Showing posts with label CLEANSE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CLEANSE. Show all posts

Day 23: CLEANSE (A Holiday-Ready Home)


Each day during The PURSE-onality Challenge: "A Holiday-Ready Heart" in October, Untangling Christmas by Karen Ehman and LeAnn Rice, will be our give-away prize!  

Enter via the Rafflecopter at the end of the blog post or click here to enter!

Day 14: TRUST (+ How Each PURSE-onality Can Get Day Overwhelmed)
Day 15: PATIENT (+ Practicing Now for Patience Then)
Day 16: NO RECORD (+ How to Have Grudge-Free Holidays)
Day 17: TRUTH (Each PURSE-onality's Take on Truth)
Day 18: PERSEVERE (+2 Cures for Procrastination)
Day 19: BLESS (Your Feelings Can Help You Choose)
Day 20: BUILDING (20+ Ways to Build with Words)
Day 21: HOLD (Hold Back, Let Go, and Step Up)
Day 22: FRUIT (I Didn't Think...I Was a People-Pleaser!)



The Way It’s Always Been

Teachers get important things done three times a year: summer, Christmas, and spring vacations.

Once the school year starts, anything that doesn’t involve teaching, lesson planning, grading, parenting, wifing, and basic survival gets shoved until Christmas vacation.

Which usually starts somewhere around December 21.  

No wonder I’ve never felt ready for Christmas: I haven’t been! 

Not by a long shot!

In fact, not only have I not been ready, I’ve been behind. Way behind. 


My “To Get Done During” Christmas List

All four of us need teeth cleaning appointments.

The animals need to go to the vet.

Both cars need major servicing (the kind that requires us both to drive to the dealership, leave one car, drive back home, wait a day or two, and then drive back again, leave the other car...you get the picture!)

The freezer needs to be emptied, defrosted, and re-organized.

Last year’s pair of boots need to be replaced because there are holes in both soles.


The house needs to be cleaned from top to bottom. 

But before it can be cleaned, it really needs to be de-cluttered. (Anything we don’t quite know what to do with pretty much gets left wherever it lands August - December.)

And so on.

And so forth.

And -- oh yeah -- Merry Christmas!


Time for a Change

If I’m going to have a holiday-ready heart mid-November, I’ve got to change my what-gets-done-when habits.

Starting with the clutter.

If we confess our sins 
He is faithful and just 
to forgive us our sins and 
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 
1 John 1:9 (NIV)

If God can cleanse my innermost heart of sin and unrighteousness, then surely I can put some effort toward cleaning my outer environment!

As non-visual as I am, I have to admit that my outer life has a far greater impact on my inner life than I used to realize. 

If I'm going to have a holiday-ready heart, I need to start now to have a holiday-ready home.

Waiting until my next major vacation is a huge set-up for failure...and continued holiday hatred.


20 Minutes a Day

For the next nine days, October 22 through October 31, I'm going to spend 20 minutes focusing on one key area of my home: 
  • 0-5:  Pick up obvious items that need to go or can go. 
  • 6-10:  Make a list of things that need to be cleaned, repaired, replaced, etc.
  • 11-15:  Take one small step (i.e. toss all the throw blankets in the wash)
  • 16-20:  Assess the room’s needs, especially in light of the holidays (i.e. wood for the fireplace.)

I'll be dividing the days up according to these areas:

  • Day 1:  Living Room
  • Day 2:  Kitchen
  • Day 3:  Master Bedroom
  • Day 4:  Guest Bathroom
  • Day 5:  Kids’ Rooms
  • Day 6:  Guest Room / My Study
  • Day 7:  Garage & Vehicles
  • Day 8:  Back Yard & Pets
  • Day 9:  Front Porch & People


Obviously, I'm not aiming for any sort of perfection during these next nine days.

 All I want to do is

  • get started,
  • make a small difference, and
  • make a do-able plan.

Doing this will break old habits.

 And it'll move me closer to having a holiday-ready home to match my holiday-ready heart!



Your Turn:

  • Do you tend to put off home-related tasks until you can get it all done at once? Or do you consistently chip away at them?
  • Do you enjoy preparing your house for the holidays or do you find it stressful?  Either way, why? 
  • Anything else on your heart!


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TPC "lite": To-Do List vs. Master List


Would you be willing to give me your input on a new PURSE-onality project? 
Take this survey, and I'll send you your choice of my CDs for free!

“People get overwhelmed by a To-Do List because they have a lot of Master List items on there–things that require a whole series of actions and aren’t broken down into simple, doable steps. It’s a great way to set yourself up for failure.
So today, gather everything that’s weighing on you and figure out what list it belongs on. If the whole thing takes less than 15 minutes, you can put it on your To-Do List. If it’s more complicated than that, put it on your Master List and figure out what your next steps are.”
 
(Kathi Lipp, The Get Yourself Organized Project, page 184) 

I finished my MA research project yesterday. 
By “finished” I mean that I finally have a pretty awful first draft of Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and–after nine hours of straight writing yesterday–Chapter 4.
I’m not so much excited as I am relieved.
This degree was supposed to be done five years ago. But then we moved and I put it on the back burner. Repeatedly.
Two years ago, I did my research. And the data has been sitting ever since.
Oh, I’ve been busy–no doubt about that! 
But no busier than those who actually finish their degrees...or anything else they start with great enthusiasm before encountering unexpected obstacles. 
(Note: Just like my bookshelves are “not about the books,” this is “not about the degree”!)
I’ve had time. Small pockets of time. Weekends with time. Vacation stretches of time. But until 2012, I’ve made very little progress.
The #1 reason for my lack of progress will be the topic of my blog posts in July and August. It’s a big bad bully who’s been running my life for decades without me recognizing it. If you want a sneak peek, check out this monologue I wrote performed in May (...keeping in mind that it’s a “work in progress”!)

Replacing Baditude


The #2 reason for my lack of progress is that I kept putting “Work on MA Project” on my To-Do List. 

But when I had a pocket of time, I had no idea what to do next. I’d look at my shelves of books and binders freeze, utterly overwhelmed.
When I finally moved “Work on MA Project” to my Master List, momentum started building.
Some days, the only thing on my “To-Do List” was “figure out next step.”

Seriously!
I’d hunker down for 20 or 30 minutes, whatever chunk of time I had, and do “nothing”...except the absolutely most important thing I could possibly do:

I figured out my next little step.
This is working so well that I’m starting to question the Nike slogan.
“Just do it!” sounds great, in theory. But sometimes, it’s a poor fit.
This month, I’ve intentionally tried not to “just do it” when approaching the clutter in my home and my heart.
I’ve simply tried to figure out my next little step.
And then take it.
With God’s Word
On Day 22, I wrote about the difference between “fake fruit” and real growth.
(Can't view image? Click here to read Galatians 5:22-23!)

I’m done forcing myself to “just do it” on my own strength, hanging out lots of “fake fruit” and hoping nobody comes close enough to notice. My home is far from completely de-cluttered. But it’s better, and I’m tasting more and more peace and joy with every next little step I take.

On Day 23, I wrote about the “fig leaves” I hide behind in an attempt to “clean up my act” on my own.
(Can't view image? Click here to read 1 John 1:9!)

When I start the day with my Master, He will reveal to me the next little steps for my To-Do List. And He will cleanse me and my heart so that I no longer want to keep all my “fig leaves.”
I need to let go of my “all-or-nothing” approach.
I need to Let God lead me in taking the next little step. And the next.
I need to let go of everything I hide behind.
I need to Let God do the clean-up work in my life. 
And Gratitude
from my journal:
Today I’m praying…
  • … for continued patience with myself – “slowly” and “gently” are so unfamiliar!
  • … that I can finish the MA “chapter” of my life quickly...yet gently.

Today I’m watching for…
  • … an opportunity to affirm Daniel, Jonathon, and Annemarie who have been my cheering section these last few months.
  • … someone unexpected You desire me to serve.

Today I’m appreciating…
  • … the “little changes” produced by taking “the next little step.” 
  • … a chance to have lunch with Daniel at Panda Express in about an hour! :-)


Your Turn! 

  •  Do you have a "To-Do List" and a "Master List" or a similar system?
  •  How has knowing (or not knowing) your next little step helped (or hindered) you?
  • Other thoughts / reflections / insights on today's topic?

Can't see the Rafflecopter?  Click here to go to our TPC "lite" Prizes tab to enter!
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Day 23: CLEANSE

Our Give-Away for Today!

The Get Yourself Organized Project

Finally, an organizational book for women who have given up trying to be Martha Stewart but still desire some semblance of order in their lives.


Most organizational books are written by and for people who are naturally structured and orderly. For the woman who is more ADD than type A, the advice sounds terrific but seldom works. These women are looking for help that takes into account their free-spirited outlook while providing tips and tricks they can easily follow to live a more organized life.


Kathi Lipp, author of The Husband Project and other “project” books, is just the author to address this need. In her inimitable style, she offers
  • easy and effective ways women can restore peace to their everyday lives
  • simple and manageable long-term solutions for organizing any room in one’s home (and keeping it that way)
  • a realistic way to de-stress a busy schedule
  • strategies for efficient shopping, meal preparation, cleaning, and more
Full of helpful tips and abundant good humor, The Get Yourself Organized Project is for those who want to spend their time living and enjoying life rather than organizing their sock drawer.
Kathi Lipp is a full-time speaker and writer as well as being the parent of four young adults with her husband, Roger in San Jose, CA. When she is not doing laundry, she is speaking at retreats, conferences and women's events across the US. Find out more about Kathi, and get some great freebies, at http://www.kathilipp.com and Facebook 

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Summer vacation is almost here. Soon, I can tackle the long over-due tasks I’ve been putting off since...Christmas vacation!
#1 on my list: CLEAN UP. 
Everything.
 I have waaaaay too much stuff. Clutter is multiplying and bearing down on us from every side. It’s suffocating. (This photo is real...please don’t judge me!)
On Warm-Up Day 8, we talked a bit about “Cleaning Out These PURSE-onalities!” and getting rid of all the purse trash we carry around.
We really do not want our lives full of trash and clutter and stuff. 
We do want to clean up our acts.
So why is it so hard to let go?  
No Place to Hide 
At a women’s retreat last year, I spent prayerful time journaling in response to the question:  What “fig leaves” do I hide behind?
At the top of my list were “starting” and “joining.”  New projects. New businesses. New groups. New causes. 
Why do I love starting and joining?
Each time is a a chance at a “new me”! A whole new I.D. 
Oh, how I’ve always longed for a fresh start! To be brand new and squeaky clean. So I’ve jumped at every chance for do-it-myself re-NEW-al.  
Of course, D.I.Y. has never worked. God says, “I will make all things new!” He will renew me.  I can not renew me.  I. AM. NOT. GOD.
I was reminded of this when a student asked me, as I was opening a box from Amazon and delighting in my latest self-help book, “Mrs. G, why do you read so many of those kinds of books?” 

Glibly, I quipped, “Well, I just have so much room for growth!”
But later, in moments of quiet reflection, I had to admit that even my beloved books are, far too often, “fig leaves” behind which I hide.
And try to minimize my sin. 
Try to be “good enough” by my own efforts.
Try to Do It Myself.
How much trash and clutter and stuff must I hide behind before I finally admit:
I. Can. Not. Do. It. Myself.
I can’t clean up my own act.
No Need to Hide
(Can't see the image? Click here to download 1 John 1:9)

Yes, it’s scary asking God to take out our trash and stuff and clutter. 
For the longest time, I was scared of emptiness. 
Terrified that if I let Him do a thorough cleansing of my life, nothing would be left...nothing to hide behind. 
I wrote this a few months ago as I was pondering the difference between “empty” and “spacious”: 
I used to try to fill 
that empty place inside.
With food.
With people.
With shopping.
With starting.
With busy-ness.
But I realize now that it's not empty.
It's spacious.
Ready and waiting to hold 
whatever comes next. 
Or content with 
nothing more.
I used to think I was 
empty 
desperate to be 
filled with 
just the right thing 
to make me complete.
But He brought me out 
into a spacious place
and I’m discovering
how much easier
it is to breathe
when there's
plenty of
space.

The more I’m learning to take refuge in Him, the less I “need” my other hiding places, my other fig leaves. 
And the more I’m finding that trashed, stuffed, and cluttered pale in comparison to the clean and spacious life He is renewing in me!
Try this today:  As you’re journaling, prayerfully consider what “fig leaves” you hide behind, trying to cover up sin that only God can forgive and cleanse. You might look at your PURSE-onality “gift card” and consider your particular PURSE-onality weaknesses (which are generally strengths taken to the extreme.)


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Please leave a comment 

  • responding to today’s blog, and/or
  • sharing your Day #1-23 experience of replacing “baditude” with God’s word and gratitude, and/or
  • about anything else on your heart!

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    (Catch up on any "Warm-Up Week" Blog Posts!)

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