Since I am returning to work full time in a few days, I was able to find a friend from church to clean house for us. I am obviously thrilled to find someone, but in my quest for a cleaning lady, I got to thinking about house cleaning. When my friend came over to look over what I wanted her to clean, she commented about another house she had cleaned, and she related to me about the extreme pressure she felt to clean this particular house to the high standard of the owners. She said she felt so much more comfortable with our house since it looked “lived in.”
“Lived in?” I thought to myself, is that another way of saying messy, dirty, not kept? I immediately thought I don’t like the term “lived in!” My house is not that messy I fumed to myself! I strive to be a Proverbs 31 women and live out v. 27, She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. I strive to have a neat, clean house, so is lived in a good thing?
After thinking about it for awhile, I have concluded for this season of life, with the ages of my kids, a “lived in” house is ideal! My thinking has always been to have an organized, semi clean house, but to also spend lots of time throwing ball with my son, drawing with chalk in the driveway with my daughter, taking long walks in the woods with both kids, spending quality time, being a hands on mom. If I am consumed with the cleanliness of my house I may miss out on that relational time with my hubby and kids. And that relationship with family will endure, and hopefully produce Godly fruit someday. An immaculate floor that I can eat dinner from will never bear Godly fruit. Being a Godly women is truly about priorities, someday I would like to have a neater house, but for this current season of life, I like looking “lived in.”
I love this “poem” I think it reflects what I am trying to say.
If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in it’s place, I am a housekeeper not a homemaker. If I only have time for waxing and not polishing, my children will learn of cleanliness not Godliness. Love leaves the dust in search of a child’s laugh. Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on the newly cleaned window. Love wipes up the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk. Love is the key that opens salvation’s message to a child’s heart. Before I become a mother, I took glory in my house of perfection; but now, I glory in God’s perfection for my children. ~Author unknown~
Jesus and Dark Chocolate 
Amen!!!!
How is school going? I’ll bet you are an awesome teacher!!!! 🙂
Hi,
Just hopped over from Sandi’s blog.
So beautifully said! With two toddlers, my house is definitely ‘lived in!’
After my second was born and I stayed home full time, I thought my house would be spotless all the time. It actually looks more lived in then it did when I was teaching!
Praying for your new year. I know that you are going to have a great impact on your students!
My house is very lived in! So funny the timing of your blog. I just fired my cleaning lady tonight. After cleaning up after her for several months I decided I’d rather do it myself for awhile…so we’ll probably be even more lived in. I also agree that you can go over board with cleaning and forget to spend the important hours with your family. Good luck at school!!
Just stopping by to say Hi and letting you know I was praying for you as you head back to school! I bet you are excited.
And you’re right, the lived in look makes a home otherwise it’s just a house.
I love this! My house is definitely “lived in.”
Stopping by on my way to another site… I’m glad I did… Beautifully said!
God bless you as you serve Him in your home.
Sylvia Britton
Yes, we definitely have the “lived in look.” Although I must say in ANYONE else’s house, I really do prefer that to the “perfect” showhouse. So why can’t I be thrilled about the “lived in” look in my house??? 😉
What a touching post. I’m going to have to look around some more.
I had to give up spotless when my daughter was born. And if you really think about it, your house is probably cleaner than most. At least that’s what my daughter tells me. She’s 17 now, and appreciates a clean house. Imagine that!
Ok, I’m off to read your most recent posts….