Procrastination Unmasked

Before I get into Tuesday's Topic, I will update on my childrens' sicknesses. They are slowly getting better, but getting better nonetheless. We are still hearing sounds of coughing, ill temperaments, and complaints of taking medicine, again, but we are getting better...just in time for Christmas. Dear Daughter just had a bad cold, but it was a mean one. One with fever for 4 nights, stomachache, headaches, etc. She *may* have had the flu, but the dr. didn't test her for that, so I don't know. Oldest Son had the same, but did get an antibiotic for a staph infection on his stomach. I don't know how he got staph, but he had a place on his leg last year (that took *forever* to get well) and this place is on his stomach. I hate to give antibiotics and know all the nasty things it can do to one's good bacteria, etc., but I also don't want to *play* with staph infection. Youngest son had the stomach virus (FIVE days of it) and a left ear infection. He has never had an antibiotic (but I know he has had an ear infection before now) but I went ahead and got it filled since he is so sick. They both are taking a Probiotic for kids to hopefully combat the bacteria issue. I went ahead and got them a good *whole foods* multivitamin and my mom ordered them some chewable Elderberry tablets, so hopefully we are on the road to better health! This past week, I changed about 20 diarrhea diapers (4 avg per day for 5 days...he still is having a spot of it) cleaned up vomit 4 times (twice in the vehicle) and felt of feverish heads countless number of times. Any good mother would have done it, I'm not bragging, but I just look back and see how God gave me strength and his grace was sufficient and his *strength* made perfect in weakness. He also kept me from getting sick during that time (and my husband) so I could take care of my babies. We all know how contagious the stomach virus is, so I know it was the Lord's grace that sustained me.

Anyway....now something I'd like to discuss with you is a topic that has been in the back of my mind for some time now. Procrastination. First of all, I think procrastination mostly affects those *naturally* most organized and those who like perfection. Sounds totally wrong, doesn't it? Where things go wrong is lack of self discipline. Self discipline to do things now. Putting things off until it can be done perfectly or at a more convenient (perfect) time.

Case in point, you are walking from your room after laying your child down for a nap. You see two toys in the hall, a shoe without a pair, but you just walk over them because you know that eventually you will clean up that hall and you will pick up the stuff then. You want to wait until you can sweep the hall, mop, and just have a set *time* to do that chore. Next scenario, you open the door of the refrigerator and see that something has spilled in the bottom of the refrigerator. You shut the door and don't worry about it because you know that you will get to it when you clean the refrigerator out, of course including taking everything out, checking expiration dates, dumping out leftovers (that have been there for a month because you are going to get to it). You see the trash piling up in the bathroom, but you just know that you are going to clean up the bathroom, including bleaching the tub and scouring the sink, so you will take it out then.

You are not lazy, dirty, or a messy person. In fact, you can't cope with things messy. You thrive when there is order in your home. You are cheerful and you think more clearly. You don't have a 'don't care' attitude. You just put things off to a more *convenient* season (like Felix in the Bible)--a time when you can do things perfectly and right. Procrastination is making you stressed. Procrastination is keeping your home from being presentable to those dreaded drop-in guests.

I've viewed both my mother and my mother-in-law *in action*, so to speak, with their cleaning of both my home and their homes. When I was still at my childhood home, I never remember our house being messy and chaotic. I never have seen dishes on the counter waiting to be washed. My mom was always cheerful (except for a small season of depression due to hormonal imbalance). My mom always hummed while she worked. She never, ever snapped at us because she was so stressed at the house being a mess. A dear friend of mine and I have mentioned a few times about how we are just amazed at what our mothers can get done when they come to our homes to clean or how we don't remember our childhood homes ever being a mess. Well it isn't that they have extra hours in the day. It is this: They just *dive in* and get it done. They don't walk over shoes and toys and put it off to a more convenient season. If my mom (or MIL) is taking my trash to the *master* trash can in the kitchen and walks into a toy or a piece of clothing that has lost its place, she will pick it up then, put it away, and keep on the the trash. Let's see how much time has been lost. Bending down to pick up toy: 2.5 seconds. Putting it away: 10 to 15 seconds. Total time lost: 12.5 seconds. Achievement: a clear, straightened hallway in 12.5 seconds! Wow! Amazing! Someone should write an advertisement about how to acheive results in 12.5 seconds! :o)

I watched my MIL the other day in my kitchen (bless her, she had come over to clean since I had been holding sick babies for 4 days). She tackled a clutter spot that I had been putting off to a more *convenient* season and it took her maybe 5 minutes. The other day I watched my mom (who was here visiting the kids but can't help but to help me with a chore or two--one that has been put off due to procrastination), take the trash out and wipe down the trash can (another yucky chore that gets put off) which took maybe 3 minutes.

My challenge to you today is do something as you see it needs doing. If the baby has fallen off of the couch and you trip over a toy getting to the baby, please go to the baby, by all means. But if you are going about your duties and you see something that needs doing, do it then. Your house will always stay straightened. Don't put things off until you can do it perfectly. Don't wait to pick up the toy until you can Lysol it and change the batteries (hey, we procrastinators love perfection and things done right). Don't wait to sweep the rug until you can get under it and get the crumbs. If you have company, who is going to look under the rug? But that nosy visitor (supposing you have one that is not a *kindred spirit*..smile) just might inspect the top of the rug. :o) You will be ready if you don't procrastinate.

And by all means, do it for yourself over visitors. You will be stress free and happy that your home is presentable most of the time.

On a personal note, after my mother and MIL came Saturday to clean up, I've vowed that I will not procrastinate. My home has stayed orderly and I've tried to do things as I've seen their need of doing. I have found that I'm not going around cleaning all day--in fact I've had more time with my children. Try it--you'll see.

I think this is the secret, ladies. The secret that our mothers have kept because in fact, they don't even know that it's something they hold secretly. They just do it without question, without thinking. It's the trait of a hardworker. A trait most procrastinators have. They just have to get the spirit of procrastination out of them to get to the hardworking spirit. :o)

I know because I am the chiefest of procratinators.

PS I would love to hear your comments on this issue, including any advice or tips you have on conquering this issue that I believe the devil may be using to sap our joy as homemakers.