The Good, the Bad, and the Messy

Organization has never come easy for me.  In fact I distinctly remember fighting against it as a child to my poor mom's dismay since she was always neat, and always well organized.  I on the other hand loved mess and it seemed I preferred it to orderliness.  As an adult I've gotten myself in a lot of trouble as a result.  I've missed Dr. appointments, birthdays, lost things (I have way to many safe places), etc...I wish I would have learned from my mom the discipline of organization instead of rebelling against it as a child.  It is definitely much harder to change bad habits the longer you've practiced them. 

Having said that I want you to know that I have come along way.  I'm not where I once was, but yet I still have a long way to go.  I also want to encourage you by letting you know that that the more organized I become the more I love it.  In fact I prefer it.  I love being able to find items right away and I've discovered that clutter along with piles of paper overwhelm me.  If you decide to take this journey towards being more organized with me I can guarantee that you too will love the difference it makes in your life.

This section on organization will be about this journey towards being more organized.  Notice I didn't say completely organized but more.  I know my limitations and that I will never be a perfectly organized woman nor do I want to be.  My desire is to simply continue to improve from where I am, understanding that I may have setbacks and slipping back into old habits.  If I do, I will start again reminding myself to "forget, reach forward, press on" (Phil. 3:13) whenever I fail.  This tip and many more which I'm sure I will continue to share with you I found in a book I've read by Donna Otto called "Get More done in Less Time."  

I hope to honestly share with you both my successes and my failures.  So that if there is any of you out there who struggle with being organized you will be encouraged to make small changes towards being more organized too. You are not alone and you are not a hopeless case destined to be buried in piles of stuff.  There is hope!!!

One area where I have made improvement in is keeping the house tidy and the clutter down.  At least on the main floor of the house, lol.  Although with as many people living in our house as there is this is an ongoing challenge with days of failure.  Keeping the house looking clean means that I have to go somewhere with all the stuff that commonly clutters a house.  You know what I'm talking about: school and Sunday school papers, mail, misc. papers, and all those things you just don't no where to put but you know you shouldn't throw away.  Usually I simply shove them in my cabinet above my computer.  Or things other then paper get shoved into various closets and cabinets until they start overflowing getting to hard to close.  My dad always joked calling these closets "Fibber McGee closets."  This is from a popular radio show that aired from 1935-1959, every time Fibber McGee would open the closet door stuff would come pouring out at him making a lot of noise and causing a lot of laughter with him saying "I gotta get that closet cleaned out one of these days."  Can anybody relate?  I can!!!

Today I will begin organizing a "Fiber McGee" cabinet of mine above my desk.  I'm posting the before pictures then when my cabinet is organized I will post the finished picture.

Nice and tidy on the outside but don't be deceived quite messy on the inside.

Reminds me of us.  Sometimes we look like we've got it altogether on the outside, but if anyone were able to open up the doors to our insides they'd see that we're a mess.  While I'm working on my cabinet and your waiting to hear the details why not meditate with me on these scriptures:

Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;
for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.
Psalm 26:2&3

⁸" 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
Matthew 15:8

"Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. ¹⁷"Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? ¹⁸But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' ¹⁹For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. ²⁰These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.' " 
Matthew 15:16-22

 ⁹ Hide your face from my sins
       and blot out all my iniquity.
 ¹⁰ Create in me a pure heart, O God,
       and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
 ¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
       or take your Holy Spirit from me.
 ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
       and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
 ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
       and sinners will turn back to you.
 ¹⁴ Save me from bloodguilt, O God,
       the God who saves me,
       and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
 ¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
       and my mouth will declare your praise.
 ¹⁶ You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
       you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
 ¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
       a broken and contrite heart,
       O God, you will not despise.
Psalm 51:9-17


 

Quieted by His Love

Dear immensely loved Daughters of the King of Kings,

My heart yearns for you to know the Love of the Father as I do.  It is His love that strengthens me when I'm weary, brings light in the darkest moments, sustains me through dry times, brings joy despite sorrow, gives hope, compels me to obey Him, to follow Him wherever He leads, and encourages me when life is overwhelming.  This love is not for me alone, but for you too.  He loves you far more then anyone ever could.  Perhaps today you are feeling hopeless, exhausted, fearful, anxious, forgotten, unloved, alone, weary, abused and or neglected.  Or perhaps you are the one feeling as though you have no love to give, hatred, bitterness, anger, disappointed in those you love, guilt over sin, burdened by your circumstances.  Whatever your circumstance, wherever you are at, I want you to know that Jesus grace, mercy, and love are more then sufficient for you and your situation.  Listen to Jesus own words:

"Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  Matt. 11:28-29

Perhaps your reading this thinking He must be speaking those words to others and not you. Let me assure you He was talking to you.   Jesus knows all about you, your every thought, and everything you've ever done.  Nothing is hidden form Him, He saw it all and yet He loves you beyond measure.   His love for you is as far as the east is from the west.  Have you ever thought just how far the east is from the west?  It is not like a globe circular so that at some point they meet, no it continues beyond what the eye or largest strongest telescope can see or the mind can comprehend, it is limitless going on and on forever.  His love for you is so vast that He who alone deserves nothing but praise, glory and honor humbled Himself, though He had the power to wipe out the whole world, and suffered verbal abuse from us mere men, abandonment from everyone even those who were His closest friends and His own Father, and was physically tortured until He died, rising again on the third day.  All this for you so that you might be His child someday.  Did you know that to the cross He carried your sorrows, bore your griefs, was despised and rejected so that you might be welcomed by God, was scourged beyond recognition for your forgiveness of sins, all this and more so that we might have peace with God (Isaiah 53)?  Did you also know that it was the will of the Lord to pour out His soul and die for you?  For you my precious sisters!!!  Hear the words of the Lord anew today:

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;  He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

Maybe your thinking but He doesn't know what I've gone through.  Doesn't He?  His book says that Jesus was tempted in all ways, yet did not sin.  Do you think He doesn't understand suffering, or how hard it is to resist temptation?  No, He does know and that is why for those who believe in Him He has provided His Spirit so that you to may be able to resist temptation and be overcomers despite your circumstances.  Maybe your thinking He doesn't know what it's like to be betrayed by a close friend, a spouse, or a rebellious child.  Oh but he does, he suffered it all only by more people then we can fathom for all of the human race are his creation. They are His children and all have turned their back on Him who is the only perfect parent, spouse, and best friend.  No, dear sweet sister, He knows your pain and He has been right beside you all along ensuring you'd make it through.  Even now He has led you here to remind you of His great love.

"You are loved with an everlasting love." That's what the Bible says. "And underneath are the everlasting arms." This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot..." that is what Elizabeth Elliott used to say every time she opened her radio show "Gateway to Joy."  I loved to hear those words from her mouth, to be reminded by her that I am loved continually by God and that there is no end to that love for it is everlasting.  Then to top it off, I am held by the everlasting arms of this loving Father.  If you are His child then you are too Dear sister!!!  If your not his child what are you waiting for?  Why not call out to Him today asking for His forgiveness and know that you will receive forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and all the privileges of His children.

"For our sake he made Him who knew no sin to be sin, so that in Him we  might become the righteousness of God."  2 Corinthians 5:21

Think your to far from God or that your sin is to great to be forgiven?

1 John 1:9 reminds us that "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

You are so loved Sisters!!!!  Rejoice and praise Him today for His grace that he lavished on you though you didn't deserve it!!!

Just Little o'l Me Processing

Ugh!!!  I spent the morning reading a chapter from the book in which I'm supposed to be reading for my class.  It took 2 and 1/2 hours for me to read 1 Chapter (approximately 50 pages).  Granted there were interruptions and distractions from my four year old so it wasn't a continuous concentrated reading.  Nonetheless I was discouraged and frustrated with the length of time it took me to read.  I couldn't help but wonder if it takes everyone that long to read or if I'm really a slow reader/comprehender?  In my head I know I should not be comparing myself to others and that I definitely should be cutting myself some slack since it's been so long since I've been in school.  However I can't help but have all these fears and anxieties about whether or not I'm going to be able to do this.  What if I fail...maybe I should have audited instead or taken an easier class? What was I thinking?!?  It's to late now for me to be asking those questions, I already jumped into this schooling thing and there is no backing out now.  O.k., so I just need to take a deep breath and give it my best effort.  When all is said and done I will know that I put every effort into it and that I didn't give up.  After all it is just one class and I'm a rooky who's rusty at this.

Not only was there the frustration and discouragement this morning over the time it took me to read one of three chapters that was assigned.  But on top of that was the fact that when I finished I had questions running around in my head along with all these thoughts that I needed to process with no time to do so.  I had to be somewhere in less then an hour.  I had so many thoughts zooming around in my brain I felt like I would explode if I couldn't process  through what I was thinking.  Therefore I did the only thing I could think of, I quickly jotted down on the nearest piece of scrap paper those things that I most wanted to get back to.  Then hopefully later I'd get to spend the needed processing time.  I was fortunate to find the time, part of which is just my venting here!  Thanks for listening:)

Transforming the Bedroom to be a Sanctuary

I had a friend stop over at my house the other day for the first time.  I gave her the grand tour of the main floor, but informed her that the upstairs was not in any condition to be seen (it was a mess).  She pushed back at me saying we christian women should be more transparent with one another, not trying to wear these hats of perfection but showing what we really are like.  I knew she was right, and that it was only my pride that was keeping me from showing her the upstairs.  So with the little bit of courage I had I stifled my pride, swallowed hard, and lead the way upstairs.  I cringed as I opened each door to my children's rooms, but the one I mostly did not want to show her was mine.  As we got nearer and nearer so did my apprehension.  I wondered to myself how bad is it?  What is she thinking?  I imagined in my mind that she was thinking that she had no idea what she was getting into.  That she probably thought when I said it was a mess I meant it was a little dusty not piles of books and stuff on my dressers, dirty clothes spilling out the hamper, a bag of gift bags, and a pile of boxes on the floor still from wrapping presents when Christmas was here.  The bed was unmade and completely a mess, and the dust was threatening to suffocate everything.  I didn't even realize it had gotten as bad as it did until we arrived at the threshold of my room and I really took a look around as if seeing my room for the very first time.  Ugh, what happened in here?  How could I have let our room get so bad?  My pride was crushed, but I thought to myself "she did want me to be real with her, so I'm being real."   I wondered if she would ever look the same at me again, but did it matter if she thought better of me then who I am for then it would be a false perception of me.  I think in a very real way we all have false perceptions of others, but that is a thought for another discussion...

Her visiting my home and seeing my upstairs as it really was had effected me by waking me up from the  lackadaisical attitude I had over the cleanliness of my room.  I was  reminded of something I had herd Kay Arthur say regarding the bedroom of a married couple .  She had said something to the effect that it was important that the room be a sanctuary for the couple, that it be kept neat, inviting and warm.  Wow, as I looked around I could see that my room was not even close:(

So the transformation of the room begins:

Day 1

My hubby rearranges the furniture!  I remove the Christmas gift bags and boxes from Christmas and put them away in their proper places.  Wow, what a difference a few simple changes make.  We're both excited about cleaning up the room and start brainstorming on a solution for all the books were reading.

Day 2

We decide that we need a bookshelf in the bedroom so we look online at available options and decide on one that was fairly cheap but not to cheap that it would lean to one side.  We purchased it but there was no time to put it together.

Day 3

We put the book shelf together and decide that it would better fit in the living room.  There is no time to fill the shelves today.

Day 4

I carefully choose the books from my room that will go on the new book shelf.  We have bookshelves in the family room (I know, as I've said before I love to read:) so some go back on them.  Some books from the family room go on the new book shelves and before you know it the shelves are organized and I only have a small pile of books on my night stand.

Now to finish cleaning the bedroom.  As I said earlier there was a lot of dust, so dusting was first.  Everything had to be wiped down.  Next I needed to choose what to put back on the dressers, what should be tossed, and what should be placed somewhere else.  Finally I changed the sheets and made the bed.

Whew!  Our sanctuary is completed!!!  The goal now is to keep it clean:)

Day 5

Got up and made my bed and picked up clothes from floor.  Good Start:)

Day 6

Made bed around 3p.m.   Not what I'm hoping for, but not giving up:)

Day 7 

Made bed around 6p.m. Getting worse, but still glad I got the bed made:) 



*My prayer is that by the grace of God I will keep up the good intentions of keeping our room a sanctuary for us.  How about you?  Have you taken a look around your room lately?  


 

 

Just when all hope was lost...

"Hope differed makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life."  Proverbs 13:12

As the days rolled on my heart grew faint...my trusted old friend was gone, maybe lost forever and I had to prepare myself that I may never see my well worn Bible again.  Would I be able to break in another Bible in the same way? How long would it take for me to get as familiar with the pages of a new one as I was gasp, did I say was...I mean am with my current one(I must think hopefully).  So went the days Mon. no Bible, Tues. no Bible until Tues. night late in the evening after finishing up painting one of the women's bathrooms at church with some friends I glanced at the Women's Ministries Bulletin Board then at the counter and could it be my Bible? Yes,  O' dance for joy it was!!! It's found, Hurray!!!

Loved Beyond Measure

Dear friend,

Do you know that you are the daughter of the King of Kings, that you are loved immeasurably, and that the Lord of the universe takes pleasure in you?  That He longs to spend time with you hearing your every thought, your every care, listening to you vent your frustrations, your sorrows or watching you as you joyfully chatter about your day?  That this creator God loves you so much that He came to this earth as Jesus who was tempted but never sinned so that you may have victory over sin, suffered so that you might be healed, died in your place so that you may live, and rose the third day all so that you who wanted nothing to do with Him could call Him Abba (Daddy) Father?  Your Abba Father is not like an earthly father for your Abba Father will never discipline you in anger, never neglect to discipline you when you need it, His love is constant, His love is perfect, He will never leave you, and He's never to busy for you.  Do you know that your Father in heaven rejoices over you not because of anything you've done but just because of what Christ has done for you?  Daughter you are precious in His sight sit in His presence tonight and Praise Him for His gift of salvation, for choosing you, for keeping you, for His saving grace and mercy!!!

You are Loved!!!

The Mysterious Disappearance, the Great Sadness and the Amazing feat

This morning I decided I better get working on the Esther Bible Study that I will be facilitating in a couple of weeks.  So I got out the study guide we will be using in the class and searched for my Bible, and searched, and searched.  I looked everywhere: on my dresser, next to my bed, on the end table, and since church was yesterday in the car.  No Bible...sadness...I looked again...still not there.  Ugh, all I can think of is perhaps I left it at church...how could I leave my well loved, well marked up Bible behind...woes me.  This is a crisis for me.  I'm very attached to my Bible, I finally have it broken in.  I know where everything is in it...sigh.  I had to go over to my book shelf get down the hardly opened, barely marked up, very stiff Bible off the shelf dust it off, and use it instead...long sigh.  I sure hope mine is not lost forever and this is only a temporary suffering, sigh.


On another note while I study I like to store my highlighter and pen behind each ear so that I don't misplace them.  I had some books on the floor along with a narrow cloth pencil case where I keep my colored pencils for highlighting my Bible.  Recently I have purchased colored pencils that you can erase if you change you mind...they are amazing for people like me who often make mistakes.  As I was saying I often store these behind my ears and today was no exception.  I went to get up from a sitting position and grab my things as I go.  As I was bending over the highlighter pencil fell out from behind my ear, bounced on the floor, and flipped in the air dun dahdah dun landing squarely in the pencil bag.  Lol, how amazing is that!?!  Maybe it's just one of those things you have to see for yourself, but then I'll never be able to reproduce that again...just though I'd share:)