One Project Leads to Another

The kids were busy playing outside. I was feeling like superwoman, ready to conquer a small task. Opening my closet door, my intention was to let go of whatever I wasn't currently wearing. Somehow that plan turned into a project. A BIG project, that left me feeling unaccomplished at the end of the day, because I hadn't actually achieved the task that I had intended to complete.

I started by removing my own clothes from the closet. For some reason I couldn't stop there. I emptied off my shelves. Even then I kept on going, until all my husband's clothes were piled on our bed, along with the stuff form his shelves. I stood, staring, at the back wall of my closet. The artist was very good, but the art work was not my style. I've wanted to paint over it since the day we moved in almost 4 years ago.

As I looked at it, I originally turned away, planning to, once again, save it for a different day. Then my motivation struck me. Why continue waiting. The closet was empty. I had all the supplies I needed. I just had to want to get the job done.

So I did. I painted over the picture with white paint. Having no concern for perfection, since I could fix it when I eventually got around to really painting the closet. I just wanted to not open my closet and see it anymore. Two coats later, I put all the clothes back into my closet, went through our memories and organized them, and managed to remake my bed after my youngest blessing spilt water on it.

Not one item of clothing was removed and I couldn't help but think of all the other things I'd wanted to get done yesterday, except I'd gotten side tracked. It didn't matter to me that this was a finished project, because it wasn't the project I'd meant to take on. A project that ended up "eating up" my whole afternoon.

That's the thing, though. So many easy to get done projects get set on the back burner, because I always have other things I want to get done. These projects often seem too time consuming to deal with, right now, so I'll get to them later. Then later doesn't come. I get so caught up in the struggle to have a clean, tidy, home, (which I never really achieve either), that I don't make time for the projects that could help lead me closer to that.

For instance, making bookcases. I talk about wanting/needing them. They seem expensive to buy and usually not well made, but I never get around to making them.

Imagine if we made the time to take care of these simple tasks, instead of putting them off. We'd actually get stuff done and maybe they'd lead to an easier time with our "ultimate" goals.