Greetings from a mommy who is totally covered in spray paint!
Today I hosted a playdate with 5 kids including my own. We rounded up a bunch of shoe boxes and spray painted them for a project I am doing in my Narnia class at coop.
The reason I bring this up is because this is precisely something I would NOT have done a month ago. Many of you know that it took Randy and me two years to paint the trim on our house (and that was only finished when we finally hired somebody to do it). I cannot tell you how many times I painted in the past and Laura and Leslie wanted to help but I told them no. Painting is dirty and messy. You ruin your clothes. It is smelly. It is yucky.
And you know what? It is so much fun (if you let it be fun)! And so today I let the kids get dirty and messy and smelly and we all loved every minute of it.
Today my stomach felt so good that I drank a cola for the first time in two weeks and ate (gasp!) potato chips...a food so "forbidden" to me before. And you know I savored every minute of it.
So what's spray paintin' to you? What is that thing that you never do because you will get "messy" in someway. Is it getting on the floor and making a fool of yourself while you play with your kids? Or is it something else? My recommendation would be to do it and do it right away. Savor every minute of it. Make yourself a memory because none of us know how many of those precious moments we have left. So go out and get dirty and share on the comments what that looks like for you! Lots of love,
Kerry
Good advice Kerry! Glad you had fun - we all need to be reminded to live life not get bogged down with details or fear of messes. How many times do we daily, hourly overlook blessings cause we are fussing about life in general.
ReplyDeleteLove ya,
Lisa Ogle
LOVED that, Kerry. I am trying to do that these days. It has been a rough year with the baby, but I have just rounded a corner and have the energy in me again....how do I use it? It is easy to sit in front of the tv, but just this week, I have been trying to focus on more important things. I have played hide and seek with the boys outside for the past few days in this nice weather, and have taken them to Chuck E. Cheese, and to the playground. Life is much more fulfilling, and I am enjoying my kids. I am still trying to figure out how I am going to ENJOY cleaning. Mostly, I just wait until it is unbearable, and it actually feels half decent to get it in livable condition again! (Don't tell, and don't come over unannounced!....well maybe YOU can.) Now I will have to focus on what my spray paint is.....I know it's there....I will feel it the next time the Type A comes out in my personality. I will have to remember to let it slide when that happens! Thank you for pointing out what is important. It sounds like everybody is feeling ok for today? I am so thankful. Your life is changing in so many ways....some so dreadful, and SOME pretty good, I guess. I hope you find some more pretty good each day. I am praying for you!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Amy
Kerry, you are so wise to see what is so important in the present and will make memories for the future. It is so easy for us to become routine. On Monday we do laundry, and on Friday we will dust. Each day has its toils, and if there is room left, we may play a game. What we may remember in our futures is that on Monday we did laundry and on Friday we dusted. What a regret that might turn out to be. I'm sure that if one wrote her memoirs in later years, she would much rather have laughter, hugs, and spray painted boxes to describe rather than nondescript routines that did not leave much room for smiles of any kind. You have created a memory for five children that they may someday relate to their children. I remember as a child my mother explaining to me how she made a toy to play with in the dirt from a cracker box. We made one together and I spent a summer afternoon outside playing with mine. Had she chosen to do something "sensible" that afternoon, I am sure that I would not have remembered it at all. You have chosen the "good thing." So many of us choose to be "careful over much." I know the situation is different from what Mary and Martha was experiencing with Jesus as their guest, but in many ways, there is a very real coalation.
ReplyDeleteAs far as sharing what "getting dirty" looks like to me - this has really made me think. This is coming from a woman who sits in the same chair in the den every night and who writes "to-do" lists every day. Tomorrow night, I might just sit on the couch and tear up the list. Who knows what could become of this. God is using you, Kerry, to help many of us.
Love,
Nana
Love you friend. You are so right- getting messy, enjoying life, putting off the really unimportant things to make a memory... That's what life is about. Thanks for the reminder. I think I'm gonna get off this computer and go snuggle with my kids (even though they are already asleep). Love you so. Praying. M.
ReplyDeleteKerry,
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite things is to stay in my polka-dotted pajamas all day. When the boys were younger we would get up and do everything in our pajamas. Unfortunately, someone always came to the house unexpectedly . . .
I am working to be more of a "be-er" with people that I love instead of a "do-er". Somehow I feel like to do a good job I need to be productive all of the time. Thanks for reminding me what is important!
Kids are great, aren't they?
I love you Kerry and am so glad that you are feeling well. I am so thankful you were able to spend the day with people you love.
I am praying that today is another great day.
Love,
Mitzi
Kerry,
ReplyDeleteWhat great advice something that all of us need to remember and do. Take the time to be with your children, your family, your friends and love every minute of it.
You are teaching us so much Kerry about life and how to live. Thank you for your openness and honesty.
I will be spending more time with those who I love and less time worrying about what the house looks like.
Love you
Lorrie
Kerry, I was talking to your sister today and (Im serious about this) told her you need to write a book. You will never know how much you've inspired in all of us how we need to live our lives. Im obsessing over the fact my parents have said they want to come out and visit. Im already stressing on how Im going to get my house prestine perfect. Thats not what I should be focusing on. Thank you helping all of us to see whats really important. We love you!!!!
ReplyDeleteRomans 8:28
Renee
Kerry,
ReplyDeleteSpray painting for me looks like loading up the kids, all four of them. This requires going to the basement to retrieve a bicycle with helmet, a tricycle with helmet, and a double stroller. Then packing a diaper bag with 2 sizes of diapers, three sets of clean clothes, water bottles, my keys and cell phone which are usually lost somewhere in the house. Most often I have to rechange 2 outfits that have been spit up upon, then, remind everyone to potty, put on 5 coats, 5 hats, and sometimes 10 gloves, and ti at least 6 shoes all to go for a "short" walk to the park which we LOVE once we're there. These days that activity is quite rare because I have begun to dread the process. As a result, we have become a little sedentary.
Three things have changed since I have come to know you. One, I wake up each morning and don't cringe at the mess I've left the night before when utterly exhausted. I actually smile and take it little by little refusing to let them take my joy. I am reminded by your post about how mundane things are beautiful when you are grateful you woke up alive to do them.
Two, I have become an email person and have cherished the new relationships I've built because of it. It also is an amazingly freeing forum for busy moms!
And three, I have dedided to change what I dislike about myself right now because life is too short!
I watched a program on TBN last night that talked about God sending Noah His rainbow. It stated that God promised Noah never to destroy the earth by flood waters again. The rainbow reminds us that if we follow Gods commands, He, the Almighty, is sure to restore us completely.
I realized I had so many destructive elements in my life that I easily allowed to enter by placing them before my eyes, ears, and mouth. I crave the promise of restoration. I thought of you and how you are evidence of God's restoration in the midst of very destructive forces within your body right now.
Are you still naming those nodules? I vote for colorless critters! For you, my friend, are a God's rainbow to me.
Love,
Joyce
Dear Kerry,
ReplyDeleteI just love getting on this blog site and reading your inspiring words and everyone's responses to them. You are so right about living in the moment and focusing on what is really important :-)
I have found myself focusing more on my relationships with people than my to do list. A friend asked if I wanted to go to lunch with her today and I knew if we went we would be eating and talking for hours. I thought of all I needed to do at home, thought of you and went to lunch with my friend:-) We had a great time sharing prayer requests and just visiting. God has given me this friend for a special reason and I know that valuing our friendship was the far better choice:-)
I guess for me spray painting would be inviting 10 kids over with messy hands and messy,dirty feet to come over to my house, dirty the walls and carpet and make mud pies!!! As you and Mitzi know, I do not like clutter or messes, which is really funny if you know my husband who is wonderful, but the KING of clutter:-) As you share your joy in the everyday things, whether my to do list gets done has become much less important. I am finding I can relate a little to Mary instead of just Martha :-) Thanks for helping us to rethink our priorities and to take the time for precious memories instead of dusting :-)
We will continue to pray for more Godincidences in your life. You being covered in moonlight is such a beautiful and amazing answer to prayer that I will never forget it. God is so Good and creative in showing us his love,isn't he:-) When you have a bad day think of that moonlight and being covered and sheltered with God's love!!! We love you so and will continue to lift you up in prayer.
Your big sis,
Shannon