So, I've been a little bugged for a couple of days about a poem that mocks "molly mormons." Before anyone accuse me of lacking a sense of humor, I get it. No one's perfect and we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously or make ourselves feel superior to others. Your preaching to the choir on that, but the things that were mocked about her, didn't sit well with me. As a society we are increasingly making light of sacred things. At then end of this poem the girl drops dead from all her efforts at perfection. My question is: what ever happened to the expression of "I'm gonna____ or die trying?" When did striving hard become something to be mocked? Here's to my point: one of the comments on this blog was something like; that's why I embrace my sloth self... or something to that effect. I'm tired of the "Meh" attitude that embraces fault and decadence and self pleasure and mediocrity. It's a cancer that needs to be eradicated.
Right now I have an apple crisp in the oven, made from the apples I picked from my tree. Why, because it brings me joy. Do I care if you ever grow apples and then turn them into something delicious? No, although I would probably beg you for a bite. We all have our own interests and talents. I would love to go all cray cray up in here and care for bees and chickens. I wont, but I have friends that do and I love them for it.... and I love to learn from them....and I know where to go when the world ends.
There is real value in being self reliant. I have become a person I hardly recognize. I learned how to make my own laundry soap and I love it. Mostly because it's cheap and I am married to an extremely frugal guy. So, whenever I can tell him I did something to save him real money (not the whole- it was on sale even though we didn't need it- kinda savings), he gets a little tear in his eye.
When I am doing all things "Molly", other things suffer. Usually it's things like, showering or putting on make-up. My objective is to set the bar really low with how I appear so that when I'm dressed, people are like "woah, she cleans up nice!" I figure that is better than always being seen put together and then when you don't, people are like - "dang, are you alright?" :0)
My floor is in desperate need of a mopping and I'm making progress on the piles of laundry waiting to be cleaned. I don't even want to admit how long we go between sheet cleanings. The chores will wait for me. I don't have a maid because I'm trying to raise responsible children. Don't get me wrong, some days I dream about having a maid....or a chef. I have friends that have maids and their lives look far more put together than mine. What helps me is that I look around at the clutter and tell myself - this is evidence of the people I love that are here with me. I also stopped apologizing about the state of my house when people come over. It was a couple of years ago that I made this decision and it was really hard at first, it's like a tick that wont go away until you say "sorry my house is such a mess." The reality is that every time you say that and your house really isn't a mess you just end up wanting to make the person who came over to escape their own disaster want to go home and hang themselves because their house is in worse shape than yours. I've been on the hanging end of that one many many times! Now, does this mean that I don't silently go around picking stuff up around people while they are at my house? No, I've still got my pride for heavens sake! :0)
I hate it when we are derogatory towards people that see value in achievement. Taking seriously the counsel of our leaders. The excuses people give themselves for not trying harder to do better because it is ridiculous to even try and you will just be killing yourself in the process. I've never met a successful person that doesn't struggle with balancing the demands of life.
I walked around 2 days ago and took these pictures after a friend at the bus stop was telling her child that he couldn't have a friend over because the maid was there. It made me a little sad inside over the state of my house and how it will never look as amazing as hers.
My kitchen counter is a clutter zone! I also have 2 nook areas that are dumping zones that give me anxiety ---I cleaned them up after I took the pictures because I couldn't take it any longer. That darn vacuum can never seem to find it's way back into the closet (it's 2 days later and it's still there). Why, because my kids have an uncanny ability to turn everything they eat into crumbs that float and fly to all parts of the house. Where I'm sitting right now is my creative zone and my 2 little ones like to use it as well so they have made a trail up to my desk with random things. You can see my family history bucket out because that makes a huge mess every time I pull it out to work on. For some reason my bathtub is play central for my youngest. It's where she paints her nails and plays with her toys and leaves her clothes because she insists on showering in my bathroom.
I was dreaming of calling someone to clean all my windows -because you can hardly see out any of them- but then I saw all the clutter -sighed- and thought - then I would have to clean the house so someone could come wash the windows!
It is really all about putting first things first. I haven't done anything to decorate my house (aside from the kids switching rooms- a couple times) The clothes I wear come from a warehouse store or target because I don't have time for a mall. There are things you have to give up. I hardly watch any television - in fact we turned it off at christmas. I do have my BBC addiction but I try to keep it to 1 episode a day for my lunch time bliss.
The interesting thing that I've been discovering as I take on a serious study of the New Testament is that Jesus was a lot more harsh than people like to remember. ( I know, another thing that is too Molly and should be mocked)
In Matthew 8 a scribe man wanted to follow Jesus but said to him that he first needed to bury his father. In verse 22 "But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."
In Luke 9: another said, that he would go but first he needed to say goodbye to the people at his house. In Verse 62 "And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
The biggest "ouch" moment was in Matthew 12 when His mother and brethren were standing outside the area he was speaking and wanted to be able to come and talk to Him.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my a mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the a will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my b brother, and sister, and mother.
So, be nice to those Molly's that you run into. Even if they don't want to admit to any of their faults. They are doing the best they can on their journey to purification. You can help them to chill and they can help you with a skill that you've been wanting to acquire. I look at admitting our faults as a virtue and a service we can give to others who don't realize that life is messy --- for everyone ---and we all forget that!
Time to go eat that apple crisp - I know you want some! Maybe you've got some chickens you will let me come and pet ;0)
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