This week has been a busy one...I've not had the time to write a (proper) blog post as I have been occupied finishing a few projects I've had on the go..... but mainly my week seems like it's been spent on maintaining lots of things.
The paint has been peeling off the deck and so it got a new coat of paint....
The weeds are growing like.... well ...weeds.... and I've been trying to keep on top of them....
The shower sprung a leak upstairs and damaged Heni's bedroom ceiling below and we had the plumber round trying to fix it....
...and I've also been striving to keep on top of exercise and health matters... hoping to maintain the ground I have managed to achieve and not go backwards (given the lack of energy I have had to put in to it).
It seems like this weeks lesson (for me) has been one of "continual upkeep".... so hence a few last minute ramblings about it!
It is a natural occurrence for things to start to decay and go backwards. It doesn't matter what subject you can think of...(homes, bodies, relationships etc).. without continual effort, conservation, nurturing, preservation of whatever we come across ... most things will begin to fall apart.
I don't particularly enjoy maintaining things...It's not that I don't see the value in doing it... I just find it rather monotonous. I hate weeding the path in the garden and then days later see those nasty weed shoots push their heads back up above ground. Its almost pointless? It seems to me that whenever I am maintaining things I feel like I'm not progressing on other projects...I'm on a constant treadmill. Yet whenever I am working on other projects (pushing forwards) everything else gets left for a time... the weeding is neglected, the painting waits, the paperwork piles up in the basket and I notice there ensues a gradual decline in to disorder and a process of falling apart ensues! I guess It's one of those unfortunate parts of life.
It appears that there needs to be a balance between progressing, building, creating AND also maintaining the current ground we have achieved.
Perhaps this being the case... (that it's just a part of life).... I should learn to tolerate it, make it less boring and see if I can ultimately eventually embrace it...learn to love those daily , weekly , monthly rituals and routines that I so dislike. Some people love routine... you may be one of them and I applaud you for it because a good proportion of most peoples time is spent doing routine, upkeep chores (dishes, cooking, tidying,exercising, eating, brushing teeth, showering, mowing the lawn).
You may be one of those lucky people who have cracked this part of life.... and if so, please let me know what your secret is!
There are a few things I have found that can make the monotony more bearable (for jobs like weeding and painting)... working with someone else creates distraction and conversation that can make the task go quicker.... and by listening and learning from podcasts, I feel like I am accomplishing two things at the same time...maybe even progressing?
So as I reach the end of the week I'm trying hard not to get disheartened by the sheer mass of things that still need attention in and around the home. I'm trying to have the "slow and steady wins the race" mentality when it comes to all the fixing and maintaining and realise that there will always be jobs to do. I've serendipitous come across the word "entropy" a number of times this week and I have realised that thing will always move from a state of order to disorder ...when no energy or effort is expended on it (entropy is the measurement of that change). Sometimes with continual effort we can maintain, hold our ground and ward off that change; and at other times its harder and we have to concede our position and go with the flow and cycle of life. After all, the natural order of things is one of birth, life and death..... and there comes a point at which we need to know the difference between what can be painted, weeded, fixed and nurtured and what is perhaps a losing battle and needs to be let go of ....to make way for something else; to maybe put our energies in to something more significant, timely or of greater priority.
Just a thought...
Jx
Whats your priority this week?
What have you had to maintain this week? What have you let go of to make way for something else?
Sometimes maintaining things can be a tedious process, but when we learn to prioritize what matters most the journey is a lot smoother. I simply try to put my relationship with GOD first and everything else I do one day at a time one step at a time. Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful weekend! GOD bless you! :-)
ReplyDeleteYes...putting God first and trying to seek his will is the ideal. Sometimes we are left to chose between good , better and best which can be a hard choice.thanks for stopping in to contribute Tai x
DeleteAfter all, the natural order of things is one of birth, life and death..... and there comes a point at which we need to know the difference between what can be painted, weeded, fixed and nurtured and what is perhaps a losing battle and needs to be let go of ....to make way for something else; to maybe put our energies in to something more Beautiful words that remind us there are times we are meant to let go and embrace the new in our life whatever that might be. Glad to be your neighbor at Give Me Grace.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary. There's a time and season for everything! Have a great day x
DeleteLife does have its weeds, and although we pull them out one day, they tend to have a mind of their own. Thankfully my husband sprays the large yard to keep the fox tails and poison oak down. We have a small area of grass, and due to our age, have let the flower bed go. Our puppy causes destruction of things that can upset if we would let it, but after a long battle, I finally put the dog pillow in the garbage. Upkeep is usually done by my husband, minor painting and cement work. He recently built a new stair case on our rear porch. Thank you for sharing with us here at Tell me a Story. Sorry about the plumbing leak. We know that is a big problem.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have someone to share the load with. I must admit , maintaining things is a lot more enjoyable when Im working with hubby.
DeleteThe part of owning a home. A never ending array of things to be done. Always. But that's life and I try to keep it all in perspective - I have a home that needs tending to and that is something to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteYEs it sure is. We need to keep everything in balance... Especially our perspective X
DeleteWhen I can't avoid doing those monotonous tasks, I use the time for reflection. I pray for my family and friends and the upheaval in the world; I think about my writing process and work out story problems; I make plans; I think about things that trouble me, and either come up with an action plan or turn them over to God.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the article. Excellent food for thought.
That's a great way to use the time. Thanks for sharing X
DeleteHi Jade,
ReplyDeleteIt is truly that way in life, isn't it? A constant pruning. Pruning of our possessions, our activities, our habits, our thought life? Every time we prune, I believe something more beautiful grows. Praying for you as you work to tend to all you have around the house as well as care for your children. Being a special needs parent is intensive all the time. Not that loving our children is tedious, but some of the tasks we need to do each and every day over and over can become tedious. It probably fuels your spirits need for more variety in the other areas of your life!
Thank you for sharing each week at #MomentsofHope!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Yes constant pruning and rebalancing..... And often having to prioritise between what is needful or what is essential. Thank you for your support and prayers Lori ... I sure do need them X
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