The best laid plans

The best laid plans of mice and men......

On Tuesday, after I folded the laundry and put it away, I was getting everything ready to iron. I started with my closet and then I realized I had no idea where the iron was. A rather long search for the iron, ironing board, and starch commenced.  Three items- three different rooms-none of which were near one another.

As I was getting everything laid out, gearing up for my day of ironing- life happened. An unexpected death in the family, company comes into town, on top of a holiday weekend.  So much for ironing, mending, and churning.

What would you do? How would you react? Would you stress out? Would you give up on your new commitment to live a simpler life? I thought about these questions and more....

By focusing on my family and not the logistics of the crisis- where are people sleeping, what am I going to cook, when I going to have time to go grocery shopping- the extraneous became obsolete. I felt completely free to be "in" the moment and not consumed by the situation.

During the past year, my MomTime group read a book called "Finding Your Purpose as a Mom-Building Your Home on Holy Ground."  The focus of the book was reminding all women as to what our real purpose was- creating a holy home environment for your family.  It didn't matter whether you were a stay-at-home mom, a part-time working mom, a full-time working mom, or a single mom.  We could do it and besides that's what God wants us to do.

It is so easy to get caught up in working for promotions, volunteering to achieve self-satisfaction, promoting your own greatness through boards we forget what we are really suppose to be doing- creating a loving and spiritual environment for our family to grow and thrive.

What I loved most about the book was  any faith could use them.  Yes, the book was written on the theology of a Judeo-Christianity- but any faith could take the principles and do it. As mothers we all have the same purpose, it doesn't matter the belief system.

From striving to create a holy home to simplifying my life,  each day during this stressful time was a simple day. No, not every moment was simple or stress free.  But the overwhelming need to curl up and cry or stand in the middle of the house and scream didn't happen- as much.

Noah and Jason will tell you there was screaming. Yes, there was. At them. For not listening and doing what they were told and for not focusing on the task at hand.  Yet, I found myself "Losing my cuckoo" less  and less.

We spent these three days digging in and making some hard decisions. What will I keep? Where will it go?

There was only one task- a place for everything and everything in its place. Sometimes that place was the trash.  Ok a lot of time that place was the trash.

Do you have piles in your house? I call them the final frontier.  The Last stand! You know what I am talking about! The boxes that you push everything into before a party? Or the drawer in the kitchen?

We all have them.

As I write this, I am down to two drawers and one box.  It is so liberating.  I feel free. Relaxed. Engaged in my life.

Today is Wednesday. It's sewing day.  I'll let you know how it goes. Let me know how your transformation is happening as well.  I am failing more than I am succeeding, but every little victory is still a victory.