Friday, March 16, 2012

Routines, do you make them, do you keep them, are they good for you and yours?

I am not, or maybe I have not always been good at routines. I have always been more of a go with the moment sort of person.  My mom didn't really teach us that as children.  She was usually to busy to always show us why or how she did something, it was much easier to do it herself.  She has gotten much better with showing or teaching routines, including chores, with the second and her third little families.  I think of all my siblings I am the most free spirited that way.  I don't know if I just missed something of my brain does work that way.  I am therefore the worst of all my siblings at house keeping but give me an artistic puzzle, something to make, something to be made out of nothing, inside the home or out in the yard I can create almost anything.  My mother is that way as well, but usually purchases the items, she is not all that big on upcycling and my dad always made enough money to help her make purchase to succeed at fulfilling the needs of her creating.  I can make almost anything out of nothing, I can teach myself how to do almost anything.  The teaching of myself came from my dad, and his love or books, he so wanted to be a history teacher and never got to.  I have digressed, anyway back to routines. 

I don't do them well, and therefore don't teach them well.  I can get on a routine and be so obsessive compulsive that the people around me are happy when I fall off the routine bandwagon, so very like my Mom is now, isn't it a disorder?  I can lose 80 pounds and keep it off for years then I forget to get off the couch and walk because I have 10 baby sweaters sets I want to knit for a show, or 30 pairs of upluks, or have to carve hundreds of handles for various knife makers, and the list goes on.  I tend to fall into the sedimentary pitfalls and can't get out.  I am not a bad eater, per se, we don't eat a lot of chemicals in our diets, we don't drink pop, we are aiming at a completely organic meat and vegetable diet supplied by us lifestyle.  I can tell you almost to an exact amount the calories in anything, the sugar content or fiber in it as well.  My ladies have never been denied sugar but they do know that it is a food to be respectful of and taken in with care. They religiously know what sometimes foods are. They have been taught lifestyle routines about good eating, though it be in my round about way not as upfront as most would teach a routine of healthy style of eating.  They know the importance of exercise in their lives. I think maybe the pathways of my mind are cluttered to most peoples way of thinking, but in funny ways all my kids understand me, and put up with me, and maybe just maybe their minds have benefited from seeing how the semi-insane brain works.   Are you crazy if you think you are?  hmmmm.  

I am currently trying to teaching them to keep their rooms clean, as a matter of responsibility,  trying to teach them to take care of their rabbits, as a responsibility to another creature.  Ok, shouldn't most little girls learn to take care of a rabbits, turkeys, goats or chickens before they are eventually given the responsibility of a baby?  I know no one thinks that way, only the "semi-crazy",  see you think I am too.   I am have been teaching them to cook since their little bums could set on the cupboard by the stove and help stir.  One on each side of the stove, and yes two year olds with supervision and a parent their can stir sauce.  I got them their own paring knives and little cutting boards when they were two and three, yes, little finger did get little cuts but they can dice with the best of them now.  They can go into the kitchen and bake a cake without assistance, they can make small pasta meals, breakfasts and they are perfecting their pies and breads.  I don't know if that is a routine in the direct since of the words but it is in my mind,  again semi-crazy.  Do they know how to vacuum and scrub the toilette?  Yes, they do.  Is it more important than playing with their cousins, goats or the dogs? not always.   Can they milk a goat, know the process of cheese making or soap making and assist in it, yes.  Is having a spotless house more important than the rest of the things they have succeeded at in their short lives?  Not sure it is?  Can they clean the house and do a good job yes, do they or I always have time to? no.  Life is about choices, routines, loving and sharing with people.  We all get to make the choices that are right for us.  Is your routine more important than mine, though mine may be not what you would call a routine?  Why do you get to judge what my life should or should not be,  I don't get to judge yours.  I understand you have the nicest cleanest most wonderful house,  I am so proud of it for you.  I have kids that are good, love each other and the world in general. They are accomplished on levels that not alot of kids, in this day and age at their ages are, does that make my routines and lifestyle less than the accomplishments or successes of yours?

We are now waking up a little earlier everyday and my Ladies are learning to set aside a bit of time each morning to our Lord.  We read and discuss the bible so we have a better understanding of our Lord and the commandants, covenants and routines he wants us to have in our lives. I do know about the importance of routines in my life; but the ones I chose to enforce and develop in my life, and in my Ladies lives, have to make them better people.  We get to chose what makes us better people, what the Lord ask of us to be better people.  I think the Lord cares more about the time we give to others, the compassion we show to others, the happiness and love we give to others than whether my carpet has a spot on it or if there is a dish in the sink or a load of laundry not done right up.  I think routine is good and a wonderful part of life, but I think the routines we make about our spirits and souls are more important than the mundane.  I don't think I will ever quite get in the habit of doing the house work on time, in time or completely, but I do know how to live a happy life within the scope of God's love.... tomorrow.

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