Cleanliness is next to Godliness

Someone asked me a couple of weeks ago what I would do if, during the day when Caden and Daria were at school, she took Luke for a few hours. Much to her dismay, my answer was: "Go clean my house." You should have seen her face, it really bordered on disgust! I think that she was thinking I would go spend the afternoon at the local spa. Now, that does appeal to me...but that is so short term. Nothing speaks a more lasting peace in my life than to have a clean house. Weird, I know....but it is true!!

My parents informed me late this week that they were coming into town and needed a place to land. I should have guessed when they announced the death of my great, great aunt at Women's Retreat last weekend. (She was the mother of some missionaries in our church.) Now, I don't need to tell you that my family really did nothing along the lines of blessing me with a clean house to come home to after Women's Retreat. I had hurriedly tried to clean a little before I left, but my week quickly escaped me. So, my house really was pretty dirty when I arrived home.

Now I will confess that I really didn't use my time the wisest on Monday and Tuesday. I even crashed on the couch for a couple of hours on Tuesday. Luke sort of let me sleep....but I think my weekend had finally caught up to me. Wednesday of this week was jam packed. Babysat for the local Community Bible Study group in the morning....dashed home to pick up some toys for Luke to take to the sitters....then dropped him off....then ran to volunteer at the school for a couple of hours. Home for a little bit...then dash off to soccer practice. While at soccer practice, my husband got the hairbrained idea to go to Costco. Normally, I LOVE Costco....but that felt a little pushed in my day. The redeeming thing of that was that I didn't have to cook that night. When I got home from Costco, there was the message from my parents that they were coming. Thus....I spent a good portion of the last two days redeeming my house from the Weeks of Neglect and Haphazard Cleaning.

As I write this out, my house is clean. I've been doping my kids on PBS shows for the last couple of hours so that my house will at least stay clean for a couple of hours. (where is that ducking-behind-the-couch emoticon when I need it???) The feeling of a clean house is the epitome of bliss to me. There is nothing grander than to work my little (not-so-little??) fanny off, clean my house like a wild woman....and than aaaaaahhhhhhh. Can't you just feel it???

Now I will NOT say that my house is perfect. My children have inherited their pack-ratness from their Mom. I have closets and corners that are crying out for someone to rescue them. They are one of those projects that I keep telling myself....I'll do it tomorrow....yeah...tomorrow. I keep threatening to hire someone to come help me sort through all that madness. But, I really think that I will need therapy to be able to let some things go. That could be downright scary, and I think I might die of embarrassment to let people in my hiding places. Oh my....I shudder just thinking about it.

Well, my parents have now arrived and my kids have hit Ballistic Mode. They aren't the least bit excited that they are here. I know my parents are exhausted when they leave here. I imagine it takes them at least a couple of days to recover. My house may not survive the next couple of minutes.

Lord, Help us all.