Disaster

The dirty laundry was piled high in each bedroom and bathroom. There was a mound of clean laundry on the kitchen table. The dishwasher was broken and every plate, glass and utensil was caked with dried food and stacked all over the counter.  Dusting hadn’t happened in weeks, and the carpet was torn up and there wasn’t any money to replace it. Kids’ school books, toys, jackets, baby toys and junk were strewn everywhere.  My house was a disaster.  To make matters worse the dog tracked in paw prints, and I dropped the cereal box out of the pantry losing half of its’ contents on the floor because someone forgot to roll the bag inside. Do you know what I did? I dumped the rest of the box of cereal out on the floor and stomped all over it like a mad woman.  I had lost it.  Not only was disaster happening in my marriage, but it was spilling over in my home. Maybe you can relate. This was a reality in my life when I was going through my separation.

When your mind is so consumed with your pain and hurt you can't keep your house in order.  It is difficult to focus on a task long enough to complete it.  If things get way out of hand in your home you have to ask for help.  Professionals need to clean the carpets, painters need hired, a plumber is needed for the disposal (I tried to replace one on my own...not recommended...talk about disaster!!!), a lawn boy is required, and since the laundry was neglected it now takes days instead of hours to wash, dry, fold and put away. There is only one problem. You are beyond broke and do not have money to higher help.  So, your disaster continues to spread. When you have children and are going through a divorce everything is affected.  There is hope. You will survive.  And you will get your house and mind in order.

Divorce causes disaster to happen the same way within your very being.  Before long your emotions are in your throat 24/7, you get angry at everything your children do or don’t do, and you are not sure what you believe any more or even why you exist at all.  Your emotional disaster spreads, and sometimes you find it hard to get out of bed.  You need help.  Since funds are frozen or not even available during your divorce you will need to search elsewhere. Many Churches have divorce care groups, free counseling, and lots of willing servants. There are outreach ministries in your area willing to help those in need. County programs can assist you with food and bills, and you just may need to call a trusted friend to help you get your house back in order.  Your schedule and childcare may be a challenge, but if you don’t take steps to address what is happening in your home and in your heart you will no longer recognize either one of them. Taking these steps will humble you to the point of complete embarrassment, but trust me it is in these experiences that you will grow stronger, smarter, wiser and love more. Your children need you to be whole and they need the security of some order in the house during this unsettling time. When you begin cleaning up your home you will move couches and clean in crevices that haven’t been exposed in years.  The same will be true of your heart. You will begin exposing the real you who hasn’t been seen in years. The end result is a house and heart “just like new.” Hang in there. I have seen beautiful structures built where disaster once was strewn.