A New Leaf

Yep, I've turned one over. First, I have decided I MUST stop feeling guilty for things in my life that I a.) have no control over, b.) just aren't worth it or c.) I just plain have no place feeling guilty about.

So, there are many areas I'm working on this, but one is my house. I must say that the majority of us (although there are a FEW crazy exceptions to this rule) do not enjoy housework. I find where we might differ in our opinions is not the fact that we despise it as a whole (because most of us do), but merely in the specific parts we might like or dislike (i.e. bathrooms, mopping, dusting, etc...), or in the reasons behind not finding it even the slightest bit intriguing.

For example, the only part of housework I enjoy is purging and organizing. I love getting rid of junk and reorganizing a space. I absolutely HATE cleaning bathrooms. Gag. A. Maggot. I don't mind dusting, I guess, but I am definitely not eager to jump in. And mopping? As if. Vacuuming I can handle. On occasion.

Now, let me make one tiny detail clear. Even though I do not like it, I still do it. My house, on most occasions, is relatively clean. Albeit, not always tidy, but most always mostly clean. Liveable. You won't die or contract a disease. Is my guilt showing?

I do not like housework for one main reason: it takes away from the things I would rather be doing or could be doing. Even in my quaint, little house, it still feels like a ginormous chore. It overwhelms me. I can totally relate to those people you see on Clean Sweep and shows like that who just gave up. I'm not there and I hope to never get there, but I can understand. I can see how it happens. Scary.

I hear complaints all the time about housework and I DO NOT want to be one of those women who thinks it is "my job" because I'm a woman. I enjoy keeping a nice, clean house. I do not enjoy the means to the end. I do not want to do housework for 50 years and despise every minute of it, or be bitter about it later.

Here are my top 10 things I would rather/could be doing if I wasn't doing housework:

1. Spending more time in God's word and praising Him

2. Spending more time in THOUGHTFUL prayer.

3. Spending more time with my husband.

4. Spending more time thinking of nice things to do for my husband.

5. Spending more time calling friends I don't talk to nearly enough.

6. Spending more time working on my yard.

7. Spending more time working in my classroom (which I don't mind near as much as housework).

8. Spending more time READING GREAT BOOKS on my long, long "Want to Read" list.

9. Spending more time building blogs for my friends.

10. Spending more time riding horses, playing golf, working out, walking the dogs and all of those other things I want to do more of and don't have the time it seems.

So, this is all said to let you in on a little secret. In T minus 9 plus a little days and counting, I will experience my very first H-O-U-S-E-K-E-E-P-E-R.

Yes, I said, "to heck with the guilt." I have talked about this for over a year now, and just haven't done it for various reasons.

Just because I don't have human children, doesn't mean my house doesn't get messy or dirty OR that I have all the time in the world to clean it. I don't!

And, when it comes down to it, we are willing to pay for what we want or need the most, and each of us makes our own decisions about what those things are. I've made my decision and I couldn't be more excited. I seriously cannot wait for the 14th!!!!!

WANTED: A housekeeper (or angel as I like to call her). Once every two weeks. To dust, clean floors, vacuum, clean windows/sills, mirrors, dust fans, and most of all CLEAN THE BATHROOMS!!!

And, now I've found her.