One of the things I’m learning as a parent is that my house is likely always going to be a little bit messy. There will always be a block under the chair in the living room no matter how many times I pick it up and put it away. To prevent the bowls, plates, and spoons from being pulled out from Audrey’s cabinet I put a child lock on them. But now, she’s pulling out the items in the baskets on her shelf when she previously wasn’t interested in them because of the bowls, plates, and spoons.
Parenting is beautiful and yet also quite exhausting. Sometimes it’s hard to see the beauty in the mundane task of picking up toys all over the house whenever she goes to bed at night just to wait for tomorrow when they all get pulled out again. Can you relate to that? As a spiritual leader and a mom, I’m learning to find joy in those simple tasks, and see them as opportunities to spend time with God. While picking up toys and doing the dishes, I listen to
some worship tunes or a podcast that fills my cup. Suddenly, the task of tidying up becomes something of enjoyment and something to recenter me in the quite mundane task of cleaning up after a busy day. What can you add to these daily tasks to bring centering to your life. Maybe you listen to some favorite tunes, say a prayer, or find yourself in a feeling of mindfulness, being mindful of every action and moving slowly.
One of the albums I’ve been listening to is Sanctuary Songs by The Porter’s Gate to recenter me while doing those mundane tasks. You can find it on Spotify or anywhere else you stream music. I also recommend Kate Bowler’s podcast, Everything Happens.
May we find peace together in these daily tasks.
Peace, Pastor Kristina