Here's the thing... I actually feel a smidgen well, guilty. I feel like I copped out, took the easy way out. I've tried to write about it. I've imagined in my head how you'll all look at your screens and say to yourselves, "Oh, I knew there was something off with that HisGirl. She's a fraud! Someone should teach her how to be a real wife and woman! Take away her apron, her hot glue gun, and her mom car!" Either that, or you'd judge me for laziness, being a poor steward, or a braggart.
But I can't keep it in any longer! I have, for the most of 2009, been paying a MAID to come clean my home every two weeks. Those wonderful Wednesdays? now you know why. Every other Wednesday, Lorena the Amazing comes to my home and scrubs away all evidence of our slovenliness. And here's the worst part.....I love it!
When I walk into my house after she's been here, it feels like Santa Claus has visited. I peek in each room, the beds made like a model home's, the floor with those vacuum lines on the carpet, every surface shiny and dusted. Then, I go into my bathrooms. Oh, the shiny tub! The towels folded like they just jumped out of a window display. My magazines straightened. (yes, we keep magazines in there. figure I might as well reveal everything) Then, I go back downstairs. My sofa looks like it just got delivered. My quiet time area has all the books stacked right, the dining room looks like there never was anything stuck to the table for three days in a row. ('cause who would LEAVE that?)
The grand finale is my kitchen. She scrubs the refrigerator inside and out, my sink glistens as if it wasn't stained by repeated iced tea splashes. My countertops have WHITE GROUT, which we don't even want to talk about why that's a surprise time after time. We look like regular people!
The other day a friend stopped by, and I said, 'Why don't you come in for a while'- two weeks ago, on a VERY BAD day, I invited a friend to hang out with me IN MY BEDROOM! THE PLACE THAT I CAN NEVER SHOW ANYONE!!! It's a miracle. I am so happy.
I realize that some of you are wondering what I am now doing with all my freed up time. The truth is, I have no extra free time. Honestly, I wasn't doing any of those things before Lorena. I would run around and try to fix it when people were coming over, but overall, I was getting a big fat F in housekeeping. I finally had to admit that I just can't do it.
My husband was super supportive. I got contacted to do a sidejob a few hours a month that more than pays for the maid. He gave me the thumbs up. I gave him something in gratitude. (A kiss- geez, do you think I'd be all dirty like that on my blog?) Our whole family is happier. It's nice not to trip over junk on your way to the bathroom at night, apparently.
I love the accountability, knowing that I am going to have someone looking in literally every corner of my house at least every other week. Keeps me on my toes, makes me take care of my mess more frequently, and not let it pile up out of control anymore. I am glad to not have the stress of my secret inner pig being found out by unexpected guests, and I love being available to welcome people in the door of my house. I get that regular people can do this without a maid, but I just couldn't. I needed help. And Lorena is doing a fabulous job filling that role!
Makes me think of the fact that however much I'd like to pretend I can, I can't keep my heart pure and clean on my own. It gets so nasty and filthy everyday, that I have to rely on Jesus to do the cleaning. I love staying in the Word, and praying, and even chatting with all my Godly sisters because all those things motivate me to take care of sin in fast order. I can't let it pile up if I leave the door wide open for Jesus to come in at any time and dust out every nook and cranny. I can't be a slob for long knowing I'll be posting here later in the week and I'd like to have a clean heart for when ya'll come over. It's a good thing.
So there you have it, it's out there now. Judge all you want. Then come on over for a glass of tea. We're on the West Coast, so wear shorts and bring your own sweetener if you must have it. We don't do sweet tea here, but we do have lots of sunshine :)
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me
Psalm 51:10
And renew a steadfast spirit within me
Psalm 51:10
19 comments:
I taught part-time the last year we lived in Louisiana and I had a housekeeper come in every other week. I know the feeling of which you speak. It was heavenly. Now that I'm home full-time, I try to be our own housekeeper, but even when I do the exact same thing she did, it's not the same feeling. You're exactly right; I did a much better job of keeping our stuff picked up and organized when I knew someone was going to be all over our house every two weeks. I loved being comfortable inviting people in at a moment's notice. I was much better at practicing hospitality during that time. Maybe I can find a freelance something-or-other when we move and the kids are in school.
And the takeaway heart lesson at the end of this post? Nice. I like how you did that!
Seriously....I love this post!!!!
It is so funny!
My husband barters for my housekeeper!!! He takes care of her yard, she cleans my house once a month. Just once a month, but it makes all the difference in the world. It does make me keep it picked up more.
Such a guilty pleasure! I would love to have her every other week! I love the way my house smells when shes here. Its like the new car smell, only the clean house smell. :-)
Such a pleasure!!!
Judge you? Oh, girl. If you only knew - if I could do anything, it would DEFINITELY be to hire a maid. And I'm gonna do it someday, too. And I will enjoy every second, just like you do - as well you should! Good for you! :)
Now I just need to go and repent for the wave of jealousy that hit me. :)
No judging, just a hallelujah for ya' sister. I laugh that we had a maid before we had kids. I cry that we let her go because I was staying home and could do it.
Sigh.
I was wondering what the Wonderful Wednesday thing was all about...I figured it was something I had missed on your blog from days past!
I think its fantastic that you have Lorena coming to help you!
So now I will be so happy when i see your Tweets on Wenesday!
Judge you? Are you serious?? I'm not judgmental. I'M JEALOUS!! Housekeeping is not my forte AT ALL!
Good for you!!!
SO jealous! I am home all the time and really have no excuse to clean, but I have lost the will to do it.... I've asked my husband numberous times if we can get one, and even wrote him a list of everyone I knew that had a maid (which I can now add your name too!) but he just smiles and shakes his head at me.
(Ha! I just thought about me saying "HisGirl, you know? The one whose blog I read and twitter I follow? We are facebook friends!" I am sure he will have to change his mind once I drop your name!)
Oh, I knew there was something off with that HisGirl. She's a fraud! Someone should teach her how to be a real wife and woman! Take away her apron, her hot glue gun, and her mom car!
We did this too when Taylor was young. I also had a gardener.
My philosophy is you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes!!
I like the bartering idea from a previous comment!
i am green with envy. and my grout is too.
You are so far from a fraud in any way, shape or form. And you so didn't owe us an explanation or anything. But I'm so glad you shared. So now we can be excited for you. I'm also glad you shined the light on the way God made you. He didn't make you adore cleaning and keeping a straight house. But He did give you a heart for hospitality. You're going with how you're made--no need ever to apologize or feel guilty. And Lorena is being blessed with a job, too. So it's all good.
I am so calling my friend who just started a housekeeping business. Like. Now.
Wait...it's 1am. Ok, I'm calling her first thing in the morning. I'll probably have to build up to whole-house-cleaning, but anything is better than piggishness. I guess a pig can't change it's spots...er, yeah.
Now if only I could talk my OCD organizing friend into at least sitting on my couch (once the other friend cleans it) and nagging me until I do something about my clutter...
Thank you for a kick in the pants. I needed it.
Gee, why would a busy, working mother of 3 need a housekeeper??? Good on ya, girl!
I'm a bookkeeper and I pay someone to do my taxes... my husband is a contractor and he pays someone to do our maintenance. I know how to paint and right now, as we speak, I have hired a painter to paint my exterior doors. why? because they do it so much better!
Good for you! I'm coming over. :)
I cannot fathom the giddiness this would bring out in me. Enjoy it--you deserve it, esp. since you landed something that more than pays for Lorena's help.
I am judging. Judging, judging, judging. This can only be made right by you sending Lorena over here. I am firm on this.
Actually I'm very happy for you. Housekeeping is actually a skill, I think, that needs to be learned. I was never taught it, so I've been slowly working on it all the years of my marriage, and actually only realized I needed to LEARN it about a year ago. I enjoy doing it, just wish I did better.
I love the analogy, too. Hey, if I know I've got a meeting with God in the morning, there's only so much junk that I'm going to want to pile up before we talk, 'cause I know He'll have something in his word to...shall we say...admonish me. :)
First of all, I'm surprised that you even care what we think. Isn't the big thing in Christianity that it's about the truth in your heart and what's with you and God? You owe us nothing. Get yourself a housekeeper if it helps you! Go for it!
I have one every two weeks also. I didn't for years when the babies were young because I couldn't afford it. But now I can, and I'm not stealing from my kids' piggy banks to keep her.
Truthfully, I'd have Lilly every week if I could justifiy it, but I can't.
And is it because I'm a pig or lazy? Heck no. I just read in Romans that we all have our gifts, and we must use those to the best our abilities.
Well, maybe your gift is this blog and your work and motherhood, but cleanliness or housecleaning isn't one of them? And so you figured out what will work for you. AND you're doing a service to Lorena who obviously needs the money. And I'm SURE you hug her and tell her how great she is and feed her. (Because that's what I do and we're so similar)
Two more quick things, and JUDGE ALL YOU WANT.
1. My gift is humor and encouragement, not house cleaning.
2. My gift is also honesty, so don't take offense when I say that I'm quite sure my LILLY COULD KICK LORENA's BUTT!!!!!!!! How to say that en espanol????
No judgement here. We hire one of Rich's students to come for the very same reason! I LOVE it!
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