Make Up Your Bed!

As children life was so simple. All we had to do was eat our vegetables and have fun. As we grew older things got a tiny bit more complex; we had responsibilities other than just having fun. We had to keep up with our hygiene, clean our rooms and put away our toys... but fun was still in the mix so hemming and hawing was but for a moment and the new responsibilites became habits. It was for our good and social acceptance was much easier as we learned what the need for those habits were.

Who knew that those simple things like brushing teeth, taking a bath, putting our toys away and making up our beds would carry us into a world that made bigger responsibilites much easier to do? Think about it, those that we work with that don't seem like they can get the easiest tasks done, what do you think their home life is like? You know that there home training had to be taught in a cave or under a rock! When I start a new job, without thought, I have to get the desk organized so I can do my job proficiently. I was talking to a co-worker while I was separating the paperclips from the rubber bands. The co-worker was mesmerized by what I was doing and didn't understand why it was necessary for me to do. I didn't know how to answer that other than it seemed to be out of place. Compulsive or just neat and orderly - a judgement call.

When does life become so overwhelming that a grown child goes back home? When that child didn't learn the basics as habits. This is why some parents enable their grown children to come back home because they believe they didn't give their children the skills they needed.

Parents, get over the guilt. Your children have learned survival skills in order to manipulate you to believe that you still have to house them! It is easy to blame the economy, the recession, no one is hiring, no one is willing to rent to a mother with so many children, and the like... but I would like to challenge any of you in that situation, what skills do you have to get yourself out of that bind? What do you recall from your childhood whether it be at home or in school; what is it that you learned that can take you from a social cripple at home with Mom (again) to a viable, productive, successful adult?

I was there; back at home as an adult. I didn't vent with a bunch of excuses but I had them ready if I needed them. Even writitng this, I have to keep myself from typing at least one to make myself feel better for returning home and staying longer than I ever should have. What I forgot was that I had other skills to use. My mother taught me how to crochet. You would think that you can't do anything with that but show visitors of your home that you have a whole lot of time on your hands. However,  there are craft shows, consignment shops, gift stores, and online boutiques that would welcome hand made crafts. I also know how to draw and paint. You would think that there isn't a big market for artists either but there are large companies with lobbies that change their art from time to time and other businesses coming up everyday not to mention online galleries for exposure (see my gallery below). Also along with me having a degree, I can write and help people do what they need to do. This might not be a huge paycheck by themselves but working all three can make a living until the next thing comes along. This is being innovative which cannot come about when your life is in clutter and constant turmoil. Who knew that such a simple thing as putting away your toys could take you from destitute to productivity?
(Ephesians 6:4 NIV), (Proverbs 24:27 AMP), (Proverbs 6:9-11 AMP)

Walking Requires Effort

People try to sort confused lives because they decide that they can get something for nothing. It just doesn't work.

Even when you think you can cheat the process by speeding up steps to gain the desired goal, it is never the joyfilled event you expect it to be.

I have many family members who are college graduates (including me). There is not one of us who had the privelege of obtaining that education without hard work. I have witnessed those whose parents, planned  and saved for their children. It is good; however, those that I witnessed that didn't have to toil and struggle financially for their degree, found much to complain about once achieved. From not having a large enough salary to the environment from which they were employed. The ones who labored to obtain knowledge were grateful to get a job. The ones who were given the tuition had higher expectations.

I suppose we can pull pros and cons from both; however, it doesn't take the perspective away from planning and prioritizing.

If you don't make the effort to work out a detailed 6 month, 1 year, 5 year, and 10 year plan with goals in place, you have no one to blame when the "golden years" are only a couple of decades away and you have nothing to show for the life that has been given you (Proverbs 24:27 AMP).