My post of last night seems melodramatic today. I wanted the main point of it to be courage, because that is the aspect of God’s grace that seemed to be given, and that is a positive and going-forward kind of energy.
Today I enjoyed housework, and as I was beautifying my house I thought about how I would like to spend more time on housework than I have been doing. My next thought was, How is that going to work with your desire to spend more time reading, and walking, and more time in the garden? And writing letters and book reviews…. ?
I didn’t waste time on such practical questions, but I vacuumed and dusted and wiped and scrubbed for a few hours, to the point where it was obvious I only had one more bit of housework to do: bring in some flowers. That, as I soon realized, created more mess, because I don’t have a cutting garden.
After I wandered around the paths I had a big jar full of a wildflowery kind of assortment, from which I made a couple of wonky “arrangements,” and in my wake, on more than one horizontal surface, were wide trails of litter: pieces of lavender stem and echinacea petals and parts of lambs ears that were dried and falling off. At least one tiny spider and one ant jumped off and ran away somewhere… But all in all the flower-arranging was a satisfying treat I gave myself, and I still had time for writing this little report. 🙂
Gladsome Lights 
That second paragraph is describing my life.
AMDG
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Flower arranging mess is one I enjoy and the daily care of taking out the withered recutting and changing the water is also a way to remember the giver or the joy of the picking.
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Oh, Gretchen, I have enjoyed every word in your post today. Delightful mulling as you were going about your day. Loved the little vignette of your flower gathering moment. As I said, pure delight. Wishing you a beautiful weekend. Brenda xox
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I need to spend less time on the computer, and more time beautifying my home, taking care of my gardens etc.
Your bouquet is really pretty. Have a great weekend ~ FlowerLady
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Lovely! Each day is different and sometimes we need a bit of a rest before we can do the next thing. I too have so much I want to do but can never get to all of it. This is life. ♡
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Your second paragraph voices the Big Question for me, and hence the name of my blog. I am never done searching. I do change my routine after learning a (hopefully!) better way, but I’m never done, I will never arrive there, I know. That’s as it should be. 🙂 My biggest concern is, after beginning to see a better way, that I wouldn’t get distracted and forget it.
Yesterday’s post didn’t seem overly dramatic to me – I think I got the correct message from it. 🙂
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the courage, dear heart, was not at all lost in your last post…
and yes, the dust and bugs and pollen and tiny fallen petals are worth it all..
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So many good things to do; so little time! You did well. I love your wildflowery arrangement!
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I suppose it’s better to have more than enough to fill our days than not enough. At least that is true for me.
I like your table bouquet. I’ve tried growing Achillea but it doesn’t grow well for me.
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You said, “Today I enjoyed housework.” I like a clean, orderly home and do not mind housework, but like you there are always so many things competing with my time and energy. But some days I too simply enjoy housework.
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Oh, the time I’ve spent echoing your second paragraph! On and off through the years since I began blogging especially. I’m not sure I will ever find the best or right answer to that but I suspect the best thing to do is exactly what you did in your third paragraph instead of stewing on it. And that is something I need to do tomorrow, or soon, very very soon.
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The flowers are very pretty. I can’t think of the last time I spent hours doing housework. I’m more likely to spend 30 minutes and think myself ill-used! I’m more a “lick-and-a-promise” kind of gal — get that from my mother 🙂
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