These are very important questions.
My answer: Most of the time.
Most of the time, I don't mind cleaning. I am even learning how to do it joyfully everyday. I pick up what I can and do what I can and leave the rest alone. Again--most of the time.
Sarah Mae touches on the word "can't" today. It is a very naughty word and I think of it on the same lines of a curse word. "Can't" should not be in your vocabulary. I have learned (at times the hard way) that speaking negatively reaps negative actions and attitudes. Thankfully, through God's grace and focusing on the positive, I have overcome most of my negative tendencies.
"For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. it exposes our innermost thoughts and desires." Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)
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| Life's about the little things... Zoey and I enjoyed a fresh strawberry from our plant. |
My biggest obstacle of willing hands is getting overwhelmed. We already touched on this some on Day 10. It's at this point that it starts to feel like work and less of a willing attitude. Today is a prime example:
We got a dog this past weekend. You can Meet Eli, our new Newfoundland mix "puppy." So today is the first normal day and trying to find a new routine. Eli is really great and well behaved, but it does take some getting used to anytime a routine is altered, this change just happens to be affected me the most.
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| This is Eli. He is such a sweet dog! |
Anyway...this morning I felt overwhelmed. I got up grudgingly (I'm still working on positive in the mornings.) I got Zoey up who was now beating on her door, I let Eli outside who was now pacing behind me, then I try to remember what to do next, oh yeah--breakfast. So I go in the living room to turn on Mickey while I start breakfast when I remembered that I haven't even used the bathroom myself yet. So I did that and then remembered to let Eli back in the house. I started breakfast with a very hungry dog under my feet (I love him, but humans come first, at least the pint sized one.) So I got Zoey her cereal and banana and realized I haven't changed her yet, thankfully she was fairly dry. So I changed her and got her eating happily while watching Mickey. Now it was time to feed Eli. I got his food ready (we are doing half dry and half wet) something that I don't quite have down to a science yet. Then I gave him the food after he sat and stayed very well (he's such a good dog.) Then I got my orange juice to go with my cereal and went to sit down with Zoey. Sigh. It's only been like 10 minutes (if that) into the morning and I already felt fried. And as I eat my cereal I tried not to think about the dirty dishes sitting in the sink or the three loads of laundry I need to do (Monday is self-imposed laundry day at our house.)
Well, you get the picture. I feel overwhelmed when there is a lot to do and it all needs to happen now. Every morning doesn't feel this rushed, thankfully, and we will get the newly added dog routine down, I'm sure of it. But, it's times like these that make my hands feel unwilling. I get so much on my mind that I don't know what to do next.
I am working on this! I am making my lists a priority. That is helping. It lets me know that I have a plan so I can focus on what I am doing now. That is a big step for me.
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| My feet were the first thing to get in the pool. Zoey dragged me into the pool laughing! |
To be honest the thing that has helped most today was when Zoey and I were playing outside in the pool and she pulled me (willingly) into the pool with her. It was so nice to rest and cool off on a hot summer day in her little pool. It made me forget all of my overwhelmed feelings from this morning and I realized (as I so often do) that spending time with Zoey is the only thing I really need to accomplish every day.
*Note: The challenge is associated with Joyful Mothering from the book 31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae.
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