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52 Ways for More Serenity in Life and Home :: embrace the mess (week #15)

52 Ways for More Serenity in Life and Home :: embrace the mess (week #15)

Thank you so much for your emails, comments, messages and prayers of encouragement!!

I’m incredibly blessed by words shared.  Last week was indeed trying and our plans were different or just went haywire.  Sometimes this happens, and the best thing to do is to simply lean into, instead of fight the circumstances.

Which is exactly what I’d like to share today!

First, an update: the abdominal pain has begun to dull I think, though it’s constantly there.  The best guess so far is possible complication around the area where my gall bladder was removed years ago.  We continue to work with physicians to get clearer answers.

I’m resting as much as possible…and I wait.

Today, an encouragement for you:

Week #15  Embrace the Mess

While this may not seem like a ‘serenity in life’ inspiration, just stick with me for a minute.

Many times, life doesn’t offer us an opportunity to prepare, to anticipate what’s coming.  There are situations or seasons in which the rug is completely pulled out from underneath us, and we find ourselves slightly bewildered, wondering how to move forward.

However…

There are other times – surprised or not – we can look ahead to see  down the road.  We can predict with some level of accuracy just what might be up ahead.

And we can prepare ourselves mentally for the challenge.

For there will be projects, jobs, life changes, moves, opportunities, and more which will bring messiness into your life before the good comes along.  Guaranteed.

To illustrate this point, this is exactly where last summer found our family.  Embarking on a major house addition, I knew eventually — everything would be total chaos before it all was done.

And I was right.

The backyard was a disaster as equipment tore down trees, wrecked our porch, laid a foundation and the building began.  For a time, we would look out of our windows and watch it all.

But then, the work came inside.  And that’s when the real fun began…

Yes, that’s a sink on the sofa! 🙂

I knew from the beginning we’d face the stress of our home being turned upside down.  This was a foreseeable result of adding more space for our living and learning.

Part of counting the cost was to ask ourselves how we would handle the crazy days, and to plan ahead for them.

We took many breaks away from home and provided as much routine and calmness for the little ones as we could.  It wasn’t  always simple or easy (and the delays got to me!)

but overall, I lowered my stress level by embracing the inevitable mess instead of resisting it.  I knew it would be over soon enough.

Make sense now?

Sometimes the ‘mess’ in our lives is simply part of a larger process – mentally, emotionally, spiritually or physically.  Often a good process, yet one that isn’t as clean-cut as we would like.

In these types of situations – don’t resist.  Lean into and embrace the messiness.

All will be over, and the end result will be completely worth it.

: :

Action Plan:  Can you identify a past or current situation in which ’embrace the mess’ was/is the motto to adopt?  If current — pray!  Ask God for wisdom, strength and grace to lean into the short-term reality you face.  Then, jot a few ideas for how to counteract the stress with pleasurable or enjoyable activities.  Choose one, and act on it this week!

More to Read:  How to Trust in the Mess

 

 {top photo credit}

 

4 comments
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  • LanaApril 16, 2013 - 4:39 pm

    As empty nesters our world gets turned upside down when all the kids and grandchildren arrive for the holidays. We are a family of 15 so far. Our quiet orderly world is suddenly gone and there are toys everywhere and stuff everywhere. I have learned to just go with the flow and not stress about it. I suspend cleaning chores other than what is needed and try to remember that next week they will have all gone back to their own homes and I will be missing them. I will also have plenty of time to clean and organize the house again.ReplyCancel

  • Daniele @ Domestic SerenityApril 18, 2013 - 4:13 pm

    Yes Lana, this is a great example of just how ’embrace the mess’ works in our lives! Thank you for sharing…ReplyCancel

  • […] definitely been a week of embracing the mess as we still wait and search for answers to some health struggles I’m […]ReplyCancel

  • […] Yet, it’s still my weakness, one of several areas of exposed tenderness in my rock solid shield of faith.  Too often, I subtly turn within myself – looking for strength – instead of regularly asking for God’s help in the chaos. […]ReplyCancel

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Daniele Evans