Patience is a virtue...
I feel like I'm being tested with my patience right now. This summer, I've moved to Waterloo, ON from Vancouver. I am surrounded with a different environment, setting, and people. Currently, I am living with four other guys and let's just say that the state of our house is below my standard level of "clean". I'm sure lots of people who have gone away from home have experienced this dilemma. I'll refer to the effect of this dilemma as the "Messy Roommate(s) Syndrome", MRS in short. I've talked to some people on how they dealt with MRS. The most famous solution is to turn a blind eye to the whole thing, while still cleaning up after your own stuff. This also entails the person to keep their belongings in their own bedroom (kitchenwares included) and buying a small refrigerator to store their own stuff if you want to be extreme (or if things get pretty nasty in the fridge). To be honest, I am really considering this option. Although the house is messy, its not a total disaster. Another side effect of the MRS is tardiness. Every instance that I enter the kitchen and see the mess that are left there, my motivation to cook and to use the kitchen drops significantly.
As a potential solution, I've devised a cleaning schedule (much like the one in my old residence) but its not working as well as I would like it to be. I'm a bit stuck on what to do... I know that it requires everyone to contribute to make this works. Its a good habit to be clean yet it takes something greater than just telling the person what to do. So in short, this will be my prayer: that God will change the attitude of the people I'm living with and for me to have the patience as He does that. Don't get me wrong, they are a great bunch of people but I do believe that taking responsibility for your belongings, whether your own dishes or kitchenwares and whatnot, is another trait of a Godly man. I refuse to be the "Mom" of the house who nags people to clean after themselves. As for me, I think that's what God is telling me to grow in. I shouldn't be afraid to be confrontational if I see something that doesn't align with what God has commanded us to do. God commands Adam to take care of the garden of Eden and in the same way God commands us to take care of his creation. How can we do that if we can't even take care of ourselves?
Kevin
As a potential solution, I've devised a cleaning schedule (much like the one in my old residence) but its not working as well as I would like it to be. I'm a bit stuck on what to do... I know that it requires everyone to contribute to make this works. Its a good habit to be clean yet it takes something greater than just telling the person what to do. So in short, this will be my prayer: that God will change the attitude of the people I'm living with and for me to have the patience as He does that. Don't get me wrong, they are a great bunch of people but I do believe that taking responsibility for your belongings, whether your own dishes or kitchenwares and whatnot, is another trait of a Godly man. I refuse to be the "Mom" of the house who nags people to clean after themselves. As for me, I think that's what God is telling me to grow in. I shouldn't be afraid to be confrontational if I see something that doesn't align with what God has commanded us to do. God commands Adam to take care of the garden of Eden and in the same way God commands us to take care of his creation. How can we do that if we can't even take care of ourselves?
Kevin
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