How to Keep Up With The DISHES...

God definitely knew what he was doing when he placed my husband and I together. We are complete and total opposites yet we compliment each other so very well. He's an introvert, I'm an extrovert. He's organized, practical, sufficient. I'm a slob. He's antisocial (in my terms) and not very talkative while if I go a day without people I become emotional and sad and don't get anything done. Hubby is one to do something because that's what he knows works and if it works then don't look for other ways to do it...but I will try multiple ways of things even after finding what works. I'm spontaneous while he's a planner...which is one of biggest things to effect us. His 'planner' in him has helped me to be more responsible and plan things while my spontaneity has helped him let loose. I am subjective, he's objective...do you see what I mean?

We are not a couple to fight about finances or where to live or the future...the only thing we really fight about is cleanliness and the dishes. OH THE DISHES!!! I hate doing dishes and his way of doing dishes isn't even doing dishes to me. He has been extremely patient with me over the past two and a half years but finally he had decided a few weeks ago to have me try his way. I was soooo angry at first but the next day the Lord worked on my heart and I realized what the real issue was...the sins of materialism and covetousness. Hubby wanted to pack up most of our basic dishes and only have two of everything thus always having to wash something after using it...practical thinking. But I wanted to be like everyone else and have a kitchen full of dishes. I wanted so many dishes that my cabinets couldn't hold them all. But I realized that I was the one in the wrong. I was the one full of sin and full of wanting to hold onto material things. It's just the two of us! We don't need that many dishes. We don't need that much silverware, plates stacked higher than the cabinet goes, or enough bowls to feed a classroom. So as Hubs was at work I grabbed a box and got busy...

I decided to leave four of everything...in case if we invite another couple over. Four spoons, fours forks, four big plates and four little plates...etc. When hubby had come home and saw what I was doing he was so happy. He decided that leaving four of everything was a great idea, so he jumped in and helped me pick things out and pack them up.

Not only have we not had a fight since then about the dishes, but not even about cleanliness. Doing this downsizing has really effected our kitchen. The dishes are done way more often and it doesn't take nearly as long to clean the kitchen. I would definitely recommend this as a fix if you too have issues with keeping up with the dishes. Sometimes the differences between our significant other and ourselves helps us discover issues of the heart and/or new ways to apply to our day to day lives for the better. Change can be good!

P.S. Pray for the families and community effected by yesterdays school shooting. Pray that they will look to God for comfort and that he is still praised in this storm.