Category: choices

Getting Real about the Laundry

Let’s get real about laundry.

Get real about laundry? What is she talking about?

Okay, I guess I’m talking about completion. My husband calls himself a “compulsive finisher.” He rarely quits a project before it’s complete. Sometimes he works odd hours to make sure something isn’t lingering or incomplete. That makes me a very blessed wife, as he usually takes care of repairs around the house or anything that needs to be done.

As for me, well, I wish I could say I also was a compulsive finisher. I’m a great starter, for sure. I’m one of those who has project after project started, especially craft projects. But I also have four or five novels I’ve started among other things.

I’m also really good at starting laundry. I don’t mind sorting laundry, starting it, even making sure it’s in the dryer. But folding clothes…well…that’s another story. Clothes can stay in the dryer for days before I remember to put them away. Sometimes, I’m doing the next round of laundry days later before I realize there’s another load in the dryer. Sigh… I really hate that, too.

When I do put the clothes away (or unload the dishwasher or FINALLY dust my bookshelves), it’s great. I feel like I truly accomplished something. So, why can’t I do it consistently? It’s a great sense of completion, so why only do it once in a while?

I’m not sure I have the answer. There are times when I really wish I was more of a type-A person, going full speed ahead. But the reality is, I’m not.

Laundry is only one of the areas where I all feel like I fail or I’m not as strong. I think we all feel that way. Let me tell you – you’re not alone. While I envy those lovely type-A people or compulsive finishers, I know I will never quite be that way. I can improve, for sure. But I shouldn’t beat myself up over the fact that I’m wired differently.

What about you? Is there an area where you feel like you fall short? Do you beat yourself up over it? What do you do to improve?

It’s a new year, so it’s a good time to try to do things a little better.

I’d love to hear from you. Meanwhile, I guess I better go and get the clothes out of the dryer. They’ve only been there for three days now. 😊

Perspective

Have you ever reached a point where you feel like things are crashing down around you? You’re burnt out with your job, annoyed with your spouse, even fed-up with friends? Nothing’s really wrong, except that you just feel fried by life. You need a vacation!

That’s where I was recently. Nothing was really wrong. Life is good. My grandchildren are beautiful (I’m having the best time crocheting toys for them!). And my husband and I are in a good place with jobs and our marriage.

So, what’s the deal? Why do I feel like I need Calgon to take me away? (I’m may be giving away my age with that reference!).

But as I attempted to have a pity party with myself, another part of me stood up to smack me in the head. The other part of me remembered where I was 10 years ago this month. How things have changed, but how good things have been in the last decade.

You see, ten years ago, I was diagnosed with my second bout with cancer. Something we had thought we had beaten five years earlier reared its ugly head again, in a slightly different form, and tried to take over my life, or more accurately, take my life.

Facing my cancer diagnosis together

This time, I had a double mastectomy, but chose not to have chemotherapy. It was an aggressive cancer to be sure, but the reasons for chemo just weren’t there. I’ve had my share of radiation from my first time with breast cancer.

So, as I think back at that time in my life, the diagnosis coming right before my birthday (the picture was taken on my birthday, knowing the diagnosis but still not knowing what the treatment would be), and the surgery coming a month later, I realize I have NOTHING to be down about. Since that time, I’ve been blessed with my children’s marriages, and two beautiful grandchildren. Yes, there’s been tough times, including cancer battles for my mother and brother, but there’s been so much joy, too. And many, many blessings.

When I feel down, or annoyed, or fed up, it doesn’t hurt to still want a vacation. It’s good to take a break. But I need to put these feelings in perspective. I’m still here. I’m strong. I’m healthy. I’m tremendously blessed with family and friends.

No time for a pity party here. It’s time to celebrate 10-years of being cancer-free instead. That’s my kind of party!

How do you keep perspective?

Scoring For the Other Team

This past weekend, the Senior Pastor at my church delivered a message called “Know Your Enemy.” Our enemy is Satan, a fallen angel. This enemy can have us turn on each other. He can have us do things that take us further from our walk with Christ.

Our pastor gave a good analogy of how sometimes we think we are doing good and doing the right thing, but maybe we’re not. Like a hockey player who has the puck but he is going the wrong way down the ice towards the opponent’s goal, and ends up scoring for the other team.

How often have I scored for the other team by my actions or attitude? Am I doing what I want or want Christ wants?

I’m also studying Romans 8 right now, via Dineen Miller’s “You Are Loved” book. In Roman’s 8:1, it states: “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (NLT)

Dineen also states that the enemy’s mission is to condemn us and destroy our faith. If we have no condemnation as Christ followers, then how can the enemy do this to us? Easy – he is a deceiver. And if we’re not paying attention, then we’re scoring for the other team.

We need to remember how Jesus treated others. Are we so busy judging everyone else that we forget to take a look at ourselves? Are we so self-focused that we don’t care what anyone else is doing? Do we say, “I have to get there faster, I have to take care of my own stuff, I’ll ignore that because it has nothing to do with me.”

If we are no longer condemned as Christ followers, then what gives us any right to condemn others? If we are forgiven and set free, why can’t we forgive others? If someone lives a lifestyle different than mine, am I treating them with kindness or am I condemning them? Judging them? Spitting in their face because they’re different than me?

Or are we so busy trying to shine our light for Jesus that we end up with a strobe light in someone’s face instead? How can they see the light of Christ when we’re blinding them? Blinding with our attitudes and judgment.

It’s a dark world, but we know who has the ultimate victory. So, this week, as I think through all of this, I have to ask myself, “Is my light shining brighter in kindness, or in condemnation?”

In other words, I don’t want to keep scoring for the other side.

 

 

Is Your Stuff Weighing You Down?

Have you ever reached a point where your stuff overwhelms you? Stuff meaning your material possessions, your social media or any other distractions that take you away from your family or work.
Coffee Bar
Recently, my husband and I did a remodel of our kitchen. We took down a wall to add a coffee bar. On the other side of that wall is our master bedroom closet. It’s always a little scary digging in to a closet to take some footage away, so we remodeled our closet as well to maximize the space. (I love being married to an architect, who is also into construction!)

It seemed this was an obvious time to go through my closet and do some major purging. Ugh! Just the thought of digging through all of my stuff was overwhelming. It would be so much easier to shove everything back in the closet and ignore it. But no, there was just too many clothes. This was ridiculous. Time to purge!

I was brutal. Even if I loved a particular item of clothing, if it didn’t fit me today, right now, then it went. I only kept what fit me now. No more saving that pair of pants for when I lost weight, or hanging on to that oversized shirt in case I gained weight again. It had to fit me today.
Nine Bags
I was brutal with my shoes as well. Even if they were cute, if they rubbed my heel or squashed my toes, they were gone. If I hadn’t worn them in years, they were gone. I literally had a pair of heels that I hadn’t worn in over 25 years!!! They were still in good shape but why was I keeping them? Out they finally went. In the end, I filled nine – count them, NINE large garbage bags with shoes and clothes.

And you know what? It felt GREAT! I felt lighter! I was cleansed! In the process, I found a couple of really cute shirts that I forgot I had that I never wore. So, while I got rid of a lot of clothes, I found some “new” and never worn items to add back in.
New Closet
This major closet cleansing has inspired me to keep going. Right now, I’m focusing on social media and my writing. I subscribe to way too many blogs that are supposed to help me with writing. All they’re doing is creating more noise in my head and taking up too much time.

I also like the latest, greatest program to help organize my writing, or do the best outline, or create characters this way. Well, those are also creating noise. I’m going to find one and stick with it! I don’t need the latest, greatest thing – I need the one that works for me. None of these programs is going to help me a better writer. The only way I can do that is to sit down and write, every day! No program will help me with doing the actual work.

Next will be my kitchen, as we’ve continued with the remodel by replacing all of our kitchen cabinets and moving some things around. Time to get brutal – I mean, how many spatulas does a girl really need? We’ll soon find out.

So, here’s hoping I can carry this “cleansing” attitude around for a while. I’ve been weighed down for a long time without even realizing it. By simplifying and purging, I’ve lightened my load and regained my focus.

How about you? How do you keep from being weighed down by stuff?