Every day when my kids leave for school, my kitchen looks something like this. And even though it is not hard to clean my tiny kitchen or my 1100 square foot house, sometimes the tedium of wiping the same counters, and straightening the same beds, gets old. Sometimes, I lose perspective and I sink into a funk.
It’s ALWAYS dirty. It’s ALWAYS cluttered. The kids NEVER remember to make their beds or put away their toys. I’m a TERRIBLE disciplinarian. NOTHING I teach them matters because they don’t remember.
But then I realize that I need to switch perspective.
Instead of seeing REDUNDANCY, I can see CONSISTENCY.
Instead of seeing CHAOS, I can see CHILDISHNESS.
Instead of seeing DISORDERLINESS, I can see LIVELINESS.
Instead of seeing INCOMPLETENESS, I can see IMAGINATION.
Instead of seeing CLUTTER, I can see ABUNDANCE.
Instead of seeing AN UNMADE BED, I can see A PLACE of REFRESHMENT.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
What do you see today? Encourage a friend to see her day through new eyes by sharing this post!
Love the consistency one!
Amy recently posted…31 Days of Wisdom: Day 9
You are brave Katrina. I must admit, if I took pictures of my house this morning they would look worse than yours, and I only have 2 kids! I could blame it on the fact that there was no school yesterday so they were both home all day, and that my husband had a meeting last night so he was gone from 7:30 a.m. until after 9 p.m…..but in reality most days my house is pretty messy. I’m doing well if I have one or two rooms clean at once.
Thank you for this; it was much needed!
I SOOOOOO needed this today 🙂
amen.
thank you for sharing this!
Tami recently posted…Toothless Wonder!
For what it’s worth, I think your house looks pretty good! Our kitchen is about 10 times worse most days lol!
Thank you! I’m going to make little signs with your words of wisdom and post them in messy places in my house.
Lovely post my friend! My new perspective: ” Why, no! That
is not rotting food you smell in my kitchen sink! It’s actually compost”!
I love your home!!!! Can you come and help me with mine? Please? I know you see clutter and Chaos, but I see beauty and life. Pus your paint colors are fantastic! — my home is now completely in shambles and clothes are hanging from every floor — I can see them coming down the stairs.
I love your home!
erin
Yeah, do you really want to get into a picture battle of messes?? I’m bringing my A game – Karissa’s room! 🙂 Your words are true, though. We get so caught up in stressing over the things that really. don’t. matter.
I see matching shoes next to each other!! Wow. That’s always a welcome sight in my house.
I do love this post, and it reminds me of what a friend said to me once: “I like that your house looks like it’s the kids’ house too, not just the adults’ house,” which I thought was nice. So when I get aggravated with the clutter, explosions of glitter, dress-up clothes left on the floor, barbies in the bathtub, yadda yadda yadda, I try to remember that. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing that you to struggle with the every day things that get us in a funk. This sounds like me at least once a month. I to have to change my perspective and and be easy on my self. It is a JOB to do what we as mothers do, and keeping it in perspective does truly help! I hope you have a wonderful day in your lived-in-home!
Thank you for this post- exactly what I needed to hear.
So true! I get in these moods and know i need to replace my negative thoughts with truth. Sometimes i struggle with what truth to replace my thoughts with. Thank you for helping me with that. Your transparency is refreshing and encouraging. I agree that you are more brave than i…not sure i could take pictures of the messes. But that is real life.
I LOVE THIS!!! Thank you so much!!! Way to be willing to post your mess for all the world to see. Can’t say I’m there yet – at least not my physical mess! Love you; miss you, Carrie
Carrie Jones recently posted…oops
WONDERFUL!!!!! Love it & will share it.
I love the abundance one! I just cleaned out load and loads for goodwill and still have clutter. I mean, abundance. Thanks for this post!
Hi Katrina,
Don’t know if you remember me (you taught me 11th grade English at Ukarumpa) but I just wanted to let you know that I really enjoy reading your blog. I find your frank openess and your fresh perspective really encouraging. I especially love this post!!
YES! Of course I remember you. I’m so glad to know that you read my blog. That’s awesome. 🙂 I hope you’re doing well.
Am I allowed a second comment? I thought of this post again today as I was getting ready to do my son’s laundry. He only has a few pairs of pants that fit him well and are nice enough for school, and he got grass stains on one at recess the other day. Instead of seeing stains, I can see a healthy boy who has friends he likes to run and play with. 🙂
WOW – thanks! I needed this reminder about perspective this week!!
This. Right. Here.
Just what I needed today, will probably need it again later, and tomorrow, and a few more times.
Thank you!
I had to rethink about this myself as I was wiping the grossness off the front of the kitchen cabinets. Ickk! 😉
I keep having to tell myself that my house is a product of having five kids-three of which are home all day. Why is that difficult to remember?
Thanks for this!
Kathi
PS. Can’t wait to meet you at Allume!
Kathi recently posted…Carry-on Sized Faith