Moving Through Exhaustion with Jesus

Since having my girls, I've gotten really good at keeping my home from looking like a twister made it's way through everyday. I am one that needs things to be done and put away. I guess I could be considered a bit OCD at times...but it helps me keep a clean home.

Clutter annoys me. To keep me from spazzing out (ok not so much craziness but annoyance) I've we've created a routine and a way of how things are done. It's how  I  work to keep things neat and clean. To others, it could and probably does look chaotic, but it's our organized chaos. It works for us.

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However, over the last 2 weeks I've had to step back and let chaos take over. It's been so much getting Mike home and taking care of him and the girls. This weekend I looked around and felt like there was no way I was going to get a hold of it all. The messes were becomeing overwhelming and there was no end in sight. How could I manage my normal routine (that is home care and mothering twins) AND care for my husband that is recovering from surgery. I felt lost and exhausted.

Do you ever feel this way? Do you ever look around and think, "I can't do this...I'm so tired!" If so, you're perfectly normal. No woman or any person at that matter will or can have it together all the time. But that's ok because God does.
 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.”
(Matthew 11:28).

God tells us to look to Him for strength. To give it all to Him. That He is in control.
Sometimes this is hard to do. It's hard to trust that He can take care of us in matters like these...but He can. You just have to pray and ask Him to guide your heart and mind.

After you pray for His help to have to take things one step at a time. Organization and progress will not happen over night.

1. Approach tasks and chores with a joyful heart. "Rejoice in the Lord always..."

2. Try to create a routine. It doesnt' have to be strict but at least a good guideline to help you move along without a lag period. Jot something down on a scrap piece of paper or here are some lists or schedule templates you can print out.
Weekly-Planning
Monthly-Calendars
Menu-and-Grocery-Plan
A-Month-of-Menus
Family-Schedule
Before-I-Forget

3. Recruit help. Involve your family and things don't have to be so hard on you. That's if you can or have family around. If you have older children, give them a short chore list. They may not do things the way you like, but they're getting it done and learning responsibility at the same time.

4. Don't beat yourself up if bedtime rolls around and your house still feels a mess. It is ok if you don't get things done. This is coming from me personally. And if I can learn to bear with the mess and start on it the next day or day after, you can too.

I know that it might feel like you will never move through past feeling so exhausted, but I promise you will. God will guide you and strengthen you and give you peace of mind but only if you ask Him and allow Him to work in you.

Trust me. It won't happen over night. Evntually, the mess will start to clear and your house and mind will return to it's normal state. Our's has. You have to remind yourself that anything is possible when God is in control. He accepts all forms of prayers 24/7. Cry. Laugh. Scream. Whisper. He'll hear your voice and carry you through it all.
I pray that if you're having a rough time that you'll find peace in the Father.
Faith. Patience. Prayer. It's all Him!

God Bless!