September 23, 2024
So a strange phenomenon has happened on my YouTube channel: people gravitate to my short, 5-minute cleaning video more than any other video! This reality makes me laugh and also shrug my shoulders in disbelief because I do not consider cleaning to be the emphasis of my personal brand. Several have asked for more videos on the topic of homemaking which tells me that people are searching for practical life wisdom.
Though I’m not a professional cleaner, my homemaking skills have grown over the years, and I feel like I’m finally “coming into my own” as the saying goes. If you have ever visited my home personally, you know it’s a relaxed place that I try to keep tidy and clean enough to feel comfortable in, though I would not lick the baseboards. You’re likely to be eating some dust if you do.
Today I’d like to share a simple yet life-changing piece of advice that my mom wisely told me when I was in 8th grade. I believe this advice transcends the borders of time, age, industry fields, and specific applications. Simply put…this wisdom is for all time in every place.
One sunny Saturday afternoon in 8th grade, I came to my mom with tears streaming down my face. I was so stressed because I couldn’t get all my homework and practicing done on Saturday. Time slipped through my fingers as sunshine poured in my window. Still a child at heart, I desperately wanted to play outside, but a mountain of homework and practicing stared me in the face.
My mom wisely told me something that I have never, ever forgotten and that has become more meaningful to me the older I have become,
Do the best you can in the amount of time you have.
The profundity of this statement is mind-blowing and life-changing. How can I do better than my best in the time I’ve been given? The answer is, I can’t. I cannot do better than my best, and I can never stretch time.
I have carried this wisdom into my homemaking, and applying this wisdom to my homemaking has made a significant impact in the ways I care for my home.
Do the best you can...
This calls into question: am I doing my best? My character has certainly needed growth and maturation in the journey of homemaking. Early after my wedding, I realized that magic fairies would not unload the dishwasher for me each morning; I had to unload the dishwasher. Pretty quickly I learned that mama was not there to clean my snug duplex; I was responsible for my new home. An unpleasant dawning took place in my mind and heart as I realized just how lazy I truly was, and honestly, over 14 years of homemaking, I have been saddened to see the depth of my laziness, and ultimately my selfish sinfulness.
The more honest I have become with myself, the more I have been able to face my selfishness and grow personally. When I acknowledge my need and seek forgiveness, God gives grace and the courage to start doing the next task that pleases Him.
My best has certainly grown over the years. I am now a more efficient cleaner than I used to be. Yet there is always room for growth. As I have pushed myself (and had shoves from others), I have grown.
...in the amount of time you have.
My time is limited. I do not have the same amount of time as others, and others may have more or certainly less time than I do. My working hours (literal time and physical ability combined) may look very different than someone else who has an entirely different physical make-up than I do. My time is just that…it’s the time that has been given and entrusted to me, not anyone else.
In a strange way, limited time is a comfort. I literally do not have time to keep a Pinterest-perfect house, and that’s okay. What a 1,000-pound weight was lifted off my shoulders when I finally surrendered to reality!
Yet God has made me the steward of the time He has entrusted to me; what an awesome responsibility this is! I must use my time (really God’s time) for His glory and the furtherance of His will. A huge part of God’s will for my life is to care for the place my family and I call “home.”
Next week, I will share some simple strategies for caring for a home in the best way possible in a limited amount of time. Have a blessed week!
-Ashley
Personal Disclosure
As the author of Ashley Qurollo Blog, all opinions are my own. Any possible applications are universal in nature, not directed at any one individual or people group. My sincere desire is to help others by sharing what I am learning. Nothing stated on this blog is ever intended to hurt others. Ashley Qurollo, owner of Ashley Qurollo Blog and Website, is not held liable in any way for any application of the ideas and thoughts stated here.
#home #homemaking #homemaker #skill #skills #howto #time #management #best #personal #limited #limitations #comfort #pinterest #practical #living #life #godswill #care #family #house #kitchen #laundry #best #use #advice #wisdom #mom #mother #heart #head #knowledge #lazy #laziness #character #wife #marriage #new #dishwasher #clean #cleaning #keepingthehome #mature #maturation #adult #responsible #parent #honesty #honest #selfish #sin #sinfulness #forgiveness #grace #lowenergy #low #energy #simple #simpleliving #strategy #doingmybest
Comments