I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Psalm 32 v 8
One day when we were relaxing at home on a Sunday afternoon, my then youngest son Anele asked an interesting question. ‘Mom how come when you clean the house you take so long, yet sisi does it so much faster?’ Sisi means ‘Big Sister’ and that was how they referred to the maid who helped me with my domestic chores. Being a working mother I spent most of the day at the office and did not have time to clean the house that often. Whenever I did clean, it was on Sundays or holidays.
My son was right, when I was the one doing the cleaning; it was like spring cleaning all the time. I’d wake up way before dawn, put on my house coat and start with the kitchen. Of all the rooms in my house I’ve always loved the kitchen the most. Cupboards would be shaken out and reorganised, floors would be scrubbed and movable furniture would be moved. Sometimes I’d even take down the curtains and replace them with fresh ones or wash and hang them afresh. In most cases the work would go on for so long that we would only have breakfast about 10:00am when the members of my family were almost starving. You see, weekends and holidays were one of the few occasions we had the privilege of sitting down to eat breakfast together as a family.
A closer look at how I cleaned the house. I left no section untouched. There were pieces of furniture that my helper was too lazy to move or that were just not convenient to move on a daily basis. It appears I was the only one who was ever motivated enough to move those. Without fail, each time I cleaned the house myself, a lot of missing items were found; lost pencils, books, toys and even items of clothing at times. Cob webs would be removed, piles of dust taken out from under fridges and stoves etc. It was the same all the time. I know exactly how I want my house to be organized. There is a certain logical way in which I want things put in my kitchen so that when I go in to cook, I find things without thinking about where to find them. That’s just the way it is.
In my journey as a child of God, there are special people that God has allowed into my life who are his helpers. They interact with me on a daily basis. My friends and family are there to help me with some of my needs. When I am having difficulties with balancing home and career, my girlfriends are there to give me tips and ideas on how I can be more organised. When the boss is coming heavy on me due to deadlines to be met, my husband is a strong shoulder for me to lean on and his embrace comforts me and assures me that I am still loved and appreciated. When life has drained from me all that it can and I am almost giving up, one of my children does or says something that brings a smile to my heart and I realise there is so much to live for.
Obviously there are certain character traits which are evident to those closest to me. Because they love me, they point out these character weaknesses to me and they help me to clean up my act. Sometimes I become very impatient when things do not move at the pace that I want. My husband has a way of communicating with me that reminds me that I need not be on top of the situation all the time and that somehow causes me to be calm. One of my closest friends was a pillar of strength in prayer when my marriage was going through a particularly rough patch. I appreciate all these people who help put a semblance of order into my life and I know they are there by God’s design. However, they, like the maid who helps in my house have one weakness; they do not know me as intimately as my Maker.
That is why it is important to me to have daily devotions where I sit with God and tell him what pleases me and what annoys me. He is the only One who can go into all the corners of my heart and mind and clean, dust and polish behind the furniture. Family and friends are there to do their part just like my maid gives what she considers her best in keeping order in my house. There is only One who knows what is supposed to be kept in and what is supposed to be thrown out. Just like my maid cannot make such decisions as rearrange the furniture or throw out obsolete items without consulting me, the people in my life can only do so much in keeping me emotionally and spiritually balanced.
I am sure that must apply to you too. When was the last time you were still long enough to allow the Master to look into your heart and mind in order for Him to do what He does best? Life dumps a lot of stuff onto us, stuff that affects our feelings, emotions and our spiritual and physical well being. God is the only One who truly understands why and how we are the way we are and He is the only One who can reorganise and reprioritize for us for our optimal performance. When I have personally done the house, things become more efficient and my husband and children show their appreciation. Take the time to have regular appointments where you sit at Jesus’ feet and allow Him as your Creator to put order and balance into your life and thus make it more pleasant for the people in your life to live with you.
Lord, help me as your child to set aside time where I can commune with You as my Creator and Supplier of all my needs. Most times I become so busy fulfilling my societal obligations that I neglect the most important thing, that of spending time with You. Many times when things become too difficult, I rush to my friends and family for solutions and place unrealistic expectations on them for my wellbeing. I thank You for placing these people in my life. They are a real and tangible support system that I need; yet above all, I need your constant touch for me to function properly. It is such a great comfort to know that You are always there to listen to me and to counsel whenever I turn to You. AMEN
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