Cleaning with love...

Do you have the same struggle as Eric and I do?  Keeping our house clean for our own sanity seems almost impossible, and then the thought of a friend or neighbor dropping by without notice, just down right scary.  Okay, maybe not scary, but on those days/weeks when you have been crazy busy, it can be embarrassing.  Even putting in a work order can feel overwhelming.  I don't want anyone to see my mess.  But yet, when we do have people over, those are often the sweetest and most spiritually deep interactions.  So my struggle is finding that balance. Another confession: Eric really struggles with feeling at peace when our home is messy.  I dislike dirt, but can handle piles to some extent because I almost always know where it needs to go, but just haven't gotten around to putting it there.  In our marriage, this has been the number one fight for us.  I have come to realize just how much it means to my husband to come home and feel peace.  It is now a much higher priority for me, although I still struggle with it on a daily basis.  I understand his need much more now, and can clean even with love for him. My ultimate goal is that I want my house to be a place where people feel safe and comfortable; that it is a place of refuge.  I also want my house to be a place of comfort, purpose and joy for my own family. Since I don't have any great answers besides Nike's famous slogan, "Just Do It", I am opening it up for you to share.  Are there things that you are finding work well for you or for your family.   My one tip to share with you this week:  I find when people are coming over on a regular basis, it is easier to keep up with the household tasks.  Why?  I think it's because knowing that someone will be here in a day means it is on my to do list as a priority.  It's no longer something I can do tomorrow.  In fact, we are thinking about reimplementing a set night for inviting friends over for dinner.  Have you found this to be true for you? I'm looking forward to the dialog that comes from my vulnerability.  So when you drop by, and it looks good, know that it was cleaned with love.  If it doesn't, pray for me. :-)