One Step at a Time
by Kym on September 26, 2008
There is a zit on the end of my nose. And I have a cold. Enough said? For most people, probably yes, but I have a daily babbling quota that has yet to be filled.
Self-pity is running rampant around here this week and I just can’t seem to shake it. It’s that conglomeration of little things. Stubbed toes and banged elbows, the unexpected gush of water hitting a dish in the sink and just the wrong angle, my water bottle lid not being screwed on right and ice cold water splooshing down my neck, messes and mayhem and the calendar filling up with worrying rapidity.
I’d say that I want to scream but in all honesty, I already have. One of those loud shrieks of frustration, the proverbial “Argh!” that my girls delight in imitating and I quickly turn into a lion’s roar and romp around with them, desperate to teach them better coping skills that the ones I myself possess.
Turns out? You can’t teach something you don’t know. Dang.
I feel conspired against. Neil makes as much mess as the two girls combined it seems, and life keeps tossing curve balls at us. The boxes of miscellaneous junk Neil still hasn’t gotten aroud to dealing with got dumped on the office floor a few weeks ago because someone was moving and needed boxes. I look at the sprawl of stuff feeling rather hopeless about it. I haven’t the faintest idea what to do with it. It’s not mine, so I can’t just chuck it. I can’t put it away because there’s no boxes to put it in. And whenever I’m not looking the kids sneak upstairs (because five months after moving in the stairgate has yet to be installed) and wreak their particular brand of havoc.
Neil’s booked a weekend trip for us to see his family next weekend, and we’ll be arriving home the day before we have a houseguest arriving to stay with us for a week. A potential business partner for Neil (and a good, respected friend) who we’re trying to lure up here. The desire to impress is strong – the ability? Sadly lacking.
I suddenly remember something my mum once told me. “One room at a time.” Very appropriate advice to give to her big picture, can’t see the trees for the forest daughter. This is a character flaw that affects much of my life, I’m realizing. Life is daunting in large chunks and yet that’s how I see it. I see the entirety of all that I want and need to accomplish and the enormity of it all paralyzes me.
With regards to the housework though…one room at a time.
With regards to life, I think of a scripture in The Book of Mormon. 2 Nephi 28:30:
“For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more;”
I need that reminder today. “Line upon line, precept upon precept,”. In other words, one thing at a time, and in the proper order. I need to lay the foundation for my life, instead of constantly dreaming of and worrying over the destination that seems so far beyond my reach. It will continue to be if I don’t make a start to building the sort of life I want to live. A life that, unfortunately(?) involves clean dishes, laundry, a clutter-free house, and other basic tasks that it can be difficult to find joy in.
Maybe I can hold onto the vision of where I’m headed even as I focus on taking each individual step.
Today the bathroom. Today the lesson that perhaps I can do it all, but not at once, and not now. Today the joy of taking the next step to get to that point.
27 comments
I love that you turn to the scriptures for your answer.
Why can I never remember to do that?
But you’re right, that “here a little and there a little” applies to so many things. Even housework.
by JustRandi on September 26, 2008 at 10:51 am. #
Yeah for that scripture. Has saved me many times in my life.
Funny too Kim. I woke up with a zit by my left eyebrow if you want to know exactness. We must be feeling the same things right now.
by Jan on September 26, 2008 at 11:07 am. #
I too get paralyzed. Over seemingly silly things. But even silly things can be paralyzing.
Yes, one thing at a time. Trying to push the thought from my mind that as I finish one thing, the tornadoes following me will sweep through and mess up what I just finished.
Sorry, that was SO not encouraging. But maybe validating?
by Heather of the EO on September 26, 2008 at 11:12 am. #
you are an answered prayer today
by elaine on September 26, 2008 at 11:24 am. #
Yes you did need to write that.
One thing at a time. That’s how it goes.
If only I could accept that.
by Eowyn on September 26, 2008 at 11:51 am. #
Have you read “The Art of Homemaking?” I’m all about the “bathrooms get clean today, don’t stress over the vacuuming, because that’s tomorrow.”
Now I will totally have that Saturday’s Warrior “Line upon line, precept on precept” song stuck in my head. What a welcome switch from the M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E! from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. My kids have been begging me to stop singing that already. Thanks for that. Oh, and for the reminder of how it applies!
by Lisa on September 26, 2008 at 12:45 pm. #
I always am stressed over the amount of housework there always seems to be.
Billy will say: Don’t worry about it, it’s not going anywhere.
To which I reply: That’s the problem, it NEVER goes anywhere!
by Abra on September 26, 2008 at 1:03 pm. #
A wise friend once told me that to move a mountain, you have to move one rock at a time. It was in reference to a mountain of homework and projects that needed to be done, but it applies to real life too. Sometimes we need to step back and look at the whole mountain, or forest if you will. But we can’t stay there too long, because to get that thing moved, we have to go in close and take one rock at a time.
by Jaina on September 26, 2008 at 1:17 pm. #
Gosh, it’s SO HARD to keep things clutter-free with kids around. (In my case, the kids are worse than the husband, though I can definitely identify with the “this isn’t my stuff but it’s driving me crazy and it MUST BE PUT AWAY NOW!” feeling. I’ve called Nathan at work before to figure out where to put certain things away before. I bet he loves that.)
Love that scripture. Beautiful reminder … thanks.
by Beth on September 26, 2008 at 1:53 pm. #
good post and great scripture. helps me refocus a little.
by Steph @ Diapers and Divinity on September 26, 2008 at 2:16 pm. #
I’ve always loved that scripture . . . here a little and there a little . . . we don’t have to be EVERYTHING all at once . . . indeed we cannot, nor should we even try.
Thanks for the reminder of that today . . . *HUGS*
love you
by Kate on September 26, 2008 at 2:37 pm. #
It’s so hard to do that in my home… I go to do dishes in the kitchen and find one of the kids toys. I take it to their room where I find a hair brush. I take that to the bathroom where I realize that I need to scrub the toilet. I go to get my rubber gloves when I see that there is a basket of laundry to be folded. I get that done and put the towels away in the kitchen only to realize that the first task, the dishes, still isn’t done. I’ve done 5 minor things around the house but they don’t SEEM to have added up to anything. But you’re right. Every little bit counts! And not just in housework… in all aspects of our lives.
by Melissa on September 26, 2008 at 3:05 pm. #
Thanks Kim.
by Summer on September 26, 2008 at 4:02 pm. #
i read your comment on i,wright and had to come and check out the blog of a girl that is on the same wave length as me!
thank you for this post – it’s just what i needed to hear today!
here’s to “line upon line … ” maybe someday we’ll get there … but for now … let’s just enjoy the journey!
by Emily Shaw on September 26, 2008 at 4:14 pm. #
The part that I go to in that scripture is the part that says, “for unto him that receiveth I will give more;” It gives me hope that even though I learn just a little, comparative to others, I will be given more. I will still reach the end of the destination, way behind others who are faster and better, but I get there regardless. Thanks for the inspiration. I love that you are so real and I always feel like I can relate with you.
by LittleGrumpyAngel on September 26, 2008 at 5:23 pm. #
Hang in there doll.
My rule of thumb with cleaning and organizing is to avoid what I call “triangle-ing”. I know it’s not a word, but you know how when you’re tidying the office and you pick up a hairbrush that belongs in the bathroom so you take it to the bathroom and start cleaning the bathroom and then you find a sock in the bathroom so you take it to the laundry room and start doing the laundry…
… and in the end you’ve not really accomplished anything?
That’s triangle-ing. The key to cleaning and organizing is to avoid doing that. When I clean a room I make a point of never leaving that room until it is clean. If something doesn’t belong in that room I put it just outside the door or in the direction of the place it belongs, but I don’t leave the room. I focus on the room I am working on without falling into the trap of triangle-ing.
Try it. Just as you said… line upon line, precept upon precept.
Oh, and make sure everything has a place that it lives. If doesn’t have a place, give it a place. If you can’t give it a place, throw it away or give it away. A place for everything and everything in it’s place.
Good luck.
by Carolyn on September 26, 2008 at 9:58 pm. #
I have a weird little motto whenever I get overwhelmed. You’ll hear me wandering around the house, kicking through piles of laundry muttering, “Just eat the elephant.” It’s from that old joke, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” It’s so dumb but so true. I’ve learned I just have to start and I kind of key starting points in every room. Kitchen and bathrooms: clear the counters. Bedroom: clear the bed. Livingroom: the coffee table. If I start, I will finish. It’s just so hard to start.
by Melanie J on September 27, 2008 at 9:14 am. #
another fabulously fantastic read… btw self pity a HUGE theme for me this week too. Scratch that… i mean in this life too!
by LeeGro on September 27, 2008 at 9:21 am. #
Who’s Neil thinking of partnering with…you said friend, so I assume somebody from school? Just being nosey! :)
by Nicole on September 27, 2008 at 1:08 pm. #
Yeah, I’m a phase cleaner myself – especially when things get out of control and I begin to feel burried.
Phase 1 just means straightening things up enough to avoid complete embarassment should someone stop by.
In Phase 2, I have to actually DO the laundry AND scrub the toilet.
The phases get worse after that. Good luck with yours – a phase a day keeps me moving forward when I have a must-be-clean-by deadline!
by Jen on September 27, 2008 at 7:35 pm. #
“Today, the bathroom. Tomorrow, THE WORLD!”
by wynne on September 27, 2008 at 7:57 pm. #
I was catching up on blogs because I can’t deal with the mess that is my 4 year-old’s room. Now I see I need to go back in there and tackle one pile at a time (Sadly I’m not even up to one room at a time… we’re talking piles…).
And then put her toys high on a shelf so she has to ask for them. Sigh.
Thanks for the inspiration…
by Tracy on September 29, 2008 at 9:18 am. #
Have you heard of FLYLADY… she gives lots of good tips & helps you break things down.
Clean the guest room first & close it off so it is ready to go… bathrooms last so you one have to do it once….
I am a horrible cook…but good about cleaning for company! : )
by American in Norway on September 29, 2008 at 9:43 am. #
*every* day is the bathroom day for me. why won’t the rest of the rooms just take care of themselves? dang you, rooms!
by hollydolly on September 29, 2008 at 3:20 pm. #
A room at a time sounds good. I need to start.
by Jo Beaufoix on September 30, 2008 at 12:07 pm. #
I get completely overwhelmed by big projects. Especially the ones having to do with cleaning and organizing. But I always start with the kitchen and spiral out from there. Because if the kitchen’s clean, I start to feel like the whole house is clean. And then I can deal with it.
by charrette on September 30, 2008 at 3:41 pm. #
Line upon line … surviving one minute at a time … using baby steps. This is my kind of talking :) !!
I hope you are feeling better!
Hmm, I wonder who you are luring to your part of the world :) ?!?
by An Ordinary Mom on October 1, 2008 at 11:07 am. #