To clean or not to clean? I had the chance to think about it A LOT last week when I was preparing for hosting Matt’s whole extended family here for Thanksgiving and then having both our immediate families over for J’s birthday less than 48 hours later.  It was a crazy busy time with lots of picking up and cleaning.  I found myself wiping down the blinds which I only do twice a year, so maybe that is why they were in such need of it. Like me, do you make a mad rush to clean your home before you have guests over?  Why is that?

I found myself wondering “Why am I doing this?  Won’t my family accept me even with all my dirt exposed?  Of course they will!”  Do you ever ask yourself the same thing?  The crazy thing is that once the party is over, our houses will be dirty and messy once again.  Seems to make more sense if we just cleaned AFTER a party, right?  We don’t do that though.  Maybe I am using “we” because I don’t want to feel alone in this thought process.

Do we clean to make ourselves look better?  To make it seem like we have “it” all together?  To show every one we are really happy?  Do we want to impress others?  Do we want them to be envious of our life?  Depending on the day it might be a little of all of that, but as I cleaned and analyzed this situation, I decided this is why I was busting my butt…

I want people to feel comfortable in my house.  I want them to be relaxed, so they can enjoy themselves and make memories.

I don’t want my house to feel cluttered with stuff or all my piles where my guests don’t have room to sit down their purses, or be in an environment that feels dirty and stuffy.  I want it to be relaxing and natural, and for that all my dirt has to be taken away.  I want a home where little girls can giggle…

…and big girls can giggle with them.  A place where kids can play without worrying about breaking something or spilling something (on our usually huge mail pile).  This is the home I want to have for others to enjoy.

I want there to be love and hearts of servants flowing from these doors.

I will decorate and plan (and hopefully be a little more prepared next year) to love my kids by loving what they love, and showing them that by creating FOR them.

I want them to feel so loved by my actions and time that their hearts are over flowing into their little faces with eyes that light up and smiles that go from ear to ear.

If they feel so loved, wont they love others the same way they have been loved?  That is my prayer.

I will spend hours cleaning their pee off my toilets (surely one day their aim will improve) and stamping Autobot faces out of paper and taping them to toothpicks, so they feel honored.

I will do all this because I want memories with my kids.  I want to have and create parties where we laugh and play.  I want to have an environment somewhat clutter free, so we can all unplug and relax.

So, I’ve concluded, I will continue to clean and decorate for parties because it is part of the preparation for the memories, laughs, and stories that will come out on the other side, no matter the mess that is left behind! I just hope that my guests and family always feel loved and welcomed even if it has been six months since I last wiped down the blinds. 🙂