Something beautiful

I am plagued by a spirit of perfectionism.  Whenever we have guest in our home I resolve to be relaxed, casual and spirit filled.  To welcome guests into our home with a warm smile and a hot cup of java, and cookies, fresh baked cookies!  I envision having uplifting conversations with first-time guests, and deep meaningful talks with life-long friends.  To use our home as a blessing to others.
I do just fine cleaning up the house and preparing the food, but then something happens right at the last minute.  It is as if I walk through my home with eyes of a foreigner.  A terribly opinionated, judgmental and harsh foreigner. I see all the messy corners, and all the fingerprints on the walls.  And the piles, oh the piles that I just cannot seem to keep from forming in our lives.  Piles of things to give away, piles of things to sort, piles of importance.  Ugh.  I become a hectic hot mess within.  You may not always see it, but my heart is scurried, and overwhelmed.  This is a behavior I must stop.  I remember this behavior from so many ladies that came before me, and I do not want this to be a legacy.
Then we were invited to our dear friends home.  They just had a beautiful new baby, and finished up a huge remodel on their home.  We were welcomed with warm hugs and the conversations were sweet and rich.  We were blessed.  And there were piles.  Piles of things to be sorted and put back into the new home, piles of laundry worn by five beautifully loved children, piles of toys and art supplies and books.  Those piles were beautiful.  They represented to me so much grace as God spoke to my heart that night.  Not once did I think of my dear friend in any negative way, not like the way I speak to myself before opening our home.
Lord, I need your thoughts and your priorities to reign in me today, and everyday as we open our home  to  your people.