The File Cabinet
.....uncluttering, re-organizing your heart

It feels really good to be coming to the end of  going through our large file cabinet.

I have a burn pile of old papers we no longer need to keep.

I have organized other piles of papers that go in this or that folder.

Except for coming across papers and photos that hit my nostalgic button, which slows me down,

the project is coming along quite well. 

Once boxes, baskets and smaller files are re-organized, doing the rest of the office will go more quickly and then I can start making myself a sewing and project room upstairs. 

I dangle the design and subsequent re-purposing of  our youngest daughter's old room
 before myself like a carrot on a stick in front of a stubborn mule that will not move. 

Most of what I have in the office to use is re-purposed,decorative and functional.
I find it difficult to work in chaos. I need to have things organized, neat, decorative and easily useful.
I like things to be easy to clean and keep in order.
I have eleven grandchildren most of whom are young children and babies.
I need to keep safety, enjoyment and easy clean-up in mind at all times.
It takes a lot of thought and planning (creativity) to do this,
especially doing the best with what you already have.

If you have money to spare this is so much easier---just buy what you need, pay someone else to do it, and then hire someone to keep it the way you like it.
But whereas it may be nice not to be bothered with it yourself,
where is the satisfaction of having done it yourself?
And what if you don't have that money to spare because you're staying home
with the kids and/or have hit hard times?

My father loved to improvise. He didn't need to financially. But he often chose to do things himself.
 He often quoted, "Necessity is the mother of invention."
And he enjoyed it, whether it was truly necessary or not.
I inherited this attitude from him.
When something happens that is going to require major change, I usually first respond.....
well, truthfully,
not well.
But, given a few minutes part of me comes alive.
I immediately take pen and paper in hand to start brainstorming.
Sometimes it ends up being unnecessary and though I am relieved, part of me is disappointed.
This  process drives my husband crazy, by the way!

I tend to freeze up when things are out-of-order.
I have to force myself to just start without thinking too much about where to start, what to do first.
I find it best to just dig in and the how-to's will flow....eventually.
I must force myself to move forward otherwise I will stand before the task, frozen,
then abandon it entirely.
Sometimes as I organize it seems I am making a big mess.
Things seem to just be pushed around from one pile to another.
And that is true and is very common.
But if I keep up on it I make progress and that encourages.

Whereas I do love organizing, I do not like cleaning.
I love things being clean. But that is different.
I guess you might call it a "necessary evil".
And maybe it is like hitting your head against a wall.
And, as they say, "...it feels so good when you stop."
When I get to the end of organizing, when I am through with cleaning, when the floors,
windows and furniture shine,
the eye catches the simple lines and neat surfaces of the room,
 and when only I know that every drawer, closet and cabinet are nicely in order,
the feeling of accomplishment  is great!
When things are neat, I tend to keep them that way. 

God's world is orderly.
 The Creator made everything in His fashion and everything was good.
There is beauty and purpose in all He created.
 I believe we should take that example
into our homes as much as we are able.

Creation shows order, cleanliness (from rain, water, scavengers and carion-eating animals,
lightning, snow, freezing, thawing, waves.......),
function, provision, and we must not forget, creativity and beauty.
Not all the tasks that accomplish this in our homes are fun or easy.
We enjoy different things, we have different styles and family  dynamics.
We don't always feel like doing things.
And, quite often, we do not have the time or energy to do them.
This is especially true of mothers of babies and other small children,
those with one child or those with many.
And it is very especially true of mothers who teach their own children at home.

If we can make the time to get back the order we once had,
with our minds and hearts turned toward the needs of our family
and being a good testimony to others,
then life will be not just easier, but more fun too!

Creating order should not be our priority
but a goal to make our biblical priorities easier.

Unclutter your mind,  and your heart by making your life simpler.
Work to so order your life that you will have time for the really important things.
Keep your priorities in line. Read the Word to identify your priorities.
Learn what to let go of and what to keep.
Order should be the thing that makes your life easier, not an entity unto itself.
Do not make order an idol.

If your heart is not into homemaking but you earnestly wish it was,
ask the Lord to give you the heart
to make a home for your family  that you will all enjoy, and that will be honoring to God
and conducive to the worship and enjoyment of  God.
Find a mentor.
Go to your own mothers, grandmas, aunts and sisters, sisters-in-the-Lord, read books that are uplifting to you, go to the older woman
whose command it is to teach younger ones how to love their husbands and children.
Pray........

I see so many young women doing what is (and they know is) their duty.
And that is a good thing, but...
I see many also who do not have the heart for it.
I wonder why.
I have no answers.
This makes me sad.
Maybe it is our society.
Maybe it's the attitudes we have picked up over the years.
We must ask the Lord and ourselves if any unbiblical thinking has invaded our hearts,
minds, beliefs.

There is One who knows and  will answer your prayers.
He is the One who knows your heart better than you do.
There exists One who will give you the desires of your heart
as they are in keeping with the desires of His heart and His will for you.
He will make His desires, your desires.
He will never contradict His Word.

Throw out any files in your heart that you do not need,
Throw out folders that do not match up with biblical truth.
Toss with abandon whatever hinders you, or your husband and your children
from keeping right, biblical priorities.

Do your duty, oh, yes, and wait expectantly for the joy to come.
I pray for joy for you all, whatever God has called you to do.

Everything works together for our eternal good and to bring glory to God

I hope you find this encouraging.
Kathi~