ezra 3

Raise your hand if you've ever determined to get organized, only to have it fall flat, again. Now put your hand down because people are wondering what is going on. Maybe I'm the only one, but sometimes managing my home seems entirely overwhelming. Some days I just want to Netflix and chill. In the face of a mountain of laundry, a child covered in toothpaste that he thought was lotion, a sink full of dishes and a dog who has just made a pillow explode all over my living room (effectively tar-and-feathering the toothpasted child), I want to hide. Can I tell you something? God cares about all that. He cares because He knows it makes me what to crawl back into my unmade bed and pretend the chaos doesn't exist. But God can move mountains. Remember that the next time you're tackling a mountain of laundry. 

In chapter 3 of Ezra, once all the people were organized and where they were supposed to be, they built an alter. They looked around and realized they were surrounded by some not so welcoming neighbors and they were afraid! They knew what they were there to do, but fear gripped them. Have you ever been there? Maybe you're not afraid of your neighbors, but maybe you're afraid that you'll fail, or that what you do won't matter? Perhaps it's a fear of change or maybe it is your neighbors! Whatever it is, keep taking it back to the Lord! We're told that the Israelites offered burnt offerings morning and evening. And then they got to doing what they were supposed to do. They obeyed the Lord's commands and they got to work. And as they saw the foundation of the temple laid, they rejoiced. There were those that wept because they remembered the first temple and there were those that shouted for joy, but all of them praised the Lord.

Take all your fears and all your joys and all your sorrows to the Lord, as many times as it takes. Day and night, seek Him out and allow Him to care for you. Do the work! Whatever it is that God has stirred your heart to do in His kingdom, do it! There will be times when doing the work will make you want to rejoice and times when it makes your heart ache. In all of those times, praise Him.

Tip: 

Sometimes the work seems so mundane and purposeless, because, let's face it, we've all washed a clean folded shirt, and we've all cooked the meal that our kids have already told us they hate. Momming is not the business to be in if you're looking for accolades and that feelings of accomplishment. Keeping my focus on the Lord, doing all of the tasks that seem so meaningless to me sometimes, for Him, gives them an ultimate purpose that I can not pursue on my own. Even when the tasks seem endless, and I'm tired, I find myself renewed when I take the time that I'm working to pray for the ones I serve. 

Tool:

Undie Bundles! This trick saves me so much time! As I’m folding laundry I tuck entire outfits for my 4 youngest boys into their undies. We store the prepackaged outfits on shelves and they can grab one in the morning and they are all set...if they can find their shoes!