Upon Closing | A Realistic Reset

There are about a million Sunday or night time “reset” posts out there. 

This aint that.

I have endeavored to adhere to some of them, hoping it would be the magic formula to set my week or following day off on the right foot - so to speak. The 2.5 times I’ve been able to check off all or most of the items on the list were certainly wonderful. I looked around a clean kitchen, and, with a deep inhale of the Lysol adjacent cleaning product with which I’d wiped my counters down I thought, “I can do this every night.” I turned on the “this kitchen is closed” light above the sink and went to bed quite proud. 

And the next night, a strange phenomena would occur. 

Reality.

Dinner had dinner-ed and now bath was bath-ing and my patience had already patience-ed it’s last. And, after convincing a toddler that it was, in-fact, time for sleep as it had been every single prior night of his tiny life - I was both done and finished. 

The living room whirlwind that left toys littering the floor and had somehow also left every cup we owned strewn about my kitchen had won. I conceited defeat and silently apologized to tomorrow's version of myself as it would now be her burden to bear. 

Can anyone relate?

I do, however, have a reset routine that I stick to most often. When possible, this does include straightening, cleaning, and the like, but what I’ve found is that, much of the time, what needs a reset at the end of the day much more than my house, is me. 

Make it stand out

It is important to begin the day with prayer and deep consideration and thanks of the God that allowed there to be a day to participate in at all, to be sure. And, also, to be considered when the meridian has shifted is the fact that our spirits need just as much orienting towards the Father then - since our bodies may drift to inactivity during those hours, but our spirits are still peaked - listening for Him.

So, when the sun gets low enough and it is time to trade our daytime preoccupations for evening affections - I have a secret weapon that I’d love to be not-so-secret.

This playlist is curated with a couple of  ideas in mind. 

One being calm. I typically begin to play it just after dinner - when we still have a few minutes to commune as a family or I’m finishing up some task that will lead us into bedtime routines. It ushers in a calm, a quiet sign that bustle has ceased and we are now slowing towards still. 

Second, but of the utmost importance, is the songs themselves. Songs that intentionally speak of the Father, His goodness, His worth, His character. Lyrics that remind us of who God is. And some, secondarily, that remind us who we are in Him. Reminders that, no matter what the day brought, our God has remained, and now is the time to remember that, lest we forget it during the chaos of waking hours. 

Now, it is not a guarantee that your kids will remember that teeth are brushed multiple times 365 to 366 days a year, depending. Nor will it ensure that you will get a bolster of energy from deep in your reserves that will allow you to clean your space with your name-brand(ish) sprays and solutions. 

What it will provide, however, is a chance to, over the top of all of it, remember God. Remember that He is good and that His mercies are set to renew when you open your eyes after your rest. To, first, slow down and remember He is always with you. And then to seek Him, even as your day dwindles down to it’s finish.

Give yourself and your home a realistic reset. Dishes dirty, perhaps. But hearts clean. Primed for fellowship with your savior, even as you sleep.