One of the most DAUNTING tasks of my cleaning "routine" is conquering the bathroom. I can't tell you how much I dislike cleaning that place. Granted, our bathroom never reaches the point of utter disgust, but it's usually nothing close to the image I want it to be if unannounced company shows up. To illustrate even further for you how ashamed I can be of our restroom, I will sometimes even tell people we're too busy to have them over, just so that I don't have to clean the bathroom or so they won't see it in its current condition.
It wasn't until last week that I decided to commit my restroom-cleaning issues to the Lord. YES, it's something I actually had to give to him because I realized I can't do such a comparatively simple thing by myself!
One of my quiet times last week went something like this...."God, I am ashamed of this silly thing, but will you PLEASE give me the STRENGTH and JOY that I need to finish the bathroom today? I want to commit to cleaning this place in the house every Tuesday, regardless of what else I accomplish. And I know I can only do this with your help."
Tuesdays are the most free day I have out of the week. My school week starts on Tuesdays and ends on Mondays, and since I have the option of which days I do school work, I usually take Tuesdays off. Therefore, I have NO EXCUSE to clean the bathroom on Tuesdays!
So this past Tuesday, I set about cleaning the bathroom with some praise music on to get my mind focused on Christ. And lo and behold, I had a blessed time in the bathroom that day! Instead of being that awful mountain of a task it usually is, the hour and a half spent scrubbing, disinfecting, and beautifying became a conversation between me and my King. Now I have a refreshingly clean and sparkling place to get ready in the morning!
Focus your thoughts on Him and He will faithfully lead you to accomplish whatever it is you normally put off. Don't procrastinate. Whatever that thing is in your life that you just can't seem to be faithful in doing as unto the Lord, commit it to Him in prayer.
A few things I've found to be helpful when procrastinating or when doing something with a bad attitude are below:
*Write it down in your calendar
*Before starting the task, have your quiet time with God and seriously commit it to Him in prayer
*Don't let yourself do ANYTHING else that day until it's accomplished (aside from your time with God, of course)
*Tell your husband or a friend to call you and hold you accountable (however great or small the thing is!)
*Play some of your favorite motivating music in the background while doing that thing
*Memorize a verse that applies to your struggle
____________________________
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working
for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you
will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward."
Colossians 3:23-24
The bathroom is my absolute least favorite thing in the world to clean, too... love your ideas on doing this joyfully! :) I've decided if I have to break sections up into a weekly rotation, I can live with everything being cleaned that way (even if it's not all newly cleaned at the same time).
ReplyDeleteWonderful post!! I've only been a dedicated housewife for almost a year, and learning self discipline and finding what works for me when it comes to cleaning has been such a struggle!! I love your tips! Monica @ mrsmonicatillery.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, Monica! I will be following your blog as well.
ReplyDeleteSame here! I'm sorry to say, but my bathroom doesn't get really clean very often. I do the counters and the tops of the toilets pretty regularly, but I only clean my shower every few months, and I only clean the guest shower when guests are coming. :-)
ReplyDeleteI heard a great piece of advice recently from a woman with a large family. She said to figure out what your minimum level of "clean" is and put your efforts there. That will keep you sane on a daily basis, and when you have time for all the extra stuff, bonus! I decided that as long as my bathrooms aren't icky, I don't care if they aren't sparkling. I'm a freak about my kitchen counters and living room floors, though, because they are high on my priority list.
Good luck! I love your bathroom tile.
Tiffany, that is GREAT advice! I've started to figure out what my "level of clean" is lately, and thankfully, hosting a weekly Bible study in my home has helped with it. I always clean the day before now.
ReplyDeleteI suppose hosting people in our homes is a great ministry AND a motivation to keep things clean!