Order, in all its definitions, is not something that appeals to me. My Self readily takes flight in a open field or sky and is scrambled and uninspired by recipes and rules. I can handle a decent amount of chaos, especially other people's.
But in building- a house, a household, a pattern of life, a family- order has pressed itself upon me.
Until this week, it was scarce to be found in our schedules, our living room, my brain, etc...
But in a galvanizing situation of frustration, it seemed that a "strict schedule" came into view as the only option left.
We are now one week past this milestone (which to other families may be first order of business)... and our kitchen has never been more regularly tidy, hubby reported (if only 2 out of the 6 days) feeling more human for the first in a long time, and I have found myself appropriately ready to sleep at the ungodly-early hour of 9 p.m.
The hope is that this self-imposed structure will help our family stay afloat during a hard-working year of building, and on beyond. I think we've crossed a line that in many ways we might not cross back over during this stage of our lives.
One day Sabbath per week is, I may recall, is what God suggests. So I will adjust to managing child care 6 days/week and a higher % of domicile and repetitive duties per day than I ever thought I could put up with. And do I ever plan to keep that Sabbath holy! :)
By ordering our collective time and energy, we hope that more important things...
Responding to the Holy Spirit...Growing and not disintegrating our marriage...Being a healthy family...Generosity... Relationships...and having a place to live...
...will also fall in place.
Beautiful things, I am learning, can even grow from within and out of structure...
...not the least of which, we hope, will be our house!
