Housewife of the Year

Was recently alerted that housework and me have become synonymous terms. *disturbed look*

While I have no qualms confessing about my housework obessession or sharing about my laundry/cleaning schedule, it was alittle disconcerting to find out that people were actually citing me as an example in Taboo. And I wasn't even a participant at that particular game! *outraged sniffs*

Taboo Round XXX:

Person's description: What Ee-lin likes to do...

Correct answer: Wipe

Group's answer: Laundry

For the record, would like to highlight that I DO NOT relish wiping and neither do I like doing laundry. I just thrive on schedules and happen to have one for washing and cleaning. *mutters*

Seriously though, I have been struggling to find an answer for this newfound stickiness to housework. Notwithstanding that my mom always did a terrific job, the pre-married me never really cared much about keeping the house clean. Hence, why the change NOW?

As I mulled over this further, it dawned on me that my housework fetish could possibly be an outcome of me trying to gain a new identity emerging from the changes and transition into married life, settling into a new church etc.

Leaving behind my old life encompassing church, youths and ministry, realised that I had unwittingly began to look towards housework as a means to fill the suddenly freer weekends. Being 'stripped' of all these roles, it appeared that I was suddenly striving to become Housewife of the Year. *sigh*

As I type, it remains difficult to fully articulate my feelings and rollercoaster emotions that were plaguing me in the early part of this year. Perhaps some day, I might be able to re-visit this issue with greater insight and deeper reflection. The one vivid emotion that I do remember though is the feeling of disgruntledness about having to make the 'bigger sacrifice' which was of course a mis-aligned perspective of the situation.

It is definitely an effort to remind myself that no matter how clean my house is, no matter what I used to be or do, these transient roles do not define who I am. My first and foremost identity is in Christ. So really, who needs to be Housewife of the Year.