What I Believe: Taming the New Animal

Perhaps I'm alone in the fact that this summer has morphed into an animal, the likes we've never seen before.

We knew June - August would be busy, but we had not anticipated the understatement "busy" would become.  Funeral services, camps, tournaments, California surprises, practices, Trek, back-to-school prep... it seemed daunting, but tackle-able just the same.

That was in the beginning.

Me going back to work full-time in all the previously-scheduled breathing room was not part of our summer strategy.  Thus, the house looks destroyed 24/7, and I've been DRAGGING my butt in every night just to crash.  Add to that the ultra-swamped trucking season summer is, and that means Mr LKP's gone more than he's home.  The combo's been down-near lethal.

Oy!  So much is happening, while so much else is NOT  that it makes my head spin.

• Matching socks for my kid?  Heh, I wish.

• Laundry nicely folded and put away?  Instead try diving into the mountain of laundry over yonder on the couch --- hey, you're lucky its CLEAN!

• Square meal on the table every night?  The kitchen's there folks, and I hope food's in there some where as well.  Dates may be expired, but there's food.  Ethiopian kids would NOT be complaining!

As I was in the shower getting ready to stare today down again, I said to myself:
"Self, at least you squeegeed your shower!" 

Right then & there the thought smacked me in the kisser.

That's right!  Amidst all my life's chaos, at least I took 30 seconds to myself and squeegeed the shower curtain & walls.  The rest of the bathroom may look like hell vomited all over it, but by golly my shower got a long-overdue squeegeeing!

That's my mantra today, and possibly the rest of this summer:
"...Hey, at least I squeegeed my shower...."

• Snippy lady in the checkout lane at the grocery store?  "Hey lady, take some Midol, and oh, BTW, I squeegeed my shower..."
• Cell phone junkie just cut me off on the freeway, when I'm already 5 minutes late to the clinic?  "First, buddy, its illegal so put that cellphone down.  And second, I SQUEEGEED MY SHOWER... so don't mess with me!"
• Church members concerned cause we've been MIA from meetings & volleyball most of the summer, and Mini-Me the majority of all Mutual?  ::shrugs:: "Yeah I promise there's no need to place us on the inactive list and pay a visit to our doorstep... see, at least I squeegeed my shower..."
• Bloggie buddies whose spaces I've failed to frequent recently?   "...Hey, I still love you all, so please still love me enough to forgive me since I haven't had time enough to visit your blogs....but hey, I found enough time to whip up this little humdinger of a post so you could know that, dang it, at least I've squeegeed my shower..."

Seems minimal to others perhaps, however, I'm figuring this is my Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card.
To myself anyhow.
Seriously, the squeegee works for me!

So, how does this fit into my "What I Believe" part of life?  While pondering this profound declaration in my life, 2 Nephi 25:23 came into my mind: "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (emphasis added)

Not gonna lie, I do feel a bit better after my little Extreme Makeover, Brain Edition.

Since this summer hasn't killed me yet, I'm sure there's always more I can do.  However it was reassuring to think that perhaps in those moments when I've reached my very brink, and that really & truly all I CAN do is squeegee the shower, Heavenly Father has enough Grace in store for me to cover what I can't.  I've got an inkling that He's definitely got enough Grace saved up, in fact, to cover this entire summer!

God is good.  So is His Grace.

In a way, this thought-provoking act of squeegeeing has become like another squeegee all its own.  It's cleared my mind, and helped me see more of what Heavenly Father is offering.  Grace is the most important squeegee (besides repentance & forgiveness).  One that wipes out all the guilt that's been building over not meeting many others' expectations for my summer... it wipes out all the second-guessing I've been doing... it wipes out all the doubt.  He knows, and He's STILL rooting for me.

When I feel like I'm losing here, I feel so lucky to know that He's still a big fan of me up there!  (Matter of fact, it makes me an even BIGGER fan of Him!)   

So, folks, if you've given all you've got and still feel bad?  Cling to the squeegeeing acts in your life, and know that they're enough.  He knows you, your efforts, your limitations, your heart.  So, trust.  Trust that He's got the greatest of squeegees ever, Grace, just for times in life like these!

::hugs:: 


Oh, and P.S.....

In addition to squeegee-ing the shower, I also managed to squeeze enough time out today to make some homemade laundry detergent with my SIL.  She swears by it, and her husband's a massive grease-monkey for his job from dawn-to-dusk.  So, it's THAT good!  Plus it's waaaaaay affordable.  Seriously, for about $18-20 (the price of a large tub of Tide) you can get everything you need to make roughly 6 batches.  Each batch yields AT LEAST 300+ loads of laundry in a top-loading washer (600+ in a front-loader).  That's like a year's worth of laundry for less than $3!  Interested?  Recipe is HERE.  (Thank you, Duggar family!)  

(image)

In my humble opinion, go with the Fels-Naptha, it's pure soap, and easier to grate than the Zote bar.  And Fels Naptha has no beef tallow, so it's vegan.   (Added bonus, when going with the Fels Naptha, its safe enough even for MY mega-allergies & sensitivities!)  

Squeeeeeee..... er, um, Squeeeeeegggggeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!  

:)