Type A Spring Cleaning

Finding Joy in Rest

As the warm spring air greets us with the pleasant fragrances from the flowering tree blossoms, there is one phenomenon that Type A individuals find joy in during this time, and that is…Spring Cleaning!

What were you expecting me to say…drinking lemonade on the deck as we relax under a large umbrella?

Nope, not us!

The Type A’s of this world find joy in making lists of what to clean, what to organize, what to donate, and what to declutter! All the while our spouses and children seek new hiding spots with hopes of being forgotten, but they will be found and (strongly) encouraged to comply with detailed cleaning instructions from their Type A leader. And fortunately for the Type A family, daylight savings time indicates more time to attain more goals.

In being a Type A individual, my objectives are like many who are goal-oriented. I set a goal, develop a plan of how to accomplish the goal, prioritize a task list, and then determine the length of time to reach my goal before moving on to my next mission.

I was fortunate to have parents who taught my brother and I the value of hard-work but also the importance of celebrating success in reaching certain milestones and achievements. As children we always enjoyed the fruits of their labor in trips to the beach or Red Lobster dinners! While most Type A’s quickly move on to their next task without celebrating previous victories, I have tried to carry over this incentive to my family. And I was super excited as spring approached this year because my family has missed out on previous spring break vacations due to my husband who previously served as a high school baseball coach. (If you follow me on social media, you know that my husband accepted his calling into ministry.) We were all excited to fly to Texas and relax in Magnolia Country, an area in Waco made famous by “Fixer Upper” couple, Chip and Joanna Gaines. I was so eager to finally have some down-time with my husband as we sipped on fresh coffee, while our daughter picked out one of Joanna’s famous cupcakes at her local bakery. I could literally see myself sitting on the patio of their new restaurant as I could finally relax, maybe even drinking lemonade under a large umbrella!

Then came the quarantine order…

The Coronavirus was now unleashing its power onto our United States and would cause great fear among its residents and medical staff.

My husband made the decision to cancel our trip because I could not bear to say the words, and just like that, ‘spring fever’ took on a whole new meaning.

As an ob-gyn nurse practitioner, my hours were reduced and office policies changed. And, there was so much uncertainty in the lives of many. And as a Type A individual, I wasn’t ready to ‘slow down’ during a time of year when I am typically just getting started on specific tasks.

But as the days continued, I realized that even though I had more time to complete more tasks…I actually ran out of tasks to accomplish! We then took time to cook together, read together, play board games together, walk the dog together, watch church together, take communion together, sing together, but more importantly, rest together! One night my daughter who will be going to middle school asked me to read her a bedtime story to which I happily complied. I was a little surprised that she picked a book from her childhood as she is always reminding us that she is getting older. Nonetheless, I started reading to her, and she quickly reminded me, “No, Mommy, you’re not reading in your tiger voice!” And in that moment, I knew that God was gifting me this precious time for a reason; and I wasn’t going to let my Type A personality get in the way. I quickly restored my ‘tiger-voice’ as I read the book to her and we cuddled as she spoke her nighttime prayers.

*Kathryn Shirey, a Christian blogger writes:

“If we are to continue following where God leads, we also need to spend time renewing, repairing, and refilling our souls.” I know there are many who faced loss during this quarantine—jobs, finances, and even dear family and friends. But I pray that the Type A Christian’s of the world can find joy in rest not just because we received a government order to do so, but because our Heavenly Creator demands the same in order to be productive for His kingdom. Sometimes, the quiet rest we seek may not involve drinking lemonade under an umbrella, but God provides many ways to find rest in Him and to avoid distractions through prayer, reading His word, or even through music. Finding rest in the Lord provides so much more fulfillment than any spring cleaning check-list can satisfy!

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” Hebrews 4:9-10

“Truly my soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. Truly He is my Rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62: 1-2

*Kathryn Shirey, How to Find Sabbath Rest in a Modern Life, October 27, 2018, retrieved May 24, 2020, from https://www.prayerandpossibilities.com/how-to-find-sabbath-rest-in-a-modern-life/