How Can I Help Someone Else When I Have So Much to Do at Home?

It's true- there are days I don't know what to do...

Annie posted the following comment under "When Mama Has Limited Energy":

"Especially like the part about "if you know someone who. . ." --which I do. And yet, I feel like I'm "failing" in my housekeeping and home schooling, not enough time to do all that I'm needing (wanting?) to do anyway. Where do I find the extra time to help someone with their laundry, ie, when mine is piling up?"

I hear you.  We have so much on our plates, but there are still ways to encourage and help others. The best thing to do is to continue what needs doing at your house but then think how you can double your efforts for a friend.

For example, when  my best friend and I lived in different cities and all our kids were under 10 or so, we often visited each other's homes and spent the night or a few.  Lisa said, "We ought to help each other with projects every time we get together." So from then on we would grab all the laundry and fold it together, or she would wash all the dishes after a big meal (she still does- love that girl!), or I would help her organize a cupboard.

Pooling efforts is a great way to get some school work accomplished, too.  Maybe your strengths are different than a friend's strengths.  Maybe you can lift that burden for her and vice versa. 

I love to take meals to people, and God has allowed me to continue this in the most creative ways.  Just last week our piano teacher posted on Facebook that she was seriously down with the flu.  I thought about what I had available and recalled that I had just enough leftover turkey tetrazzini from the night before for her small family.  I put it in a disposable dish, added a salad from what I had, threw in some cheesy muffins we were going to have for dinner, and pulled a little loaf of pumpkin bread out of the freezer.  It was really very little effort (love how God does that!) and she didn't have to pull together dinner for her family.

Do your kiddos like to draw?  How about asking them to write a simple note that says, "I love you" or "I'm praying for you" and popping it in the mail for a friend who needs a little pick-me-up?

Years ago when pregnant with our third, I was craving Diet Coke and a sweet friend doorbell-ditched me and left a two-liter on my front porch.  It made my day!