“Okay, God is teaching me a lesson in vanity and loss of control. It is paining me that my house is messy and dirty. I know you’re family, but the idea of someone who does not live with me seeing my house in this manner stresses me out! I know that you do not care, but I just had to voice that while your room is clean upstairs, the rest of the house is to be desired…”
Friday, July 9, 2021 | 4:31pm
I sent this text last Friday. You see, my sister-in-law and my sweet, talented, smart, animal-loving niece were coming to our house for the weekend to help with the boys. Unfortunately, my house looked like a bomb went off, or at least two toddler-sized bombs. Aside from being messy, it was also dirty…. the horror! To be fair, my husband is doing a great job managing the house since my surgery 5 weeks ago, but he’s only one person with two toddlers ganging up on him and a full-time job. I was so embarassed that someone whom I respect and love was going to be seeing a sink full of dishes, toys everywhere, and dust an inch thick (at least!). Because she is so sweet, my sister-in-law responded very kindly and graciously. It also helps that she has three kids of her own, whom I adore!
It was so much fun having them at our house! We laughed so much and my niece is just the best. She is that perfect mix of being able to sit and talk to an adult, but also can dream up fun activities for the little ones. They even watched the boys for us while we did a few errands and had a nice lunch. It was a great day, but the real surprise came when we returned home.
Our house was spotless.
The laundry was done and put away. The floors were vacummed and mopped. The toilets and sinks were cleaned. Our bed was stripped and our bedding was being washed. Not to mention, our boys were happily playing. I am pretty sure my jaw hit the floor. There is just something about a clean house…
A few hours later it was time for our family to leave. As she was saying goodbye, my sister-in-law hugged me and said “sometimes God uses a messy house to teach us something, but sometimes God also sends someone to clean it”.
Sometimes God uses a messy house to teach us something, but sometimes God also sends someone to clean it
Can I get an Amen?
What I thought was a lesson in vanity and control turned out to also be about grace. Undeserving, incredible, amazing grace.
