Thankful Thursday

It is time for another edition of Thankful Thursday!

So Tuesday night I wrote a blog post complaining about how my family enjoys taking the clean spaces of our house and using them to create their next mess masterpiece. I didn't end up posting it because it felt whiny and petty and grumpy. Yesterday I thought about taking pictures of all of the messes and posting them as a "wordless Wednesday," but honestly I felt embarrassed by the mess, because as much as I blame everyone else for the state of our home, it is ultimately my mess. I spend time wishing I were more disciplined with picking up and cleaning. I have longed for someone to "teach" me how to clean the "right" way; and I imagine how much happier I would be if I could just snap my fingers and make the clutter disappear. Since when did I become afraid of a little hard work?

I know, I know, this isn't very thankful. I'm getting there.

I'm thankful for my messy house. I'm thankful for the dust and crumbs. I'm thankful for the smudges on the walls and windows and even the mirrors that I've just cleaned. I'm thankful for the toys that litter the floor at the end of the day. I'm thankful for the papers that seem to overtake every surface available. I'm thankful for the never ending pile of dishes waiting to be washed and the same with the piles of laundry. I'm thankful for the messy cupboards, freezers, and refrigerators that are overflowing with food.

Do the messes need to be tamed? Eventually, yes. But they mean that a family is here, my family is here. Sometimes I think and remember how much easier it was to clean up after only myself, or only the two of us. But then there wouldn't be the three wonderful blessings of Hailey and Micah and Mariana for which I will always be thankful. Right now I feel as if these messes are meant to teach me something about myself -  I don't think I've figured it out yet, but I'm getting closer. And for those life lessons, I am thankful. For our home and our toys and our food and our stuff, we have been blessed beyond measure and beyond what I deserve. And for that I am thankful.