Let It Be Messy

I hate a messy house.  I can't imagine anyone who doesn't.  But I almost always live in one.  I'm not a disgusting, messy person (except in my closet - whatever!), but I cannot seem to keep my house clean no matter how hard I try!  My kids and I (I have FIVE) clean for about 2 hours every day.  We have a chore time in the morning and another in the afternoon.  We try - really we do.  In fact, we cleaned extra hard today and I just had to share pictures of the results of our efforts.  Here is our "clean" house.  Ha.  For real.

Look at those dishes in the sink, those things underneath the dresser, all that crud piled on the couch ... This. is. my. life.   How's that for real?

But there's something else I need to admit.  I'm okay with it.  Really.  Some people are shaking their heads at me right now while looking at their clean couch and empty, shiny sink and thinking how I just don't understand how important it is to have a clean house and take care of my family and teach good habits and, well, whatever man...
I need to just admit that I don't care.  Let it be messy.

I prefer to spend my time on the other stuff.  Goofing around with my kids.  Baking cookies.  Dancing to dumb songs in order to embarrass my teenager.  Snuggling babies.  Teaching manners.  Reading my Bible.  Talking to my husband - really talking - the kind of talking where we actually look at each other the whole time (*gasp*).

Time is precious.  Childhood is fleeting.  Life is fragile.  I don't want to take even one second for granted.  I want to ignore the dishes and hold the toddler.  I want to forget about the mess and remember the promise I made to my sweet 6 year old that we would watch a "family movie" together.  I want to pretend that the piles of laundry are magic mountains that we can climb on and fall into full of giggles and stink.  One look at my now 14 year old will remind me that they will be grown and gone before I can even blink and I don't want them to remember how clean our house was.  I want them to remember how full our memories were of laughter and silliness.  I want them to talk to me about life.  I want to teach them to be kind and to love each other - all the time.

Several people around me have recently (even today) lost precious family members.  I cannot tell you the depth of my sorrow for all of these sweet friends who are grieving.  When we lose someone we love so very much we are left with only two things...our memories of the past and our hope for the future.  That's it.  That's pretty significant.

I pray today that instead of worrying about clean clothes and tidy floors that I can focus on memories to be made and life lessons to be taught.  I pray that I can cherish every single second I have with these sweet babies.  I pray the same for you.