Struggle #1-Clutter!

I did a "ladies' day in May" at my home on Saturday. It was a blessing to sit with sisters in Christ and talk about 5 common struggles women face. I wanted to share with you all what we talked about!

Struggle number one: Clutter.

 

Definition: to fill or liter things in a disorderly manner. (but I have also had too many things in an orderly manner that I would still consider clutter :) 

Many women struggle with stuff. Too much stuff. "Gotta have more" syndrome! Clutter=stress and mess. Get rid of it and find freedom and joy! :) 

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Author: Susan Verstraete writes:

A friend of mine lost nearly everything she owned in a house fire. About a year later, I asked her about what she had learned through that trial. Looking back, she was surprised to remember all the people who expressed envy. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” they said, “but I really wish this would happen to me.” 

What were they thinking? That the clutter in their homes was out of control, and the only way to be free involved the fire department.

I can relate. My husband and I have reached the point in our lives where having fewer possessions is an attractive goal. Clutter causes us stress. I can’t protect my husband from workplace frustration or my son from traffic or either of them from a thousand other irritations in life, but I can get rid of excess clutter and organize my home so that they can find the scissors and the tape on the first try.

Still, though, I am often snared by the promise of a better life through consumerism. We never have a shortage of items to purge during my annual sweep through our home. How else can I explain accumulating three drip coffee makers and a coffee press? 

Here’s what I preach to myself as I’m combing the house for items to give away: 

1.  Jesus said that life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. Luke 12:15

2.  Spiritual life can be choked out by clutter, which is part of "the cares and riches of this life." Luke 8:14

3.  God is pleased when we give things away cheerfully.  2 Cor. 9:7

4. Sharing our excess goods is one way to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Luke 3:11

5.  One of God’s names is Jehova Jira – God who provides. If we give away something and end up needing it later, we can trust God to provide. Phil. 4:19 

6.  Giving to those in need stores riches for us in Heaven, and is an expression of love for the church. Luke 12:33

7.  Sharing what we have pleases God. Hebrews 13:16 

8.  Everything we own has been given to us by God. We are only stewards of our stuff. Psalm 24:1

9.  God is not a God of confusion, but of order (think about how this is exemplified in creation). An orderly home reflects God's character. Genesis 1

10.Hoarding goods "just in case" can be a way of trusting my stuff to keep me safe instead of my God. Psalm 31:6 

Sometimes it helps to remember that one day I will be called to give up everything. No physical item will go with me to Heaven. There's nothing I own that I need to be perfectly happy and at peace with God.

How about you? Do you struggle with clutter? Pray and ask the Lord what He would have you give away and receive the blessing of a less cluttered life! If it's not beautiful, necessary or useful then get rid of it!

A Godly Mother Part 3

#3) A godly mother is hardworking. A worldly mother is lazy.

I am by nature a procrastinator. I have to fight this. I try to keep in mind that work is good for me! It was in the garden BEFORE the fall. It is not part of the curse. I always feel better when I have accomplished much and have been productive with my day as opposed to sitting around and “taking it easy”. I think God made us this way. He put in us a desire to have things in order and to work hard.

Listen to this verse that could describe a home of a woman who neglects it. Prov. 24:30-33 says: “I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down.” Hopefully no one feels like this when they “pass by” our homes. They shouldn't be overgrown with thorns, covered with nettles, cluttered and broken down. We need to tend to them and take care of them as unto the Lord. What does your vineyard look like?

Maybe you aren’t lazy…maybe you are too busy with other things and don't have enough time at home to keep up with the work. I really don’t think the Lord would have us involved in things that cause our vineyard to look overgrown and unkept... He calls us to be "keepers of the home" (Titus 2:5) not "keepers of many things". 

Something else to keep in mind in regards to all this is that we are to adapt to our husbands in this area too. Some of your husbands like the dishes done, or the bathrooms cleaned, the counters cleared off, or if they’re like my husband, they want all the hair ties all picked up J I try to clean my home with my husband's desires in mind. What does your husband desire? What is important to him? Be sure to make a special effort to do what pleases him first.

p.s. this was one of the most convicting lessons for me. I keep thinking about those verses and my vineyard being overgrown with thorns and I am motivated to clean... in fact I think I'll get to work right now! J

For Him

I am listening to a great message by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Here is something in particular that convicted and encouraged me:

"From Him are all things, through Him are all things, and to Him are all things. He is the source; He is the sustainer, and He is the supreme purpose and sense and goal of all things, for all things were created for Him and for His pleasure. That is so contrary to our natural perspective, isn’t it? Our natural way of thinking is, “It’s all about me.” We live as if all things were from us, through us, and for us.

That leaves us fearful, angry, proud, bitter, confused, and depressed. God is the source of all things. He is the sovereign Lord and director of all things. He is the sustainer of all things, and in the end, all things—even the sinful choices of fallen human beings, some of whom you may live with, and all of us fall into that category—even the sinful choices of human beings in the end will glorify God and demonstrate the greatness of His wisdom, His power, and His grace.

So what’s the response? Paul tells us, “To Him be glory forever. Amen.” Paul says, “The response is, we put God in the spotlight where He belongs.” We praise Him; we worship Him; we give Him glory, and we say, “Amen, let it be so.” We make our affirmation that we agree. We believe this. We submit our lives to God’s holy, eternal purposes."

Wasting time part 2

Do you ever feel like this guy in the picture? Like your drowning in time? I continue to ponder the idea of wasting time and it seems many other bloggers are doing the same. One post that blessed my heart so much can be found here. Could you imagine if we lived everyday from the perspective of our death bed? Would we regret not watching more tv? Not being on the internet enough? Not cleaning our house more? (I do believe our homes should be clean. but even cleaning can become an idol.) No of course not! We would regret not having more hugs with our kiddos and hubbies! We would regret not spending more time worshipping our King. Oh to have this eternal perspective! We certainly would have the ability to naturally spend our time wisely! Pasted below is another convicting article on not wasting our precious time on useless things.

Guidelines for Using Our Time Wisely

From Holy Living and Holy Dying, Jeremy Taylor (1613-1667)

Edited by Marvin D. Hinten

1. In the morning, when you awaken, accustom yourself to think first upon God; and at night, let Him close your eyes. Let your rest be health ful and necessary, not just idle time.

2. Let all your intervals or open moments of time be employed in prayer, reading, meditation, exercise, and acts of friendship.

3. Sundays and holidays are in no sense mere days of idleness. It is better to work on Sundays than to do nothing. Instead of idly wasting time, let those days be spent doing charitable and reli gious work.

4. Avoid the company of all who talk too much without a purpose. No one can be careful in his use of time who is careless in his choice of com pany, for when a conversationalist continually speaks emptiness or trivia, all who listen or answer waste their time.

5. Never engage in any trifling activity merely to pass the time away, for every day well spent can become a "day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2 NW), and any time rightly used is an "opportune moment" (Ps. 69:13). The time you trifle away was given to you to repent, to pray, to lay up heavenly treasure

6. While working, go often to God in brief prayers. These times of prayer can make up the lack of devotional time, which others may have, and which you wish you had. Be sure of this: God is as present at your breathed prayers on the job as at the longer prayers of those who are less employed

7. Let your employment be fitting for a reasonable person. A person may be idle though busy. There are entire occupations devoted to vanity and foolishness that deserve to be banned. And there are some people who are genuinely busy, but it is in the way the Emperor Domitian once claimed to be busy: catching flies

8. Let those who are independently wealthy or retired be extra careful in their use of time. Let them choose good company and learn useful things. Let them visit the poor and relieve their needs, pray often, and read good books

9. Everyone should avoid excessive attention to appearance. Many people primp and comb away all their opportunities for morning devotions.

10. People should avoid idle curiosity and inquiring into things that do not concern them. Of course, we should be aware of the needs of our fellow believers, but one need not be a gossip to learn his brothers' needs.

11. As much as possible, cut off all useless occupa tions of your life: unnecessary meetings, day dreaming, reading about celebrities, or however time is spent to no real purpose.

12. Do not spend time lavishly in recreation, but choose leisure activities that are healthful, brief, and refreshing. Avoid games that require too much time or involvement, or which are likely to dominate your thoughts. Do not dwell upon them or make them your major enterprises. And don't think that spectator sports are real exercise. A person who passively spends his time watching sports and calls it exercise makes about as much sense as a person who wears a belt without wear ing any pants. It is permissible to relax our bow but not to unstring it.

13. Set aside some parts of every day specifically for prayer and devotion. Events may force you to shorten your devotional time occasionally, but do not omit it under anything less than absolute necessity.

14. Do God's work attentively. Do not let your hands be folded in prayer while your thoughts are on the world. Do not pray negligently. Put forth all your strength.

15. Fill hours of insomnia with prayer, since you have no requirements on your time then.

16. The busy person should set aside a holy time every year in which, ignoring his occupation, he may give himself wholly to fasting and prayer, to confession and attention to God.

17. Before we sleep we might well examine our actions during the day, especially anything unusual. For our failures we will have sorrow, and for our victories we will have thanksgiving.

18. All these points should be used wisely, not vex ingly. These guidelines have advantages, but they are not divine commandments, at least not their specifics. Every person may select whatever process enables him to do his Christian duty. A man will be happy when he can use every hour in a useful or holy way, but our duty does not consist in just scrupulously examining how we use our minutes (provided no minute is engaged in sin).

19. The habit of using time wisely will influence our whole lives, and will especially benefit us in two ways. It doesn’t just teach us to avoid evil but encourages us to do good. And it causes us to be ready and eager for the Lord’s return at any time.