Valerie is a 42-year-old, single, Reformed Christian lady who lives in Baltimore. She doesn't remember a time
before she knew and loved Jesus, but she does remember accepting John Calvin into her heart in March of 2000.
Valerie is a member of Christ Reformed Evangelical Church in Annapolis.
Though her career aspiration is to be a housewife, Valerie has not yet found anyone suitable who wishes to hire
her for employment in that field (or, more properly, anyone suitable has not found her), so in the meantime she
earns her daily bread working in communications -- editing, writing, print design and website management.
Resolution Report: March
My new year's resolutions were to crochet the remaining 52 squares of my mother's bedspread and to do a Bible reading plan. In March I completed 5 squares, bringing the year's total to 15 and the overall total to 95. I also read 73 chapters of Scripture (Job 16-42, Proverbs 1-6, Romans 6-16, 1 Corinthians 1-16, and 2 Corinthians 1-13), but my reading was rather bulimic -- binges and fasts characterized the month. I think there was at least a week straight that I didn't read a word, and a couple days when I read whole books. I need to keep working toward getting things on a more even keel.
I also added another resolution to get my kitchen as clean as reasonably possible before going to bed each night. I cannot express how amazed I am at how well this has gone (but I will proceed to spend several paragraphs in the attempt).
It has been a truly revolutionary transformation for me to have kept and loved this discipline. Housework has always been a tremendous challenge for me, so to have received the grace to accomplish this task every night for over three weeks straight seems like the biggest visible leap forward I've ever experienced in my sanctification. For the record, "as clean as reasonably possible" meant filled to the rafters with dirty dishes after I had guests for dinner this past Saturday, because that was truly all I could manage to do that night. But they're all washed now...they didn't sit there for days or weeks as has happened in the past. And every other night I've spent in my own house, "reasonably possible" has meant all dishes done, counters wiped, floors swept and mopped as needed.
Having the kitchen regularly clean has allowed me to start getting the rest of the house in better shape. The dining room has been pretty consistently tidy, and the living room required minimal decluttering (stowing a few boxes in the bedroom) to be ready for company on Saturday. I also had all the grocery shopping done ahead of time, so I didn't have to exhaust myself by working like a maniac to get ready before my company came. At my past Sabbath feasts I've practically been falling asleep at the table rather than enjoying my guests. This time, I was only as fatigued as I usually am, so aside from a pesky medical problem that was rather distracting, I was, for me, pretty darn perky!
I think somebody must have been praying this for me: "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."
I am grateful for God's faithfulness in this. I am grateful for my elders, who have pushed me to serve others. I am grateful that in serving others I have learned to work harder than I've ever worked before in domestic pursuits. I am grateful that the Lord seems finally to have flipped the switch and allowed me to apply that diligence in my own home.
Is this a ridiculous thing to be raving on about in this fashion? If it is, then let me be ridiculous, as long as I can publicly praise my Deliverer. I have begged too long for relief from the slough of sloth to be silent now that I seem finally to be escaping its miry manacles. My heavenly Father has been kind to His wayward and undeserving child, and she loves Him for it!
Posted by Valerie (Kyriosity) at 10:47 PM
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2 comments
2 Comments:
On April 1, 2008 9:14 AMThe BadgerMumwrote... That's wonderful. And I know how much better it is to start the day off with a clean kitchen, instead of facing yet another failure before it's even time to face the day!
I'm so happy for you.
On April 2, 2008 9:39 AMMargaret in VAwrote... I understand completely. Well done! I will pray that God continues to give you the Grace to continue in your faithfulness in the kitchen. Praying for health issues, too.
