Laundry

Laundry. It's 10:35 and I have already done three loads of laundry this morning because there was half of a dark blue crayon left in a pocket.

And now everything is covered in dark blue spots. That won't come out.

Laundry is ironic like that sometimes. You go to clean clothes, and they come out stained. Ahh, life with children. I checked the pockets, but this tiny crayon piece hid from me and melted in the dryer and turned some good clothes into play clothes.

But I am still thankful for the laundry. The laundry that I had to re-do and is still stained. Because it is my reminder that I have a family to care for and children to love. Was it annoying to find nice church pants covered in dark blue spots that won't come out? Yes. Was my first reaction to sigh and call my son's name? Yes.

But as I looked into his sweet blue eyes with the innocence of a five year old boy, I couldn't be mad at him. He's five. The crayon piece got away from him. It got away from the Mama, too.

Laundry is a never-ending chore. Sometimes it doesn't produce the results we were expecting, but it's a constant reminder that there are five of us in this family. Five people who make messes, who need clean clothes, who need new clothes to replace a few "nice" items. Five people who make our family filled to the brim with blessings and grace.

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Linked up at http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/

Five Minute Fridays: Rhythm

The rhythm of my heart starts at the beginning of each day. As I wake and roll over in my bed, the choice is mine.

It's a hard choice to make most mornings, I'll be honest there. 9 out of 10 mornings, I'd rather turn the alarm off and go back to sleep. Goodness knows I can always use extra rest! But when I choose extra sleep instead of purposefully starting my day, my rhythm is always off.

There are so many instances in the Bible of God meeting with His children in the morning. I don't think that's a coincidence. Our hearts and minds are empty each morning, waiting to be filled with something. When I choose to fill my heart and mind with God's love and His promises each morning, the rhythm of my day is so, so, so much better. I've had "Me Time," so I feel able to freely lavish time and energy on my three kiddos. I've been filled with grace and love and {gasp!} patience, so I have much more to give my children.

The rhythm of Mama's day so often sets the rhythm of my family's day. I don't want to take that lightly.

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Linked up with Lisa Jo's Five Minute Fridays

Listen

Listening. That's what we all want, but so often it's what is the hardest to give. Life moves by at such a fast pace, and listening - well, it requires us to stop. Because to truly listen to someone means that we must stop all else and focus on that person.

My children want me to listen the most. While I'm up to my ears in laundry and dirty hands from cleaning the toilets, no less. So often I put them off, "Wait just a minute." "Give me just a few minutes." "Hold on a sec."

And that "minute," that "sec," turns into 10 minutes, 60 minutes, or maybe I forget all together.

When I listen to my kiddos, I'm showing them that I value them. I am able to stop what I'm doing and give them what they need. And, honestly, it's not usually more than just a few seconds of my time. But why do I have such a hard time giving it to them? Couldn't I use a little break from the endless chores of motherhood?!?

So I plan to listen today. And tomorrow, and the next day. I will listen to my children until it becomes a habit. What better habit could I start today? If I listen to them now when they are little and they feel valued and, ahem, listened to...then later when they are older and I want them to listen to me and my advice, I think, just maybe, they will be well-equipped to listen. Because they've had a good example of how to do it.

STOP.

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A post as part of Lisa Jo's Five Minute Friday.