I Love My Dishwasher

Have I ever told you how much I love my dishwasher? I really really love it. I can load it up and go for a nap and it does the work for me while I sleep....actually, sometime the best naps are when the washer and dryer are going, as well as the dishwasher, breadmaker, crockpot, phone charger, and any other appliance that will work quietly while one sleeps. Awakening to fresh bread, clean clothes and dinner made is heaven for a mother.

These times are busy for moms.

I think that a mom from 100 years ago would die under the stress that we moms get up and shoulder through every day. Yeah, we have more amenities, but we also have layers and layers and layers of social media and cultural expectations and personal hangups and generational mess ups to work through. One stroll through a Christmas mall would bring that Victorian Mother to her knees...

Thing is, we all have messes, either in our houses or in our lives, and probably more in our lives if we were honest.

Many of my friends these days are carrying heavy loads: ours, our husband's, our children's, our family's....

And for some reason, when we get together, especially at Christmas, we trot out one of our dialogues that covers up these messes in our lives: you know these, ladies: I Am So Tired, I Am So Busy, My Children Are Driving Me Nuts, My Husband Is An Idiot, Have You Seen My Brand New _________, and the one I hear the most My House Is So Dirty.

Sometimes I can just hear the undertones...

If only I could get a nap in today, maybe I could cope with my family better
If only I could just stop for one day, maybe I could rest
If only I could get away from my children, maybe I could get my head on straight
If only I could have a moments peace with my husband, maybe we could reconnect
I love my _______________ but my heart is empty
Won't someone please come and clean me up?!?!?!

Christmas is a time when we should be expecting Jesus. this year I abhor the commercialism even more, since it brings no joy, no feelings of happy anticipation, and no peace. Except for the special baking, cooking, liquor consumption and excessive gift buying, this could be October or even May, as far as my heart can tell.

But it is the traditional celebration of Christ's birth, and THAT is worth thinking about, singing about and praying about. It's worth baking cookies for, and gathering with family for, and having lots of chocolates for. It's worth cleaning my house for.

See, I clean houses. Lots of houses. I think that they are all lovely, and unique, and full of people's beauty and trash.  And I have realised that I can clean up people's things really well. But what they need more is their lives cleaned up, or even just set in order to bring peace.

And that is what Christmas is celebrating for me. The Great Heart Housekeeper, come to visit our Messes here on earth. Come to say I think your house is lovely, and there is beauty here and trash. Let me come in, give me your heart and I will set it in order! I am the King, and with me, you are acceptable, trash and treasures! Rest in me and there will be peace, even in the messes. And strength, even in the trying times. And joy, even in the tears. Because I can come and give salvation, and eternal life, which will overtake your good and bad and ugly....Merry Christmas, loved one.

I hope that if I come to do your house, that you find more time to worship Christ in your day. Like the dishwasher, you can rest while I work, and hopefully there will be more peace in your heart.

And if I hear you saying one of those catchphrases, I may ask how I can help you so that you can do what is really on your heart....and I challenge all of you moms out there to do the same: listen carefully to your friends and support and pray for them!

Merry Christmas, loved ones!