If You Looked Up “Lazy” in the Dictionary, You’d See a Picture of My Face

December 2, 2014December 2, 2014 by theseordinarygraces In Home, Motherhood 1 Comment

Lazy. That’s not a pretty word. Lazy means “unwilling to work or use energy.” Some synonyms for “lazy” are idle, slothful, inactive, sluggish, and lethargic.

Lazy isn’t a word most people would willingly use to describe themselves. I’ve certainly considered others lazy: my kids, strangers, even my husband (believe me, he is NOT lazy). But I’ve finally come to the point where I’m willing to say it about myself.

I. Am. Lazy.

Not in every way, sure. I’m pretty mentally active. I teach my kids, read a ton, write, think, plan, dream. But physically? L. A. Z. Y.

People, I’ve made my kids get up from all the way across the room to hand me something that was just out of my reach. I wouldn’t have even have had to stand all the way up, but the effort and energy involved in physically moving my body just seemed too great. That’s just sad.

You can see it in the state of my house most days. The fact that I usually don’t completely clean up the kitchen. Clothes piled up in the bathroom. If you snuck downstairs while I’m working out, you’d witness me skipping out on jumping jacks, taking extra long water breaks, and doing “girl” push-ups even though I’m fully capable of full push-ups. I mean, you guys, it’s bad.

Please don’t tell me I deserve a little break now and then because I’m a homeschooling mom of three. While I believe a little break here and there is beneficial, I’ve milked the heck out of that line. I mean, hourly breaks, mid-lunch breaks. . .

So, where am I going with all of this confession? Well, God led me right to those verses about “The Wife of Noble Character” this week. (Inwardly cringing) And the verse that felt like a good thump on the head?

She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

-Proverbs 31: 17

Ouch.

This one, too:

She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

-Proverbs 31: 13

So maybe I don’t aim for eager or vigorous just yet. Maybe I start with just doing it because it needs to be done. Getting it over with. Clean up the kitchen because it feels so nice to wake up to a clean kitchen. Workout because it gives you energy for the day and your clothes fit better. Do the laundry so you have clean clothes ready to wear instead of digging through the hamper to find that one shirt so you can wash it real quick.

So I’m scouring Pinterest for charts of all kinds. Cleaning charts, workout charts, organizing charts. You name it.

Do you have any tips for me? How do you keep yourself motivated to get things done when you’d rather curl up with a book or Netflix?  Leave me your tips in the comments.