Why you are not invited

or also titled....a very long boring post.

I've been thinking about how people (at least all the people I know) like to get together with friends and family, hang out, eat, play games, so on.. But no one ever does the inviting.

Sunday School Party? Not at my house!

Friends get together? Let's wait for someone else to volunteer.

Host a fun party? What!?

Girls night in? Don't make eye contact.

Throw a  baby shower? Um...no thank you.

But wouldn't that be FUN??

Do you want to know what I think?

Well , here it is.

I think that most people fall into one

of two categories.

1) My house is not worthy.

2) I don't want to reveal the secret.

Now, I am NOT judging anyone here.

I'm just saying because people are missing

out on good times with their friends and

with their kids friends.

(kids could care less what your house looks like

they just want to come over and eat.your.food.)

The first one is those people who feel their house is

NEVER clean ENOUGH to have someone over.

Then it never will be.

Listen, get a basket go through your house and

pick up everything laying on the floor, counter, table,

stairs, wherever it is not supposed to be and

then hide (yes, I said hide) that basket in your  basement,

closet, even pantry! Somewhere that no one will see.

Then run your vacuum so that you get the vacuum lines

 in your carpet, make your beds and you.are.done.

Ahhh...now ? now? can they come over?

The rest doesn't matter.

It really doesn't. Even I, type A clean-a-organiziholic,

do NOT judge other people's homes.

Your friends are not judging you.

They are your friends!

If they are, then get new ones!

They are grateful that you have the

courage to invite them over to your

less than perfect house. :)

My house is very less than perfect, but

I love to have my friends come on over.

Everyone has the 'first I need to' list.

First I need to...paint.

First I need to...clean the carpets.

First I need to...tile the bathroom.

First I need... a new table.

We are missing out on the most important

thing, which is being together and creating memories.

Yours and my house will never be perfect enough.

It will never be accommodating enough.

That's o.k. Invite them anyway.

Next is the secret category.

I used to be president of this club.

The people in this category don't have alot

of clutter inhibiting them from inviting.

But they don't want to reveal the secret

of how they live. I'm not talking about anything

bad. They (we) just don't want the whole

world traipsing through our homes, looking in

every room because then they know it all.

There is no mysterious left.

You know you see a person very put

together, maybe they have new home,

maybe you admire their old farm house, but

if they let you in, invite you over,

then that mystery is gone.

Then, they know you don't have any furniture in

our master bedroom (me).  They know

that the kitchen is not a dream kitchen. (me)

They know that we still need to hang beautiful

little pretties on the big blank walls. (me)

They know that your house is not as big,

as nice, as beautiful as I thought.

Guess what? Who cares!

These are your friends, neighbors, family.

They love you, not your house.

I have come to realize that we all live

the same. We all need to add a little

something here or there. And we will when

we get the extra cash (or find it at a yard sale)!

Did that make any sense?

Which category are you in?

I think having three kids has caused me

to relax a bit. (about the clean house stuff)

I could tell you stories of the things I used

to do to get ready for someone coming

over that would make you fall out of your

seat. For reals.

As I grow older and closer to my

dearest friends, I want to spend

more time with them and family and if we

have to do that in a cramped, undecorated,

somewhat clutter space then - sign me up.

Because you are invited!