Not your typical Christmas gift

When it comes to cleaning my house, I often find myself doing the bare minimum just to get by - a load of laundry here, a couple of sweeps there, an occasional vacuum in the main areas. It is always a struggle to buckle down and really tackle the whole mess on a regular basis. I guess it is the part of me that still rebels against anything not fun...I know, I know, I am 30 not 3 but somehow that is still a part of my personality.

The problem with this is that the house is my job. As a stay at home wife and mom I consider my first priorities to be my husband and kids and right after that comes the upkeep of our home. We as women were created to not only stay busy but spend part of that busy time blessing our homes because it creates a warm environment for the people we love (see Proverbs 31:10-31). If I was honest with myself I would have to admit that I often rob my family of the blessing of a clean and tidy home. As I type this, really put it into words and let it sink in, I realize just how convicting this statement is. When I stop looking at the housework as work and instead see it as blessing my family, it really gives me a whole new motivation to re-prioritize the time I spend on my home.

You might be wondering what it looks like to bless your family with a clean home. To me a clean home creates opportunity. If my kitchen counters are clutter free and my dishes are cleaned and put away, I am more likely to spend time on a nutritious homemade meal for my family. I am more likely to spontaneously invite the kids in for some baking time together. If my living room and dining room are always picked up my kids are more likely to turn off the tv and pull out their train tracks to spend hours creating a grand railroad station on the floor. They are more likely to color an elaborate picture at the table until their markers run dry. If everything is where it should be and clean, my husband can come home after 12 long hours of work and just relax. He would be able to truly find peace at home (at least until our 3 little monkeys start climbing all over him!).

So my challenge to you, and to myself, is to give your family a different kind of gift this Christmas season. Bless them by blessing your home on a more regular basis. Open up opportunities for baking gingerbread men, playing a family game around the table, spreading out on the floor to wrap gifts together. In doing this you are really blessing yourself as well. Not only are you going to have a happy family and lots of memories, but I can almost guarantee your holiday season will be less stressful. So many times my stress during this time of year is compounded by the messy state of my home.

What is one thing you envision yourself being able to do with your family this holiday season when the mess of your house isn't getting in the way? Can't wait to hear what you come up with and would love for you to stop back by and let me know how it is going! And if you are already good at this, please share your tips for successfully keeping a tidy home on a regular basis.