First off, let me say that I loved this book. It has helped me to think about how I can manage my home with God at the center. So many times I read the how-to's of homemaking and come away with frenzied thoughts of how I need to cook better, be more hospitable to others, and scrub my kitchen floor more often. I tend to get stressed out easily and discouraged when my life doesn't look nice and neat (which is almost always). That's why I love how Sarah Mae takes time emphasize what is most important and what is eternal, the God-focused matters of the heart. This was way more than a to-do list. The devotionals were practical, sometimes convicting, and saturated with Biblical wisdom.
Of course, I still wanted to finish the 31 days with a shiny, sparkling home. But I didn't quite make it. In a previous post, I wrote that I fell way behind with family vacation, my grandma's death, and Chris's frequent work travels. On top of that, it was a big month for gardening, and many extra hours were spent outdoors. I have to say that I started out the month very enthusiastically, in spite of knowing that I'd have to crunch to complete all the Martha challenges. The wind completely left my sails, however, when it came time to work on window treatments. Probably the most monstrous blunder of all my homemaking years was made when I over-zealously decided that the best way to clean my living room and dining room drapes would be to stick them in the washer. Writing this just makes me wish I could go back and have that day to do over again. I felt sick when I saw the limp, shrunken drapes that resulted from my foolhearty fervidness and wondered what in the world I was thinking. It's hard not to make a mistake that ruins hundreds (possibly thousands) of dollars worth of household items and not want heap on myself torturous reprimands of how I should have been more cautious and knowledgable of such things. I mean, really, how can I take care of a whole house and family when I don't know the do's and don't's of keeping my window treatments alive and well?
So I took a break for awhile and just focused on the everyday tasks--laundry, dishes, and picking up. Slowly I've began reading again. I'm focusing only on the Mary challenges for now, but I want to start doing the Martha challenges again too. I've been greatly encouraged by some of the quotes from Day 12:
"We have Jesus' perfection imparted to us for all of eternity if we know Him (Hebrews 10:14)"
Your worth does not lie in your ability to clean well; your worth and value lie in Chrst alone."
". . . ask God to replace any lies you are believing with the truth."
So, looking back, I have to say that over all, the readings, the challenges, the blunders, the accomplishments have been good for me. As I've looked into the crevices of my home and worked on cleaning some of those hidden areas, I've also taken a closer look at the crevices of my heart and some of the overlooked areas there that need some dusting and polishing.
This seems like an incongruous and lighthearted way to end this post, but the song from Nemo, "Just Keep Swimming," is repeating itself over and over in my brain. I guess I need simple Nemo-song reminders too. So, here's to another day of swimmning and not heeding the temptation to give up. Thanks, Nemo, and thanks, Sarah Mae, for offering this heart-and-home check!
Friday, June 10, 2011
We Went to Disney World!!!
Here are some pictures of our first-ever, week-long, no work calls or emails allowed, family vacation!
My deal-wheeling hubby got a fabulous package for a price that we may never see again, and we decided to go for it!
Two of Seth's favorites: Woody and the "big golf ball."
Oh, and it just happened to be Star Wars weekend!
It was hot! And we consumed lots of cold water.
This was the ride that we probably rode most as a family. It is the Animal Kingdom's equivalent to Magic Kingdom's Dumbo ride, except this one had stegosauruses instead of elephants.
The two older kids loved meeting the characters. Ashley did not care for them much at all (which is why she is not in these pictures).
One morning we got to Magic Kingdom early enough to see their opening show. Here are Chris, Seth, and Ashley waiting for the show to begin.
The carrousel was another family favorite.
Eliana and Mary Poppins.
Ashley spent many, many hours in this stroller. After a few days, she discovered that she liked pushing it even more than riding in it.
The kids also enjoyed the pool at our hotel. Seth really got the hang of doggie-paddling and worked up the courage to not hang on the side of the pool the whole time. Bravo, Setho!
Rollercoasters, prizes for finding the hidden paint brush on Tom Sawyer Island, getting picked to talk to Crush at the Animal Kingdom, and spectacular shows are things that will be easy to remember. But Chris and I also wanted to document the little things that could easily be forgotten next to flying carpets and dancing parrots.
Things like Seth quips: "Dad, are they singing 'It's a small world, Jessica?'" or later while standing in line for Thunder Mountain: "Dad, did you know that at Red Clobster they serve real clobsters?"
Diaper changes, overflowing diapers (oops), and naps in the stroller.
Three kids falling asleep on the late-night bus back to our hotel and trying to unload them, a stroller, and a backpack (and passengers who kindly helped out).
Swimming, sweating, sunscreen, and singing "Go With the Flow-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh" oh-ver, and oh-ver, and oh-ver.
A late-night plane ride, a restless baby, and sitting in our cramped up seats for an hour waiting for the storm to pass so we could take off.
Time with our friends, the Wangs, who did their Disney vacation the same week as us.
Light saber, double-knotted tennies, and sippy cups.
Eliana trying to be coaxed to ride the BIG rides and Seth wishing he were big enough to ride the BIG rides.
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