After a loud yell of frustration, my sister walked into my room and saw the mountain of clothes, shoes, and books which accumulated in my tirade. Her eyebrow raised, needing explanation as to why it looked like Hurricane Katrina had blown through my room. “Look, I’m stressed out, okay? I’m late, I have a very important meeting this afternoon and I have nothing to wear. Nothing! To! Wear! It’s a major Clothes Crisis!”
She knows my antics and without saying a word, she pulled a teal cardigan from my clothes, grabbed a thin belt to wrap around my waist, changed my jewelry and with that I was ready for work. It was like Spit Spot! [Minus Mary Poppins.]
Because I’m an emotional basket-case when I’m stressed, I gave her a hug and let out a squeal. She was not empathetic to my “Clothes Crisis” so she simply patted my back as I squeezed her and told me I was late for work. “Wait,” I said. “I have to make my bed!”
Dumbfounded and frustrated, she asked why I was making my bed rather than fighting traffic. “Oh that’s simple, Alex. A clean, well-made bed is my comfort. When everything is life, work, or my room is a mess, I always have my bed to look to as peace and solidarity. It’s my symbol.” I looked for the brass band to enter my room as I sang a Cabaret life lesson to my sister.
But I’m not the only one who needs reminders of peace. In Genesis 9 God reiterated the word covenant seven times in nine scriptures. The biblical word covenant means promise from God. God told Noah he would remember His covenant symbol (a rainbow) was a reminder to all living creatures on earth (9:17). Till this day, I remember God’s promise to humanity when I see a rainbow.
When everything in life is chaotic, ugly, depressing, and messy, what do you hold on to? What are your reminders? If we don’t have reference points (promises and covenants), we can get lost in the mess and forget the promises God has given us. Hold on to what the psalmist says,
“The promises of the Lord are pure, like silver refined in a furnace and purified seven times… God’s way is perfect!” The promise of the Lord has proved to be true. (Psalm 12:6; 18:30)
You just made me smile! (Although my bed is only made maybe three times a year tops besides right after the sheets are washed) (I hate how my bed looks made…but I love the idea of one reminder of peace)
I love this b/c prior to having my two daughters, I did this bed-making thing every day, too, for the same reason. Now that I don’t always have a chance to fully make the bed, I’ve resorted to at least pulling the sheet and blanket up and fluffing the pillows to make it look semi-neat. Every night before I go to bed I do a little de-cluttering so I can wake up and think (if only for a few minutes) that we live in a neat house 🙂 Thanks for giving me a new and more purposeful way to think about these little rituals!
thank you Bianca:) my made bed has become sort of the same…definitely not as a girl much to my mama’s chagrin;) even if there are piles all around it, it must be made and I do it almost immediately after I get up:)
also, a daily walk–if only 15-20 minutes when dinner is usually cooking and my husband has just gotten home…beautiful minutes:):)
thanks for the reminder of our covenant-keeping God too…His promises are true and we can stake our all on them! blessings, abby;)
Oh Bianca! How I can relate to that!!!!! Just this morning, I was realizing how chaotic my life is…. But what did I do? I made my bed, gazed upon its beauty and it gave me a weird sense of calm. God must laugh at us, huh? 😉
When my life is a little messy, as it has been the past year or so, I hold on to the fact that I am not in control. If I was I have a feeling it would be a whole lot messier. To messy lives and made beds 🙂
Bianca,
Thanks for this. I have to be honest and say alot of times first I stress out andthen I read a passage from the Bible, sometimes I write , sometimes, actually a lot of the time I go for a walk and usually talk to the Lord during the walk.
Our God is so good and he reigns!
In Christ’s Love & Prayers
Sis in Christ
Tina
I canNOT leave the house without fixing our bed….what a trip, huh. I may not complete everything I have on my mental “To Do List,” but I know I have at least this one thing done for the day. There’s nothing like coming home after a hectic day and seeing one thing in order in this crazy, ever-changing world in which we live. Does this sound a bit neurotic?
Ha! This is so perfect, its me! There is nothing better and more soothing than coming home to a nicely made bed. I cannot leave the house without making my bed first, no matter how early I get up or how late I’m running behind I have to make my bed. If you can’t control all things in your life you can at least have one thing where you take control and that’s making the bed, having a center of calm in a chaotic world. Oh and just pulling up the comforter over the pillows doesn’t count. 🙂
I JUST started making my bed first thing in the morning. It is the best therapy yet! Haha!
Specifically speaking, in this season, the words I hear every morning when I wake are simply, “Here I am to worship.” Not the song, rather the words and the resolve to wake up and exchange me for Him. To set aside my dreams, goals, aspirations for a season and actually make this life about Him and the “others” in my house. Go figure! 😉 It’s been hard, but God is faithful and I’m banking on that!!!
Bianca,
I, too, cannot leave the house without a made=up bed. I do housework also. These are things I can control & they speak peace & comfort to me.
When life was rea\lly messy a few years back I walked 2 miles daily usually with my hubby, but always with God to help de-stress me & give me the strength to go on & deal with it.
Thanks for the encouragement.
I, too, am visual!! Clutter makes me crazy. My children have learned this and know that Mom needs things to be picked up and put away. I HAVE to make my bed, too!!! Just makes me feel better about life!
Yes, we all need our reminders of peace. Some of mine are a beautiful sunset (ANY sunset that I slow down long enough to watch!), a freshly vacuumed living room, a pile of folded laundry, my dear, sweet husband, worship music…
And I love the story above, my youngest daughter is like your sister, she can pull together a clothing crisis just like, that (snapping of the fingers)!
Bernice
http://livingthebalancedlife.com/2010/what-are-you-focusing-on/
Bianca, I can so relate to your need to make the bed, despite the craziness of life.
It sounds simplistic, but so often when we let the seemingly “little things” go, the walls can slowly cave in on us. It is taking the time to cultivate peace, even when it seems like we don’t have the time, that can actually lead to less-stress.
I need a clean kitchen, yes. but really I need to protect and honor time with my husband and my kids–free from distractions and the ugliness of the day. Thank you for your reminder and ability to relate our everyday life to God’s promises.
Oh, girl, I can SO relate to this–the clothing crisis, the bed-has-to-be-made, all of it! I love how you bring us back to God in all life’s moments, the messy and the miraculous (or are those two really the same?). Thanks for sharing yourself, your heart, your life with us. XOXO
Aren’t sisters amazing? They have that gift of making everything better. Me? My livingroom must be clean! Other rooms can be chaotic.