Friday, August 06, 2010

Spirit-led Reading

Sometimes I need a good kick in the pants. And isn't it nice of God to give us what we need? ;)

Over the past few weeks, the ongoing kitchen stress and mess had morphed into a whole-house mess, and instead of doing something about it, I was being a stressed out and unhappy ostrich. Our routine went to hell in a hand-basket (hey, it's summer, who needs school...or read-alouds...or art projects...) and I've been spending my time doing errands (not all necessary) and putzing at the computer. (Wouldn't it be nice if I could learn my lesson once and be done?) In other words, checking out. Ignoring the problem, ignoring my life, and thus making it all far, far worse.

In the niggling back corner of my mind, I knew what was wrong, but I was mired in acedia and hard-pressed to make the effort to change.

Thanks be to God for his grace and Spirit*, who yesterday lifted me up enough to pray for help. He is faithful, even when I offer so little!

So last night I washed dishes and picked up and put away so much misplaced stuff. Today I have folded laundry AND put it away (always my nemesis). The floors are vacuumed and swept; the bathroom sparkles. There is much still to be done, but I have started. The dull, sluggish ick of the past weeks is falling away, and tomorrow looks bright again.


* Sometimes I think the Holy Spirit speaks by prompting me to re-read certain books. Mine these past two days:
- Acedia and Me, by Kathleen Norris
- Keeping House, by Margaret Kim Peterson
Interesting choices, no?

1 comment:

Amber said...

Isn't it amazing how hard it is to ask God for help - I keep learning that lesson over and over again. I have not heard of Keeping House but that looks like a very interesting book. Thanks for mentioning it.