Why I Like My House Dirty

Today we have a guest post from a Kristen Sterk from Organizing Life With Less. Enjoy!

Why I Like My House Dirty
By Kristin R Sterk

WHAT? You LIKE your house dirty? You are crazy!

Yes, I am crazy and sometimes I do like my house dirty.

A few years ago, we had some teenagers over after youth group. One of them came up from behind and gave a big squeeze to one of his friends. Little did he know, his friend had a cup full of grape Kool-Aid in his hand. The big squeeze ended up being one of the funniest moments we have experienced in youth ministry. I was in the kitchen and this guy comes up to me with grape Kool-Aid dripping from his face, wondering if I had a towel. He was covered in it and our ceiling was dripping with this drink. Our couch and floor were not spared either, but I look at that moment and just laugh. An explosion of Kool-Aid in the house - loved it.

I love a dirty house.

1. A dirty house says "I am lived in." I have been in houses where they are so picture perfect, that you barely feel worthy to touch or sit on anything. To me that is a house, not a home. A home says "I am not perfect" and if something breaks, it's okay. If something gets dirty, it's okay. I am meant to be lived in.

2. A dirty house says people abide here. A dirty house says "it's okay for people to come over." It is welcoming - it says it's okay if your shoes are dirty because my house is dirty too. It is okay if the house is not perfect if someone randomly stops by. I remember one of our youth group kids came over when I was on a baking frenzy. He stepped in and said "Kristin, I don't think I've seen your house such a mess before." I had to chuckle in agreement, but I thought "it's okay." The bonus? I had food to offer him while he was over!

3. A dirty house says "I love the fresh air." I will be the first to admit that my husband and I are a little odd. We appreciate summer - we have appreciation for warmer temperatures (more myself than my husband). There is something about having the windows wide open, with a warm summer breeze gently blowing in. Sometimes we have to compensate for the warm air and turn a fan on to turn it into cool air, but we LOVE the windows open. A dirty house says that you appreciate fresh air. I do have to dust more. I do have to wipe things down more because dirt collects with the windows open. The dirtier the better - it says "I love the fresh air."

4. A dirty house says "it's just a possession, not my life." What do you mean? Not having a perfect house, is okay? I look through magazines and think "wow, if only my home looked like that." Really, Kristin, do you really want it to look like that? I do not want to spend my life savings on my home - it is purely a place I live in. My heart and who I am is more important. I don't want to be remembered as someone who had a perfect home, but someone who loved the Lord. I realize no matter where I live, my house could go up in flames. A tornado could take it out. Bam. Gone. So if it is dirty when it is taken out, I don't think I am going to care. It is a possession and not something I can tow behind my hearse!

5. Again, a dirty house says "it's okay." It is just okay. Take a deep breath. In a world where success and perfection are the driving forces behind everything, they can end up taking control over every area of our lives. It's okay to see a dust bunny in the corner. It's okay if someone dropped a chip crumb on the floor. It's okay if an ant is carrying away last night's supper on it's back. It's okay. Take a deep breath.

It's okay to have a dirty house. Sometimes I get all worked up when I see a dust bunny or a clump of grass on our kitchen floor. Then I remind myself that we LIVE here. We spend most of our time here. We love the outdoors. We love where we live. It's okay if things get dirty. It says so much more than the dirt itself, ever could.

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