The housekeeper in this joint must have gone on vacation. At least that's what it looks like when I see the sink overflowing with dirty dishes. The trash can joins the overflowing throng as does clean laundry piled on the table waiting to be folded. The piles on my desk are taller than ever. I think they had a massive party while I was preoccupied and produced illegitimate children piles of more stuff on my desk and threw a few stacks on the floor just for fun.
Let's not even talk about floors that need a sweeping, let alone a good scrubbing and what might as well be an inch of dust settled everywhere. And I am a whole week behind on the churchwide Bible study going on for the next several months.
The hay is in the yard, but not entirely covered. The sheep and I have reached an uneasy truce as their new temporary shepherdess and the garden is still unplanted. There is a flat tire on the mower and the lawn hasn't been mowed since before Memorial Day. Three illegitimate kittens are making themselves far too comfortable in the house and need new homes pronto. There are raffle tickets to sell for funding the dairy judging kids from Michigan on their trip to Europe; 4-H dairy judging and quiz bowl practices got sidetracked a few weeks ago and now it's time to play catch up.
Welcome to my world. My to-do list runneth over!
But whose list doesn't? We all have a mountain of work to climb, conquer and stab our victory flag on top of the hill when completed—even if momentarily—until we roll down to the bottom of the hill and start over again.
Don't worry and fret. I'm here to make you feel good about yourself and that you're not as far behind as you think you are! I'm looking around and instead of a screaming panic and making everyone around me miserable along with myself (yes, I've done this in the past), I'm just going to be a Proverbs 31:25 woman who laughs. "She is clothed in strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future."
Even if the future holds surprise visitors, which really shouldn't be much of a surprise.
Even though our clothing is stained with the toil of our labor, stand in dignity and strength, and laugh. Laugh even when the pastor shows up and you are wearing that t-shirt with holes, a pair of too-ragged-for-public-but-ok-for-home shorts and barn shoes covered in manure, just laugh.
Laugh because it feels good. It lets out the stress and besides, it makes you inhale lots of fresh air. It also gives you a moment to think of a clever greeting for your guest.
Bev Berens is a mom to 4-H and FFA members in Michigan. Do you have a story to share? Email her at uphillfarm494@yahoo.com.