Overwhelmed, including laundry room photos

I am feeling overwhelmed by all the work that keeping house means. Keeping tidy, keeping up on the dishes, mopping and vacuuming every so often. Meals every day, laundry before the clothes run out, trash before the house starts to smell. Trying to get the lawn mowed between raindrops, learning how to clip a hedge, wondering why my green beans didn’t take.

I’ve decided I’m going to take things one step at a time so as not to get (too) overwhelmed.

Yesterday’s step?

The laundry room. Sweep the floor, tidy the bottles, remove the stuff that doesn’t belong.

At least one room in the house is in order (for now.)

I’m also feeling overwhelmed with opportunities.

I have four middle school girls who craft or sew with me regularly and a few more who do so less frequently (or would like to do so eventually). I’ve got some friends I’d like to do Bible study with, and a new friend who’d like to do Bible study with me (Yay!) I just started what I think might become my favorite part of the week–reading to dementia patients in our long term care facility. And tomorrow, I’m going to babysit for my pastor’s wife!

I love that I have so many relationships in this city I found myself surprisingly transplanted into six months ago.

But, like the rooms in my house, the new abundance of relationships has me somewhat overwhelmed.

I imagine I’ll “manage” them in the same way.

One at a time, taking time to love and be loved.

Basically, I’m overwhelmed by how rich and how full and how amazingly over-the-top my life is.

A year ago, I was in a completely different place, dreaming completely different dreams, having an awfully difficult time.

Today, I am in a town I’d never imagined I’d be in…
working at a job I never imagined I’d work at…
living in a home I never imagined I’d live in…
with relationships I’d never dreamed I’d have.

I’m simply overwhelmed with how full this life I never chose is…
and overwhelmed with thankfulness to the God who chose this life for me.