Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Simplifying Dreaded Obligations

The Bird's Nest

I walked the property today. (Our 2 Acre, Vermont Estate). It is peaceful, quiet, and lovely. I checked on my plants and my new garden.  It is pleasant to just keep house and to work on home tasks.

But behind these domestic scenes, I have obligations that I must keep up with. There are projects I agreed to do.   But I am dragging myself to get them finished.  I don't know why I agree to do things that wear me out and cause stress, but I do.

So tonight, I will sip on hot tea and make a long list of all the things I must do.  Then each week, I will attempt to accomplish one or two until they are all completed.

Someday I will learn only to take on projects that will bring me peace and happiness, rather than make me feel overwhelmed.

Once my list is ready, the rest will be step-by-step, until it is all cleared away and finished. What a relief that will be when it is over with!

As a reward for making this list,  I will sit on my front porch and enjoy a new book, early tomorrow morning. Then I will happily shine and sparkle my home.  And I will listen to old sermons and Gospel Music, which is my greatest hobby of all.

Blessings
Mrs. White

From the Archives -

Humble but Lovely- An Elegant Home Despite Poverty.

So Precious - What Sundays Used to Mean to Housewives.

What Will it Take? - Homemaking Survival.


2 comments:

Rebecca said...

Great post! I too have a habit of taking on more than I am comfortable with. I am getting better at it, but it is hard to explain to others why I am saying "no". It is more important for my family that they have a wife and mother who focuses totally on them rather than running around trying to get things done for everything I have signed up for. (Not to mention I am then stressed and grumpy which is not good at all.) Some day my children will all be gone and it will just be my husband and I and I will have more time for things like that.

Anonymous said...

Ah Mrs. White, you took the words right out of my mouth. And what is really sad is that after I finally get around to what I should have done earlier I almost always say to myself, "Now that wasn't too bad!" And the weight off my mind is worth just getting things done.

Nicole in MD