Serving Others More Easily

Being organized helps you serve others more easily. Recently I attended a jewelry party with several friends. At the last minute, I offered to drive the group. Thankfully, my vehicle has been remaining pretty clean interior-wise for awhile now, due to some regular habits (i.e. whenever I get gas I empty the trash and check for stuff on the floor, etc.) My husband and a couple of other guys had been in the truck on the weekend, and he had graciously cleaned it out before I needed it again on Monday. There was only one stray zip lock bag on the back floorboard.

I also keep an air freshener in the vehicle. One of the gals said, "It smells nice in here."

It was gratifying to be able to provide a ride on the spur of the moment and not be embarrassed by the condition of my vehicle. It only takes a couple minutes each week (and less than a minute each day, to make sure it is all picked up when I arrive back home) to have the vehicle be "company ready" at any time.

This is the type of thing to help you serve others well...not being distracted by a messy car, for example!

Weekend Worship through Housework #3

We just celebrated freedom on Wednesday. Pick one thing in your house that affects your feeling of freedom and do something about it this weekend. Is it the entrance to your home? Do you need a place to hang your keys every time so you don't forget where they are? Make one small change this weekend.

You are not the same as everyone else...

You are not the same as everyone else. I'm not the same as my friends or even the other two authors of Organizing from the Heart.

For example...one of the authors does great at housework late at night after kids are in bed. My toggle switch starts going off around 9pm, but I have a sharper mind in the morning.

I tend to break most projects into small tasks done repeatedly over time, in as little as 15 minutes or less. My husband is more wired to attack a project and focus on it for an extended amount of time, preferably uninterrupted.

One of you out there likes to take two hours each weekend to completely clean the house, while others clean as they go and may not follow a set routine.

Some of you don't mind dishes sitting overnight, but would never leave the house with the bed unmade while others never really make the bed.

One young mom likes to teach her kids how to keep an orderly playroom, while another super energetic creative one gets on the floor and makes a mess with them.

Which one is better? Neither. God made us uniquely to worship Him and impact others through our unique design. Let's stop comparing ourselves to others and instead seek His wisdom as to how He wants us to best honor Him and our family/circle of influence. It may look different from how someone else does it. That's fine. Really. Them matching your approach is not a healthy form of affirmation to you. God's opinion is what matters.