As a homemaker, having a normal has been the salvation of my sanity. A little side note here --- my kids and grandkids lovingly make the attempt to keep me up-to-date. One of them recently informed me that homemaker is an outdated term, and that people can more easily relate to stay-at-home mom. It's hard for me to make that switch for two reasons. In the world I knew growing up, stay at home and mom were almost always synonymous. Secondly, the vocation of homemaker (home maker), regardless of whether or not a woman is employed outside the home, was instituted by God. "She looks well to the ways of her household..." Proverbs 31:27. "...younger women marry, bear children, guide the house..." 1 Timothy 5:14. "...teach the young women to be...keepers at home..." Titus 2:5. For me, the word homemaker ranks among titles that have been my highest honor to bear, like Christian, wife, and mother. On matters of lesser importance, I may acquiesce for the sake of staying current, but I'm not willing to discard the word homemaker. I hope and pray I am worthy enough for it to play a huge role in defining me! Now, back to the subject of having a normal.
My Great Aunt said these words to me years ago: "I have a place for everything, and I like everything in its place. That's not always the way it is, but that's the way I like it!" Over the years, I have condensed her words of wisdom to one simple term...normal. I define normal as when everything is in its rightful place. When my kids were all at home --- in reality --- normal was not the norm! It's hard to maintain a state of normal by my definition, when you have toddlers, tweens, or teenagers running amuck.
Normal was/is simply my personal standard I set. Having an ordered environment makes for a more pleasant atmosphere. It saves time, and eliminates unnecessary frustration. When everything has a place, and everyone in the family knows its place, no one has to spend time looking for things, and getting aggravated when they can't find them.
After a meal, when I have a messy kitchen, I work to get things back to normal. After the grandkids have been over --- even though they make an effort to pick up after themselves --- I spend a few minutes getting things back to normal. At night --- after everyone else is in bed, and I know no one will be getting things out of place --- I get things back to normal.
Like almost everything else in life, normal is a habit anyone can cultivate. At first, it may take making a conscious effort. Pick up that tea (or coffee) cup I was sipping on when I had my morning devotion and carry it into the kitchen as I go. Fold my pajamas, and put them into the drawer, as soon as I get dressed. But, after a while, it becomes second nature. It may even become so much second nature that...well, let's put it this way, you can get too much of a good thing! Quite often when our adult children are home, after a meal, this scenario has been plays out: One of them will start glancing around. They ask, "Where'd my cup go?" Then it dawns on them. They ask accusingly, "Mom did you move my cup?" Okay, I'll admit, I may go overboard on the normal thing.
I wanted to share this, this morning, because confession is good for the soul, and I need to ask the forgiveness of my family for being a cup thief. Not really ;) The concept of maintaining Normal has just been such a benefit to me, that I wanted to encourage those who might struggle in this area to try it. It has enabled the smoother operation of my household, resulting in something of far greater worth. The order contributes in a positive way to the overall atmosphere of my home. That's the end goal.
The first step in establishing your non-chaotic atmosphere, may be the hardest. Designate a place for EVERYTHING! Once that's done, enlist your family members to help you keep everything in its place. Here's a helpful hint for kids. Take pictures --- or have them to if they're old enough --- of different areas of their rooms when they are in an ideal state. Then, the next time they get messy, they can look at the pictures and will know the expected standard when you say, "Clean your room!" There won't be any room for excuses for a sloppy job. Psst...Mom, if cleaning doesn't come naturally for you, it's okay for you to use the picture tip too :)!
We all know that nobody has a normal family, but maintaining a normal house can make for a happier home for your abnormal family to live in! Wouldn't that be a great goal for the new year?
Normal was/is simply my personal standard I set. Having an ordered environment makes for a more pleasant atmosphere. It saves time, and eliminates unnecessary frustration. When everything has a place, and everyone in the family knows its place, no one has to spend time looking for things, and getting aggravated when they can't find them.
After a meal, when I have a messy kitchen, I work to get things back to normal. After the grandkids have been over --- even though they make an effort to pick up after themselves --- I spend a few minutes getting things back to normal. At night --- after everyone else is in bed, and I know no one will be getting things out of place --- I get things back to normal.
Like almost everything else in life, normal is a habit anyone can cultivate. At first, it may take making a conscious effort. Pick up that tea (or coffee) cup I was sipping on when I had my morning devotion and carry it into the kitchen as I go. Fold my pajamas, and put them into the drawer, as soon as I get dressed. But, after a while, it becomes second nature. It may even become so much second nature that...well, let's put it this way, you can get too much of a good thing! Quite often when our adult children are home, after a meal, this scenario has been plays out: One of them will start glancing around. They ask, "Where'd my cup go?" Then it dawns on them. They ask accusingly, "Mom did you move my cup?" Okay, I'll admit, I may go overboard on the normal thing.
I wanted to share this, this morning, because confession is good for the soul, and I need to ask the forgiveness of my family for being a cup thief. Not really ;) The concept of maintaining Normal has just been such a benefit to me, that I wanted to encourage those who might struggle in this area to try it. It has enabled the smoother operation of my household, resulting in something of far greater worth. The order contributes in a positive way to the overall atmosphere of my home. That's the end goal.
The first step in establishing your non-chaotic atmosphere, may be the hardest. Designate a place for EVERYTHING! Once that's done, enlist your family members to help you keep everything in its place. Here's a helpful hint for kids. Take pictures --- or have them to if they're old enough --- of different areas of their rooms when they are in an ideal state. Then, the next time they get messy, they can look at the pictures and will know the expected standard when you say, "Clean your room!" There won't be any room for excuses for a sloppy job. Psst...Mom, if cleaning doesn't come naturally for you, it's okay for you to use the picture tip too :)!
We all know that nobody has a normal family, but maintaining a normal house can make for a happier home for your abnormal family to live in! Wouldn't that be a great goal for the new year?
