan of Lancaster England
"A house becomes a home when you can write, 'I love you' on the furniture."
I can't tell you how many countless hours that I have spent CLEANING! I used to spend at least 8 hours every weekend making sure things were just perfect -"in case someone came over". Then I realized one day that no one came over; they were all out living life and having fun!
Now, when people visit, I find no need to explain the "condition" of my home. They are more interested in hearing about the things I've been doing while I was away living life and having fun. If you haven't figured this out yet, please heed this advice.
Life is short. Enjoy it!
Dust if you must, > but wouldn't it be better to paint a picture or write a letter, bake a cake or plant a seed, ponder the difference between want and need?
Dust if you must, but there's not much time, with rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the world's out there with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, a flutter of snow, a shower of rain. This day will not come around again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind, old age will come and it's not kind. And when you go - and go you must - you, yourself will make more dust!
but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.
3 comments:
I loved that poem! thanks for sharing!!
Emily, thank you. You are so inspiring. Thanks for sharing that.
AMEN! This is my new philosophy too!...or maybe it is just after all these year, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!? Have you ever noticed that when you dust it comes right back, but if you don't dust, the dust level stays the same and doesn't continue to grow...explain that one you mathematicians!? Dust, here's lookin' at you! (And by the way, Rebecca Rose is so adorable!)Love ya!
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