A Minute For MommySample

Creativity Equals Chaos

I went into my boys' playroom to find their three-tiered bookshelf dismantled. Everything it once held was scattered about the floor. I wanted to scream, "What in the world is going on here?" It took a great deal of self-control not to. I paused for a moment and asked the boys, semi-calmly, why they had taken the bookshelf apart. As they gave their explanation, I couldn't help but smile. "We are giving each other haircuts."

You see, they had been to the barber shop with their dad, and they wanted to reenact their outing. They were using the three bookshelf parts as chairs and their toolset as hair cutting supplies. Pretty creative, I had to admit. Now that I was in their room, they wanted to include me in their fun. Clay lined up the three shelves, one for me, one for Caleb, and one for him. I then had the privilege of having my hair cut and then cutting the boy's hair. It was a special time.

If your home is like mine, it usually feels more like a child's playground than a sanctuary. Rather than a place of refuge and relaxation, it is often a place of disorder and distress. It can get a bit overwhelming. Moms, I want to encourage you. You can experience joy and excitement in the middle of such disarray.

Try this. The next time you see a mud pie on your doorstep, don't think "Oh no, my son's hands are going to be so dirty." Go outside, grab a handful of mud, and ask your little one to show you how to make a pie just like theirs. If there is magic marker on your walls, don't think about how long it is going to take to clean it, be glad you purchased washable markers. Who knows, your child may be an artist someday and you can say, "I knew you when-" If you try, I know you can change the way you view your child's messes. Don't always put an immediate stop to their fun. Join them. Get dirt on your face or paint on your arms. Allow yourself to be creative. The memories you make will last a lot longer than the time it takes you to clean up afterward.

Our Lord does not want messes, ours or our children's, to cause us despair. He wants us to be joyful. Spend time in prayer today. Allow God to give you a spirit of gladness and not one of mourning. Ask him to help you see the beauty among the ashes your children create. Give thanks for their creativity. If you will seek our faithful Lord, I know he will help you find the peace you need to survive the chaos. And, who knows? You may even have a little fun in the process.