STEP ONE: Don't Get Rid of Stuff

Where to begin?  At the beginning, of course.

When I am overwhelmed by stuff in a room or things screaming for my time, I tend to freeze up and not think very clearly.  Which of course, makes it all worse!

Remember, before we can do anything, we need GRACE  and TRUTH.

Believe that by His grace you are able to handle what God has given you.  Trust that He will help you to find what He wants you to do.  He will also show you what you have added on.

Adjusting our THINKING is critical before we can begin changing actions.  You have to catch the lies and recognize the cynicism.  Then find the reality, speak true statements.  Re-frame the situation even.

Now.... (deep breath)

STEP ONE:  With eyes that have been prepared to see, look at your days, your home, your space.  

Take a fun notebook or journal and walk through your space.  Pray as you do this, ask God to show you. Ask yourself:

• How would I feel if this room was organized? 

• How would I (and my family) live in this space?  

• What would we do here?

• What would we use here?

Or think about your time:

• What would we feel at the end of good day?  week?  month?

• What would we have done?

• Who would we have spent time with?

As clearly as you are able, write the answers.  I'd expect a lot of adjectives.  Make notes or draw pictures.  Just let go and simply IMAGINE the possibilities.  This may take a while.  That's okay.

Think BIG PICTURE.  Specifics will come.  Right now, you're stepping way back and describing how you want your home (and/or schedule) to make your feel.  Starting with your whole home, then maybe the living areas, then smaller spaces.  Maybe a page for each space or area of your life.

Don't stop yourself from dreaming.  Don't tell yourself something can't happen or won't happen.  (Those are lies!)  Just record your ideas, your dreams, your "ideal."  If some room placement pops in your head, just record it.  Don't force it, just walk around.  Involve your family if you think they'd have something to say.

****RESIST the urge to start getting rid of stuff.****

Focus. Stay positive and just DREAM.

As you transform your space and your calendar into those ideal-for-you places and schedules, all the things that don't belong will naturally be displaced or discarded.

This step is working on the VISION you will need to carry you through the hard work of making it happen.

Will you let your mind imagine the possibilities?  What if we could encourage one another along the way?  Comment below (chose "anonymous" if necessary), but do leave a first name. 

The Lies that Keep Us Stuck

What we believe and think really does matter.  Human wisdom even acknowledges it.  Intuitively, you know it.

Our actions follow our thoughts.  When we dwell on something, we begin to act in accordance to those thoughts.

Thought life matters!

So for us, what we think about organization (whether of our physical stuff or our time) really affects us.  And often, we are WRONG in our thinking and therefore STUCK in our actions.

Have you ever thought any of these?

• I just can't ever be organized like _____.
• This is how I am wired.
• This is how I grew up--my mom never did anything either and I'm just like her.
• This is how I grew up--my mom did everything for me so I never learned.
• No one at home helps me (because they are too little or not interested) so I can't do it alone.
• I don't have time to be organized.
• I can't afford the things I need to be organized.

and the one that kept me stuck for so long:

• It doesn't really matter--there are more important things that I need to do.

Those are all lies.  And you know it or you wouldn't be drawn to reading this.  

And here is the hope:  

YOU GET TO CHOOSE YOUR THOUGHTS!

You can think:

• I do not have to be organized like anyone, but rather be an organized version of me.
• I can learn new things, including how to be organized.
• I can use my past to teach me lessons but not to define my future.  
• My mom did the best she could with what she knew at the time.  (Don't we want that grace from our kids--who we pray we're not screwing up!?)
• I can train my kids to be organized versions of themselves (help them discover what works for them).
• I can do what I can do.
• My kids will be able to help eventually.
• My family will be better set up to help when they're ready.
• My family may be motivated to help when they see changes.
• Everyone has the same amount of hours in a day.  I can choose to use my time where I need to.
• I can make changes that don't cost money.
• I can re-purpose things to help me be better organized.

and my newest, clearest thought:

• I can get to the important things because I am organized.

For too long, I had been prioritizing lots of "good" things and been NEGLECTING what looked so overwhelming.  Until I started seeing that I would have freedom to think and plan and serve if I didn't have to worry about finding paperwork, or arts and craft supplies, or thinking of what to make for dinner.  It has been slow and steady progress over many years of doing small things, taking baby steps, and adjusting how I think.

I caught myself telling someone I wasn't organized--because I still have so much I want to tackle.

But you know what?  I have seen growth and I want to acknowledge that and maybe help others.

So I want to post things here that I've been afraid to share--maybe I do like it when people think I'm organized.  LOL  And where I've had victory, I don't want to contribute to someone thinking they can't be organized like me.

The truth is, I have been working on this for a long time.  And I'm not done.  And I'd love company on this journey.

You in?  What lie are you telling yourself?  Can you catch it and speak truth instead?

The Secret to Being Productive

Getting started.

So often that is the hardest thing.  I just spent months not able to motivate myself or be motivated by anything.  So, if that's you, I feel your pain.  And I pray that this helps.

But getting started isn't the secret.  Grace is.

Specifically, God's grace.

Last month as I was looking at Romans, Chapter 8, I was gripped again by the amazing grace that God gives His children. Not only does He save us through faith in Jesus, He adopts us into His forever family.  He then gives us His Spirit to dwell within us.

What does it look like to live our lives with His Spirit living in us?  Paul gives us more information in Galatians (5:22-23):

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

For me, all of those things made sense, but self-control did not seem to "match."

All the others can be expressed toward others.  It has always made sense to me that others need to see the "fruit."

But self-control?

Self-control speaks to me of "discipline."

Discipline quickly takes my mind to "work."

And work seems to oppose "grace."

But with every fiber of my being, I know I need grace.

And then this gem, also from Paul:

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 

1 Corinthians 15:10

AHA!

I need God's grace to be able to work, to be disciplined, to have self-control, to be productive!  That is why it's evidence of His Spirit in me!

When I'm self-controlled, I am choosing to live in the Spirit.  I am choosing to be dependent on God so that I can love like He loves, be gentle like He is, show kindness like He would, etc.  THEN others see the fruit of His Spirit in me.

When I am self-controlled, I am living out of my identity. 

I am His child and the only way I can live is as His child.  No going back. 

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 

Romans 8:12-13

I think the word "obligation" also startled me.   But it's not a "you have to follow this rule" kind of obligation, but "you can't help but to live this way because it is who you are now."

So, by the grace of God, I wrapped up 2017 and all of its disappointments and am looking with excitement at what God has in store for me as His child.  And I am getting started because of His grace working in me.

I strive to be organized and productive not for the sake of doing more things, but for the sake of doing the right things.

I want to be free to respond to His leading as I use my time and energy and whatever resources He has given me.  I want to be free from distraction so I can focus and be intentional.  I want to make time for what matters.

And I want to help others who may also want to walk this journey of making time for God and the people and things He has for us.

Ready to get started?