Sometimes at the end of a long day I think back to what I’ve accomplished and frankly, I’ve got nothing.
Loads of laundry left piled, dishes washed, a bookshelf half organized resulting in a bigger mess that I’ll have to tackle tomorrow, dinners cooked only to end up scooted around on a dish and somewhat complained about. Sometimes I wonder why I don’t just get rid of everything in our house and cook the same two meals every night.
…meet me at (in)courage if you want find out if I actually did get rid of everything in our house and only cook the same two meals from now on.
And when you get done there, please, you have to visit my sister, she has a huge announcement.
I have SO been there! Off to (in)courage now..
That sounds like me almost every day. :) It really is refreshing to *meet* another mom who can admit it. I’m off to (in)courage and also to see what Emily has to say. Have a beautiful day, Miss Nester. :)
Nester! What a beautiful post you wrote for (in)courage! Well said, dear woman. Emily may be “the writer,” but I’m telling you, you’ve got a special gift for communication. Thank you for sharing it.
Beautiful post. As a SAHM sometimes I wonder why I try. Picking up toys that will be strewn about again shortly. Making dinner that no one will eat, etc. I am glad to know that I am not the only one who has those feelings. And and am also glad for the boost that you have given me. It was much needed today.
I have been there. In fact I was there yesterday. Thanks for the article!
Yes, somedays I feel like I’m chasing my tail, others I can’t believe how much I get done…that is life, isn’t it? Janell
Wonderful article and a great reminder of why we do all that we do.
Nester, I am so with you. I just wrote about one of my dilemma’s today. I feel like I can’t get anything accomplished. I need to send out the troops for help.
Saw Emily’s big announcement earlier. Congrats to her.
Now heading over to (in)courage now!
Thanks for sharing today, I’m so glad I am not alone!
Oh, I know exactly what you’re talking about! Thank you for sharing! Blessings.
We’ve degenerated from “toys put away 15 minutes before getting ready for bed time” to “get the toys/books/shoes/dog hair/large clods of dirt out of the living room and make sure there’s a clear trail from your bed to the bathroom so you don’t hurt yourself” – or more importantly, so I don’t hurt MYself.
My son made the toy equivalent of a land fill the other day – one layer down, spread the sleeping bag on top, and start the next layer. Fun. Kind of like my office.
What a great reminder-sometimes the daily things can be discouraging but I love the thought of what we are creating as homemakers and mom. Thanks for sharing!
I wholeheartedly agree with you…home should be our sanctuary, our ‘safe’ place..my heart aches for those people who don’t have that. In particular those who deal with domestic abuse..it just makes me hurt. Our families are our primary ministry, what good is it to have the whole world love you if your family isn’t happy? Kudos for being transparent!
Blessings,
Ana
I completely agree, only I feel that way when I’ve really done something great, like cleaned out all our kitchen drawers and wiped them free of crumbs and what not, only to find a week later a drawer full of crumbs…
I swear I am the only person who’s kitchen drawers fill with crumbs…. any way… that makes me feel like I haven’t accomplished a thing b/c I am right back where I started….
I refer to that feeling as “Keeping Chaos at Bay, for One. More. Day.” (alternately, “Keeping Chaos at bay, one day at a time”.
My mother warned me that life would be like this. I mean, the whole un-ending cycles of cleaning and meals and cleaning and meals and cleaning and meals. And how at the end of the day, no one can tell you did anything. And yet, you’ve been busy since sun-up, no one has died, and the house actually looks clean. My father used to come home, look around, and ask her “So, what did you do today?” >:-( You can imagine my mother looking like that…lol. :-) Fortunately, my DH knows better (9 sisters will train you well, lol). But it is hard. To not say “well, I did x” and have something substantially “different or new to show them….
But I figure if the children are educated, fed, clean, and the house isn’t falling down around our ears, we’re doing okay. Life is good. No one died. That’s my phrase some days. Some days, like today, its my goal. LOL
Bless you, Nester. I love your blog. I love to see those little tips and tricks that don’t take a ton of money, or a ton of time, and make my house look like I spent ages and tons of the green stuff on it. Thank you thank you thank you!
This week being intentional with my boys has been on my heart. Shepherding them intentionally, with purpose.
Time flies so fast and sometimes I feel so sidetracked and well, sidetracked.
Off to go check out the other posts!
Let’s see the 2 meals I would make every day- Spaghetti and Pizza. LOL!
Thanks for this enlightening post. I try to live a simple life, but it seems that too often that I Iet the busyness and craziness get in my way. This was so refreshing!!!
Enjoy your day!
I thought I was the only one with toys on the floor and dishes in the sink. Nice to have some company in the chaos!
I was talking with my mom recently about why I work (outside the home). I only work part-time, but I do it partially because I’m appreciated. So often, work done inside the home (like cooking dinner every night that doesn’t get eaten) is unappreciated. Let’s all remember to show some love!
LOL-One day I actually wrote down everything I did all day, as I did it (do you have any idea how many times in one day you can write “unload and reload dishwasher” and “reboot laundry”?) After filling both sides of a sheet of lined notebook paper, I stopped recording it all, but it really drove home the point that simply keeping things looking exactly as they did this morning is a feat in and of itself. I strongly recommend it. It points out exactly how much work keeping a house really is.
Loved it Nester!
Very refreshing, thank you!
Thanks for the link, I loved your article!!!
Oh, Nester- you have no idea how I needed to hear that! Do you know what I caught myself doing just before reading this? I just pushed aside a whole big mess of clutter from a countertop where I was working on a little organization project for my next post so that I could take a photo that would appear neat and orderly. Meanwhile, all the stuff landed on the kitchen table. My poor little girl was so surrounded by junk at the table that I could barely clear a spot to set down her bowl of oatmeal.
Um, can you say disordered? While I was busy pretending to be neat and orderly for the benefit of bloggyland, my real life daughter was surrounded by mess. Thank you for reminding me that I need to set the stage for my real life family and then blog about that, rather than spend my efforts showing blogland snapshots of a perfect home that doesn’t really exist.
You’re the best!
“So on a day like today, as I sit surrounded by the undone, I recognize that I am in the midst of big things slowly getting done one day at a time in the comfort of our home. And I am thankful I have the privilege to set the stage”
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this article. It was exactly what I needed today. I have been so frustrated with myself and all of the undone that I had lost sight of the big picture. The above quote from you is now my desktop background as a reminder. Thanks!
I just wanted to say thank you for reminding me of what my ministy is. I have always told people that my ministry is my family, but I continually fail to fullfill that calling. God bless you for being so transperant. It has helped me to be able to refocus once again and know that all I am doing will make a differance in my family’s lives.