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Friday, August 7, 2015

The Blessing of a Mess

We just arrived back home from my sister's wedding and a vacation. We were gone for about 2 weeks. It was a wonderful time with family and a relaxing time at the beach with our own little family.

Almost immediately, I was shocked back into the realities of life.

My husband became busy the very next morning. We didn't even get the car unloaded. The entire duty of unpacking was left to me. Plus, after being gone that long, I felt like the house needed to be cleaned.

I don't mind cleaning, but it's the attitude I take on when I do it that I dislike. I'm not sure why it happens. It can only be described as a cleaning frenzy. It's like I'm on a mission, and if my kids get in the way, whoa, watch out for the fury! So, I try to clean where they are not. This results in even more messes. I always laugh (a little hysterically) when my husband comes home to a messy, toy cluttered house, and I tell him I've been cleaning all day.

Is there anything more frustrating?

Because I had been out of my normal writing routine for so long, I felt like all my thoughts were jumbled with no organization. So, yesterday morning, I prayed that God would give me some organization and direction. Then I did my devotionals and read a chapter in the book The Best Yes.

And God did speak to me.

The first words in my devotional were, "You are living in a time of abundance." Huh, I thought, really? Well, I know that is true, so why don't I feel like that?

The chapter in The Best Yes continued this theme. It was the chapter entitled "The Joy of the Unrushed Yes." It was all about leaving space in our schedules and lives to enjoy and work on relationships.

Ok, Lord, I get it.

I often let myself go head over heels into a frenzy. I realized I had not been enjoying the gifts I had been given, and was being given each day. I was allowing myself to get caught up in the unpacking, the cleaning, the stress of the upcoming school year and MOPS year.

I was not allowing myself the time and space to see the blessings around me. I thought of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I love this book and agree with its message of counting our blessings to experience joy whole heartedly. I had just let myself get too busy to put it into practice. And by doing so, I was missing out on the joy of life. I have been missing out on abundant life.

When really...
"My cup overflows with blessings" (Psalm 23:5b).
"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:31).
"O Lord, my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them" (Psalm 40:5). 
"You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of Your presence" (Psalm 21:6). 
 So, even though it is against my personality, I am going to fight the frenzy with thankfulness. I pray we can all allow ourselves time to notice the blessings and gifts around us.

Lord, help me to stop and realize the blessings that my children are--that the mess means I'm blessed.

 
Oh, yeah, and this little song too. Totally applicable to a busy, rushed life. "Slow me Down" by the Robby Seay Band. Click to enjoy!

Linking up this week at: #soulsurvival,  #intentionalTuesday, #RaRaLinkup, #threewordWednesday, #livefreeThursday, #belovedbrews, #dancewithJesus, #fellowshipFriday, #graceandtruth, #coffeeforyourheart, #TellHisStory 

16 comments:

  1. I love that idea, Kristen -- that the mess that my life seems to be so often, is truly just a show of the abundance of the good things God has blessed me with. I'm lifting up that same prayer with you today. Thank you for sharing this!

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  2. Thanks for visiting, Ronja! Praise God for his goodness!

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  3. Oh I love this post...it speaks to me just where I am a lot. Must get back to thankfulness at all cost...

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    1. Yep, I think thankfulness is so important! Thanks Betty!

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  4. Yes! So true :) Every now and then, take pictures of Legos on stairs and Little People on the living room carpet. Soon enough those toys will be packed away and you will only get them out when other people bring their kids over. The mess means life is begin lived there :)

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    1. Pictures of the mess! Great idea, thanks Britta!

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  5. Kristen,
    Visiting here from Holley's link-up today and I can so relate to your cleaning frenzy attitude! I'm the same way but I love how you're trying to be unrushed and thankful -- what a great sentiment -- to see beauty in your mess and most of all to see the abundance of God's blessings! :)

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  6. I'm so glad you shared these attitude-changing verses! You have a sweet blog here. Are you on Twitter? I'm visiting from Three Word Wednesday. Blessings!

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    1. Thanks, Renee! Yep, I'm on Twitter. @kkjohnson4

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  7. Yes, yes, yes. My husband reminds me of this regularly. :) I enjoy life more when I'm not in the frenzy pace that robs my joy. Thanks for this post. And for linking up at #ThreeWordWednesday.

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    1. So do I! I think that means we should clean less, right?

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  8. Kristen, thanks for sharing such an honest perspective that I'd bet most of us moms can relate to! I can so relate. I was just pondering the other day how to accomplish things without letting myself get into such a tizzy. Like, why does my personality change? What triggers it? How can I just chill? After talking with the Lord about it, I was reading in a book (not about parenthood) by Danny Silk, and he used an example from his experience being a parent. It made me want to read his book on parenting, because I loved his perspective. I'm trusting in the Lord with you that we will be moms who will enjoy our children, enjoy the journey, and embrace this beautiful chaos that will be gone before we know it. Blessings! Tasha (Your neighbor from #raralinkup... a day late!)

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  9. Great encouragement, Kristen. I'm in the midst of moving and packing and frenzy feels like it's written across my forehead. But, even in that God has been showing me the beauty of balance - in my time and relationships. He is so good that way. Swinging by from #faithbarista.

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    1. Yep, balance is the key to peace and joy! Thanks for visiting!

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