Let God Get You Organized!

Posted by Leslie | 0 comments

Many of you are aware that I have been working on getting my home overhauled over the last few months. This process has taken a bit longer than I originally had planned for a variety of reasons; work schedule, lack of “homes” for stuff, loss of motivation, illness, and my attitude. Last week I posted on the Total Home Overhaul group about how God has been working on my attitude. This was a turning point for me. Prior to this change, my mind was consumed with the organizational changes I needed to do before anything else. Budget and down trodden thinking put a damper on this. I kept justifying why I couldn’t move forward because I didn’t have this or I didn’t have time to complete the other. As God worked me through my attitude issues, my eyes were opened to what I CAN do right now to get it together. When God answers, He answers BIG!

One of my biggest obstacles to overcome was lack of shelf space. Like many homemakers, homesteaders, and homeschoolers, books take up a LOT of space in our home. I had an entire hallway that was just piled with books; piled HIGH! When I couldn’t pile the books any higher, I started piling them in my office. After that they got piled in boxes and such in my office closet. I didn’t stop there because every flat surface was a potential space for piling books and notebooks. The hubby and I had been pricing different bookshelves, both pre-made and supplies for building them into the wall. To be honest, as much as I needed those shelves, I couldn’t bring myself to take money from our savings to complete the project. But each week brought more grumbles from me about how I could barely breathe in our home. It never occurred to me to stop buying books or look for other resources for shelves. I had been looking at yard sales, but I kept coming across those 2 level particle board shelves that bow when any weight is put on them. I wanted what I wanted and anything less just wouldn’t do. No surprise that God wasn’t answering me with that attitude! Once I allowed God to come in and transform my attitude, a solution was found.

The hubby asked me to come to our local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store to search for a small TV stand. Long story short, we had a big screen TV that had been sitting broken in our living room for almost 3 years. It took up a lot of space and since it didn’t work our bedroom became the living room; which drove me absolutely nutty. How many of you know how short a drive that is? But, I digress. The hubby had found a smaller flat screen for an absolute steal, but we had no place to put it; thus his idea to visit the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.

These stores sell used furniture, appliances, linens, housing supplies, remodeling supplies etc. They sell pretty much anything but clothing. At any rate, we get there and the sparkle shown in my eyes immediately. The hubby said, “You are like a kid in a candy store!” That was true. Here’s how God answered my prayers for an inexpensive TV stand. Quickly my hubby located a piece that fit the bill and I said yes right away. It was perfect! However, I also found a treasure trove of other pieces, including two large shelving units that would fit our hallway and solve my book problem. Here is the final list of what I wanted: 2 large shelving units of solid wood, one round pillar table for a game table, a stand for our TV, a prayer chair, and an upholstered chair. The total for the furniture was tallied @ $320; which was a good deal as purchasing shelves for the hallway cost more than that, but of course I wasn’t satisfied with the price. I talked them down to $120. Yep, you read correctly; they came down $200. We came home with our pieces and I quickly set to work. But that is NOT all!

Our book pile issue is solved. Our game area is now solved with the use of the pillar table and 2 dining chairs that I had sitting in the garage that I had picked up for free on the road side during one of my evening walks. Our TV has a home and we now use our living room for living and my bedroom for uh…sleeping. I was able to place this darling and most comfy chair in my bedroom for a prayer chair (Prayer space for me complete!). Then I turned around and sold the broken TV for $50. Total cost of the overhaul of 5 rooms: $80!

The point in telling you my story is to inspire you to give your home issues to God. He is there for everything in your life. We often overlook these issues in our times of prayer and fellowship because they seem so mundane. But the reality is that the state of our home affects our lives. In the last week I have done so much overhauling with the help of my daughter, son, and his friends, that I can’t believe we are in the same house. There are still projects on my To Do List, but it is not overwhelming and I don’t feel as if I am drowning. My mind is in a better place. Just in time as one of my daughters was in need of undistracted Mom time this weekend. I was able to give that to her, because my mind wasn’t spinning in different directions due to clutter all about. I was able to concentrate on praying with and for her.

Let God work through you as you tackle organizational issues in your home. As you open yourself up and broaden your relationship with God by including those mundane issues you will find Him transforming you in fantastic ways. God will lasso much of the chaos allowing for the much needed simplicity to flow through your life and afford you the opportunity to truly walk with Him. When our homes are less cluttered, our lives are less chaotic. The result is that we are more able to focus on devoting time to Him and His purpose for our lives; and we are better be able to listen.

Leslie Valeska is the wife of Thomas and homeschooling mother of four children who reside in SW Florida. Her family operates Fresh Gear Solutions, LLC and enjoys RVing. She is the founder and director of Simple Journey Ministries which was established to encourage, inspire, and support women on their journey to Godly womanhood. Leslie is also employed as a vintage seamstress by Vintage Vixen.