ideas and ideals

I have two sets of goals....my earthly goals and my heavenly goals. Of course the latter are the most important, eclipsing the earthly.

Earthly: I want a clean house. I long for that stark, spotless look. Ha. (I DID clean the laundry room on Friday, it took all day to sort and sift, but the floor in there is clean, the clothes in the proper hampers, with only like 15 loads to do....) but this clean house is not going to happen. Oh, I get one room the way I want it, and then another, and the first one is messy again. I spent a few hours cleaning up Charlotte Claire's/toy storage room last week, and when I tucked her in last night, it was distressing how messy it is again. rrr. My living room gets swept and picked up several times a day, and every few days or so I take care of the clothes pile on the couch, the eternal clothes pile that I vow never will happen again. Then, one of the kids asks where to put an outfit that has only been worn for 5 minutes by Camille, and I say, "Put it on the couch..." Sometimes I tell myself that if my house was all clean and spotless, I would be very happy. Sure, probably would. But I'll probably never know! ha. As for other things, I think I manage okay...I always have the kids neat and clean and cute when we go out and about, I feed them nice and relatively healthy dinners each evening, somehow...and breakfast and lunch usually aren't too bad, except for the occasional out and about chips and soda deal. ]



Okay, the heavenly: what does it mean to be Godly? In the old testament, they had their laws and rules, to protect them against destroying themselves in total depravity. Then Jesus came, He came and battled against sin, and He won victory. Victory over death itself. He said "Follow me".....so now that is opened up for us, to follow Him on this way of victory, of overcoming in our temptations. Every day, I get my share of trials. Frustrations and irritations. What do I do then? Yes, I want to accomplish my earthly goals, it can SEEM so important. But I need to be saved during all these things! I cannot take a clean house to heaven. Yes, it is nice and good, but being cleansed from sin during the day is where rest and peace come from. When I say NO to my irritation, I have to suffer a bit, but the peace that comes from that is heavenly. It blesses those around me. When I hear something bad about another person, and I decide that this information will die with me, I will not speak evil, then it blesses both me, and the others. It can be so decieving during the day, when I am so focused on my earthly goals....but taking things right is far far more important. This way of salvation is what brings blessing and happiness. People ask me sometimes how I raised such good teenagers. Now how do I explain that it wasn't me, it was because they choose to live a pure life, saying NO to sin....? It is a huge responsibility to be a good example to them, to really turn to God when things get rough. Then they see that this life is good.

Oh, I do not mean to preach. But it is hard not to burst sometimes, I am so thankful to God that He has been so good to me, not just in the earthly. I am so thankul that I don't have to just live in hopelessness and anger and misery. And now, ironically, comes one of the hardest trials I experience, which is getting out the door by 10:30 with all the kids neat and clean and fed, for church.....