Things are pretty exciting at Mama Henley's house today! My two BFFs from Dallas are on their way to visit Tampa! I can't wait to show them our beautiful town! They are leaving behind a blizzard to be welcomed by sun and 79*F!! Can you believe it?!

As I have been cleaning the house and getting ready for them, I've had time to think. Our house is very full. That must be quite obvious to you since we have been blessed with 5 little ones. Perhaps I should say our home is overflowing. It is overflowing with love and laughter and joy and tears and squeals and screams and stuff. A lot of the stuff is mine...paper paper paper. I purge and purge but my piles are still here. Some of the stuff is the constant laundry that must be folded and put away.

I had a little discussion in my head about what is most important. Yes, by all means, I want our house to be welcoming, uncluttered, and pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, I have found it difficult to keep our home complete uncluttered. I do try. I fight the clutter bugs every day. But, with no playroom and young children, our house seems to be full of toys and creations.

Some days I respond to the toys and stuff in the wrong way. I scream and beg for it to be removed. Other days I see it as a welcome blessing. There were years where we thought we'd never have even one baby. What a miracle that we now parent 5! It is true that we have many boxes in our garage, that sometimes backpacks overpower the world, and that I can't keep our house perfect no matter how hard I try.

But the Lord is teaching me an important lesson. The things of this world are fine, but my focus should not be on having House Beautiful. My focus should be on the Lord first in ALL things, then my precious husband, and finally on loving and molding our children and teaching them about Him. The hours that my hands toil are worth nothing if I have no eternal value. My love for orderliness and longing for pats on the back about my perfect house can often be idols for me. The Bible tells us that we should have no other idols before HIM. What idols have a stronghold in your life? How can you pray for the Lord to loosen their stronghold in your life and to turn your heart to Him?

Let's subtract, not multiply

I have been working hard to control all of the things that keep procreating in this house. You would not believe the multiplication that happens in this house!! Aside from the 5 children, our laundry seems to multiply over night. I think I have washed the last pair of underwear or socks, and wake up to find a new load waiting on me. It is incredible!! Another thing that multiplies, splits, and adds is paper. Bills, sweet notes from the children, art work, letters from friends, to do lists, recipes, etc. seem to have babies!! I spent hours trying to calm the paper beast today. I even made a little progress. Too bad our bedroom looks like the after shot of a robbery. The chalk figure on the floor is of me, exhausted after my hard work!