A Home Where Children Live!

Monday's are typically laundry/ clean-up days from the week-end at our house. I'm beginning to feel like every day is a Monday, and have long since learned to NEVER say that I'm all caught up with the laundry. As soon as I say those magical words piles of laundry seem to appear--it's amazing. And, I have also decided that the dust bunnies in my house keep giving birth to dust bunnies--how else could they be multiplying like crazy??

One of the hardest things for me is the feeling that my house is NEVER clean. I get one thing cleaned up, and two messes are found elsewhere. For instance, I was busy cleaning on Saturday, and was feeling a sense of accomplishment until I walked into Zach's room to find that Tyler had poured out the UNO game on the floor among all kinds of other goodies. Nice. We have a rule with Tyler --he makes a mess he has to clean it up. Typically that means Mommy and Daddy help, but he still has to do the majority of the work. Recently, I feel like his little phalanges have been into everything, and his little Co-hort in crime, Zachary, isn't ever far behind him. Zach typically tends to want to swish the toilet water or remove the  knob on my coffee table....Tyler tends to enjoy painting the toilet seat and throwing the knob.You see how they work together. ha!  I came across this poem that has been a MUCH needed reminder of what really matters when it comes to keeping a clean home.

This is a Home Where Children Live

You may not find things all in place,
Friend, when you enter here.
But we’re a home where children live,
We hold them very dear.

And you may find small fingerprints
And smudges on the wall.
When the kids are gone, we’ll clean them up,
Right now we’re playing ball.

For there’s one thing of which we’re sure,
These children are on loan.
One day they’re always underfoot,
Next thing you know, they’re gone.

That’s when we’ll have a well-kept house,
When they’re off on their own.
Right now, this is where children live,
A loved and lived-in home.

I'm so thankful that I serve a God who cares about all the minute details and emotions in my life. It always seems like  He brings a different insight just when I need it!! Truthfully, in the light of eternity, my kids won't remember if my house was spotless. They won't remember the dust bunnies, the laundry or the dishes. They WILL remember if I spent time with Jesus, my attitude, and if I made time for them.  As the Evangelist said this past week, they will remember what you whisper in their ear. What am I whispering? Sure I want them to be upstanding citizens and good men, but most importantly I want them to love Jesus with their WHOLE heart and make heaven their home. While their home here on earth might be clogged with dust bunnies--they one day will know what it is to live in the PERFECT home with the King of Kings.