Zechariah 4:6

I struggle with keeping my house clean. Really, I struggle with being consistent with anything. But housekeeping seems especially hard. I don't have the energy or I don't have the motivation or I don't have the time or I don't know  where to start or... or... or... I have a lot of excuses.

But here's what it boils down to... I have no excuses. I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and as such I have the power through Jesus Christ to do all that He has commanded me. The Spirit that lives within me is the same Spirit that created the world! And so it is foolish of me to make excuses for why I cannot run a household that is glorifying to the Lord, just as it is foolish for me to try to accomplish the tasks He has set before me by my own strength.

My largest struggle seems to be with self control, in many areas. But we have two natures - one is the sinful nature that we are born with, and the other is the nature of the Spirit we are given by Him. The first nature, the old nature, the sinful nature, seeks selfish ambition. But the fruit of the Spirit is self control. They are contrary. (Galatians 5)

And so, it is not by my might, nor by my power, but by His Spirit that I seek to follow Him and complete the tasks He has given me. My selfish ambition tries to run my home in a way that is pleasing to me, that demonstrates my creativity and ability to run a home. But it's not about me or my ability. And I have well proven that my ability is not sufficient for the task He has given me. So if I am to exercise self control, it will have to come from the Spirit, as fruit of His work in my life.

It's not about me.

There. I said it. So, if my house begins to fall into order, if I begin keeping up with the tasks at hand, you will know that it is a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord be glorified in my home!
 

Getting SOME stuff done, at least....

I may be moving slowly today at getting things done, but I'm at least getting SOME things done. I hung a curtain in the doorway to the wrapping center / seasonal storage area in the basement, and I hung skirts around the wrapping table and the utility sink to hide some of the clutter and tie things together down there. I think that looks pretty nice now! I am also doing laundry, which means I have one load in the washer, one in the dryer, and another that needs to go in. I also have a couple loads from last week that still need to be put away.

Ellie's watching a video right now, so hopefully I'll be able to get some of that laundry put away in the next 30 minutes. I'd really like to make my bed, too... the bedroom is a disaster.

Monday again...

Why is it that on Sunday night I am so excited to get everything back in order and then on Monday morning I just can't seem to make myself do it? What is up with that?

Weekly Decluttering Tip

This came in my inbox today, and I thought it was good to remember:

Declutter first. Buy containers second.

When it comes time to get organized, is your first step a trip to your favorite store to pick up storage bins? If so, and if you haven't always been satisfied with your organizing efforts, tuck this tip into your back pocket:

Declutter first. Buy containers second.

Here's why:  When you declutter you let go of things you no longer use, need, or love. This gives you a better feel for which items need to be stored and where to store them, leading to smarter container selection – and happier end results!