Commit to Listening and Making a Decision
As we look to CHG #8, which tells us to commit to listening and make a decision, what does this guideline imply as being the root cause of my clutter?
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not commit.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not listen.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not make a decision.
Therefore, when I commit, listen, and make decisions, I lessen my clutter and this brings healing to me.
The Scripture to support CHG #8 is from Mark 4:3-9, “ ‘Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed…some seed fell on a footpath…on shallow soil…among thorns…on fertile soil…Anyone who is willing to hear, should listen and understand.’ ”
If you go to your Bible, you can read these Scriptures in their entirety. In Mark 4, Jesus is teaching through one of His many parables. This time the parable is not about fishing as we saw with CHG #7. Instead, it is about planting or sowing seeds while taking into account the type of soil that our seed can fall on. The parable is used as an analogy to our listening skills, and especially to God’s Word. When seed gets scattered over open land or when sound travels through our field of hearing, the seed or sound can fall onto four types of soil:
♥smoothed out paths
This is where the seed gets eaten by the birds. There is no soil for growth. Our hearing can be that way too, what we hear in one ear, goes out the other, and there are times when we do this with each other and with God.
♥rough and rocky terrain
On rocky soil, there is very little earth for something to take root, there is no depth for growing what is sewn. When it comes to our selective hearing, we can take in what someone says or what God’s Word tells us for a little while, but it can quickly be forgotten or disregarded. It gets scorched out and dies.
♥weedy thorny overgrowth
Weeds and thorns can choke out what gets planted. Biblically speaking, it’s the light of God’s Word that we hear, but it gets choked out by the darkness that we are so accustomed to, and therefore, no crop is produced.
♥fertilely enriched
This is the ground that is READY to receive what gets planted, and it results in a harvest that is beyond one’s expectation. Because of our readiness to hear, listen, and understand, we bear much fruit as we accept and soak in the Word of God and learn to respect our communication with others.
What do you think Mark 4:3-9 implies as being the root cause of why our clutter can occur?
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not listen. Jesus emphasizes this need to listen both at the beginning of these verses and at their ending.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not plant my seeds on fertile ground.
♥ My clutter builds up when I am not willing to hear.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not understand.
Therefore, when I listen to the Word of God and value others by listening to what they have to say, I produce the fertile ground that helps me to receive what I hear with open ears and to pursue the desire to understand. This lessens my clutter and brings healing to me and to others.
Your SW this coming week is about lessening your relational clutter by paying more attention to how you listen, or do not listen, to others or to God’s leading and teaching. The dictionary, next to the Bible, is my favorite reference book. I find that just one word in a definition can give me a fresh new meaning and slant to words that are already very familiar to me. Here are some of the words related to this week’s CHG that you might want to look up. Check them out! See how one new word to define the following words can give you a fresh new approach to how you listen and make decisions:
♥Commit
♥Listening
♥Decision
♥Planting
♥Fertile
♥Hear
♥Understanding
Father God, please help me to take this CHG to heart by being honest about me. It’s hard to admit, but I know there are times when I am in too much of a hurry to listen, or I do not respect what I hear You or others telling me. I can find myself in a race to speak what I have to say because I think it is so important, valuable, and wise! Consequently, it causes me to only half listen, if at all, to the words of You or another.
Please forgive me for thinking that what I have to say is far more important than being silent and giving my full attention to listening to You or someone else. Help me to recognize that my decision to listen is a demonstration of my love for You and others.
March 20, 2013
March 13, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom
Getting Organized to Move
This post is for those of you who made it known that you could use some help in your upcoming moves. So, if you are contemplating a move, or know that one is drawing near, now is the time to start planning and moving into action, a little bit at a time. Avoid putting off what you can begin to do now. Because there are so many different moving situations, I will list the general bullet points that can help you to begin the moving process with a sense of peace and joyful anticipation.
• It is imperative to get ready for a move by reviewing CHG #7.
Your move is going to be so much smoother if you begin to get your “stuff” in order now. It is time to decide what you need verses what you want. So take advantage of this time to fish: gather, sort, let go, containerize, and take it home to rest.
• Clean and wash your treasures before the move rather than after. It feels so good to move right into a new place and just have fun setting up and decorating.
• As you gather your “let go” items, you can save time by calling one of the charities to schedule a truck pick up. This will keep you from making frequent trips to do drop offs. Estimated price sheets for your donations can be obtained at any Goodwill. And remember to get a receipt so you can itemize for tax deductions. With good condition furniture or collectibles, consider listing them on Craig’s list, EBay, or with a resale/consignment shop. The price tag will be comparable. Usually you can get a little bit more by selling it yourself, and you do not have to wait for the pay off. A basic rule of thumb is to anticipate the value to be half the price of what you paid. If you are contemplating a moving sale, be sure you have volunteers to help you. The pay off can be very motivating, but be sure you have the time and energy to organize.
• Gather your supplies:
1. Packing Boxes
2. White packing paper
3. Packing tape
4. Scissors to cut tape (I prefer this), or a tape dispenser
5. Thick black Sharpie markers
6. Heavy duty black garbage bags
7. Post it’s
Determine how cost effective and time efficient you want to be. Boxes, paper, and tape can be purchased through professional movers. Some movers will deliver the supplies to you even if you do not use them for the actual move. You can also go to the moving company to pick up your packing needs. Ask the moving company if they have boxes that have been recycled from previous moves. They will be less expensive compared to buying new ones. Also consider if there is anyone you know who would have boxes and paper to pass on to you after their move. Supplies can also be purchased at U-Haul and Home Depot type stores, but they can be a little more pricy than getting the supplies from a moving company. Grocery stores can be a good source for free boxes, if they are willing to assist you. I personally like Trader Joe’s. They will let you know the time and day that is best suited for retrieving their boxes. You cannot have too many boxes, especially the small to medium sized ones that are needed for heavy items like books, appliances, pottery, and heavy glass. You can always recycle what is left over. Be sure to ask what the return policies are for unused boxes and unopened boxes or rolls of paper. Avoid using newspaper for wrapping. It is so messy dirty.
• Decide who is going to do the move – you (and those you know) or professionals. If you are using professional movers then get three estimates.
• Set a moving date.
• Do a walkthrough of your living space and determine what area is least used. Packing will begin in that area. For most people, this will be the storage areas, followed by dining room and living room. Bathrooms and kitchens are the last to get packed, except for the items that are rarely used.
• When you are putting boxes together, stick with that one activity and make a number of boxes before you begin to do any packing. If you are not using a tape dispenser, be sure to turn the edge of the tape under or you will struggle to get the end free as it sticks to the tape roll.
• Only cushion the bottom and top of a box with crumpled paper when pack- ing breakables. I love using towels and rugs to pack and protect big heavy, breakables. It saves on paper.
• Label the top and side of your box with room location and contents.
• Stack your boxes on the perimeter of the room with the labeling visible.
• Gather all the “like” items that are displayed in your rooms and categorize them: framed pictures, decorative breakables, floral arrangements, etc. When you move, you may find that things look better in different rooms and don’t end up being displayed where you originally thought they would go. Unpacking these categorized items and then putting them in their new “home” will feel like shopping in a store and can be fun.
• Heavy duty black garbage bags, or your unused suit cases and duffle bags, are great for packing shoes, purses, boots, linens, towels, pillows, bedding, and clothes that do not get hung. Remember to label the bag with post it’s and reinforce with tape!!! Bags are great for fillers and cushions when loading the moving truck.
• If possible, keep hanging clothes on hangers and stack as you lay them flat in your vehicle. Wardrobe boxes can be pretty expensive when purchased new ($11.00 to $17.00 per box). There are some cases when they are needed and more practical.
Hopefully, these pointers will lessen your feelings of being overwhelmed and help you to be more at ease and actually enjoy the process of moving.
This post is for those of you who made it known that you could use some help in your upcoming moves. So, if you are contemplating a move, or know that one is drawing near, now is the time to start planning and moving into action, a little bit at a time. Avoid putting off what you can begin to do now. Because there are so many different moving situations, I will list the general bullet points that can help you to begin the moving process with a sense of peace and joyful anticipation.
• It is imperative to get ready for a move by reviewing CHG #7.
Your move is going to be so much smoother if you begin to get your “stuff” in order now. It is time to decide what you need verses what you want. So take advantage of this time to fish: gather, sort, let go, containerize, and take it home to rest.
• Clean and wash your treasures before the move rather than after. It feels so good to move right into a new place and just have fun setting up and decorating.
• As you gather your “let go” items, you can save time by calling one of the charities to schedule a truck pick up. This will keep you from making frequent trips to do drop offs. Estimated price sheets for your donations can be obtained at any Goodwill. And remember to get a receipt so you can itemize for tax deductions. With good condition furniture or collectibles, consider listing them on Craig’s list, EBay, or with a resale/consignment shop. The price tag will be comparable. Usually you can get a little bit more by selling it yourself, and you do not have to wait for the pay off. A basic rule of thumb is to anticipate the value to be half the price of what you paid. If you are contemplating a moving sale, be sure you have volunteers to help you. The pay off can be very motivating, but be sure you have the time and energy to organize.
• Gather your supplies:
1. Packing Boxes
2. White packing paper
3. Packing tape
4. Scissors to cut tape (I prefer this), or a tape dispenser
5. Thick black Sharpie markers
6. Heavy duty black garbage bags
7. Post it’s
Determine how cost effective and time efficient you want to be. Boxes, paper, and tape can be purchased through professional movers. Some movers will deliver the supplies to you even if you do not use them for the actual move. You can also go to the moving company to pick up your packing needs. Ask the moving company if they have boxes that have been recycled from previous moves. They will be less expensive compared to buying new ones. Also consider if there is anyone you know who would have boxes and paper to pass on to you after their move. Supplies can also be purchased at U-Haul and Home Depot type stores, but they can be a little more pricy than getting the supplies from a moving company. Grocery stores can be a good source for free boxes, if they are willing to assist you. I personally like Trader Joe’s. They will let you know the time and day that is best suited for retrieving their boxes. You cannot have too many boxes, especially the small to medium sized ones that are needed for heavy items like books, appliances, pottery, and heavy glass. You can always recycle what is left over. Be sure to ask what the return policies are for unused boxes and unopened boxes or rolls of paper. Avoid using newspaper for wrapping. It is so messy dirty.
• Decide who is going to do the move – you (and those you know) or professionals. If you are using professional movers then get three estimates.
• Set a moving date.
• Do a walkthrough of your living space and determine what area is least used. Packing will begin in that area. For most people, this will be the storage areas, followed by dining room and living room. Bathrooms and kitchens are the last to get packed, except for the items that are rarely used.
• When you are putting boxes together, stick with that one activity and make a number of boxes before you begin to do any packing. If you are not using a tape dispenser, be sure to turn the edge of the tape under or you will struggle to get the end free as it sticks to the tape roll.
• Only cushion the bottom and top of a box with crumpled paper when pack- ing breakables. I love using towels and rugs to pack and protect big heavy, breakables. It saves on paper.
• Label the top and side of your box with room location and contents.
• Stack your boxes on the perimeter of the room with the labeling visible.
• Gather all the “like” items that are displayed in your rooms and categorize them: framed pictures, decorative breakables, floral arrangements, etc. When you move, you may find that things look better in different rooms and don’t end up being displayed where you originally thought they would go. Unpacking these categorized items and then putting them in their new “home” will feel like shopping in a store and can be fun.
• Heavy duty black garbage bags, or your unused suit cases and duffle bags, are great for packing shoes, purses, boots, linens, towels, pillows, bedding, and clothes that do not get hung. Remember to label the bag with post it’s and reinforce with tape!!! Bags are great for fillers and cushions when loading the moving truck.
• If possible, keep hanging clothes on hangers and stack as you lay them flat in your vehicle. Wardrobe boxes can be pretty expensive when purchased new ($11.00 to $17.00 per box). There are some cases when they are needed and more practical.
Hopefully, these pointers will lessen your feelings of being overwhelmed and help you to be more at ease and actually enjoy the process of moving.
March 6, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom
More of Colleen's Quips and Quotes
·
Want to make
God laugh? Tell Him your plans.
·
Let go of
telling God what to do.
·
Let go of
picking on yourself.
·
Let go of “shoulding”
on yourself and others.
·
Let go of
saying, “I have to.”
·
Let go of
negativity.
·
Let go of
perfection.
·
Let go of
saying, “I don’t have time.” We all have
24 hours a day.
·
Let go of
saying, “What if?”
·
Hold on to
saying, “This is what I need.”
·
I will keep
on getting what I have always gotten, unless I make a change.
·
I will keep
on doing what I have always done, unless I make a change.
·
We mirror
what we see.
·
God’s Word
will change the way you see God and yourself.
·
It takes 31
days to establish a new habit.
·
There are no
quick fixes.
·
Ask for help.
·
Take care of
yourself.
·
Prayer allows
God to change us.
·
When I
express thankfulness, I am telling God that I trust Him and depend on Him.
·
My outward
life reflects my inner life.
·
My outward
clutter is a reflection of my inward clutter.
·
Our homes can
reflect and symbolize what is inside of us.
·
Our homes
reflect our hearts.
·
Basements can
be where we “stuff.”
·
Bedrooms are
for intimacy and love.
·
Kitchens are
the heart beat and survival of life.
·
Family rooms
are for gathering and socializing.
·
The Living
room represents the 80% of your home that is rarely used.
·
Do not be a
fool to Satan’s schemes.
·
As I learn to
trust God, I learn how to trust myself.
·
Look into the
mirror and say, “I love you,________________(your name).
·
Our focus is
to be on the Creator, not His creation.
·
We do not
know how to love and nurture our relationships because we ignore the Creator of
love.
·
To be truly
loved and nurtured we must remember to love God first.
·
I will feel
loved and accepted when I ask Jesus into my heart.
·
It is God’s
desire that we clean out our hearts and homes.
·
Cleaning out
our hearts means that we clean out the sin in our lives.
·
Pride = a
rock hard heart.
·
Humility = a
sponge soft heart.
·
God gives us
many warnings and many chances.
·
The more we
ignore God, the greater the consequences we face.
·
The Bible is
your spiritual PDR (Physician’s Desk Reference).
·
The Bible is
your book to recovery.
·
CPR
(cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is a life saving measure to bring back to life
what was lost.
·
CPR
Warning: Even good things can cause
clutter – too many devotionals, books, tapes, groups, serving.etc…
·
Focus on God
and not your circumstance.
·
There is no
such thing as a “white” lie. A lie is a
lie.
·
Let go of
what is worn, torn, and broken.
·
Break it
down. Take little steps: ONE step at a time.
One activity at a time.
·
Disobedience
will cause desperation, devastation, and destruction.
·
Disobedience delays
God’s blessings.
·
Repentance
calls me to move into ACTION and to CHANGE:
I make a turn around.
·
Our past can keep us from moving forward.
·
Lessen your
clutter: Determine what you need
verses what you want.
·
We use 20% of
what we have and waste the other 80%.
·
Think of the
sunflower as God’s Sonflower.
·
Get organized
by gathering, sorting, categorizing, containerizing, and taking it home.
·
Clutter is
the result of ignoring, avoiding, or pushing off the process of making a
decision.
·
MESS – PR:
the clutter that is Mental, Material, Emotional, Situational, Spiritual,
Physical, and Relational.
·
Clutter can be divided in to two categories -
hidden or exposed.
·
Your list can
become clutter.
·
Are you ready
to take off the dark glasses that keep you from seeing?
·
Create a clear
pathway to walk on and in.
·
We are
imperfect people, living in a imperfect world.
·
Owning all
the latest organizing “tools” does not make you organized.
·
Relinquish control.
·
You lessen
your clutter when you “let go” and follow through.
More of "Colleen’s Quips and Quotes" will
come after we conclude the remaining CHG’s. Enjoy the SW of pondering these
quips and quotes as you consider how they personally touch you.
I am also going to make a request.
A number of you are moving, or you are contemplating a move. Please e-mail me ASAP at Colleen.flenner@gmail.com if you would like next week’s posting to be: Getting Organized to
Move. I will eventually do a posting
like this further down the road if the need is not indicated at this particular
time.
I will close with one of my favorite prayers.
God, grant me the serenity to accept
the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the
wisdom to know the difference. Amen.
February 27, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom
Colleen’s Quips and Quotes
Yes, I did it! I began the arduous task of decluttering my tax information for 2012. And I am also thankful to say that my tests came back negative. So at this point, I am assuming that I had a nasty GI bug that took up a one week’s residence. I trust that you too found success in your endeavors to get decluttered and organized, and particularly with those paper piles.
Having spent the past six weeks on CHG #7, I thought it would be nice to take a little reprieve before starting in with CHG #8. So, I am going to share what many of my clients and students have come to call “Colleen’s Quips and Quotes.” Some of them may sound familiar to you, since they do come out of my teaching. And if they do, then that is a good indication of what you are learning and retaining.
• We all need help with whatever we are going through.
• No one person has all the answers, but God does.
• Get clear on what your heart desires.
• Our greatest clutter starts in our head and moves to our heart.
• You can deal with anything when you discover the reality and practicality of God and His Word.
• The 12 CHG’s are the practical tools for lessening your clutter and experiencing healing.
• God’s Word is an endless supply of hope, love, and truth.
• You can hear God speaking if you listen to His Word.
• My prayer time and going to God’s Word, is like a phone call to God, and He always picks up.
• God always answers prayers in His timing and way, not in my timing or my expectations.
• The 12 CHG’s are the result of listening and obeying to the Lord’s direction in my life.
• The number 12 is symbolic of the 12 disciples who followed and learned from Jesus.
• Prayer is the ongoing, never ending opportunity, to communicate with God and be specific.
• When I pray, I am gathering the thoughts and feelings that I want to share with God.
• When I write down my prayers, I can better see what I wanted to say and reflect on what I said.
• Going to God’s Word helps me to sort through the thoughts and feelings of my prayers.
• God’s Word is a prayerful communication to me about His thoughts and feelings.
• God will always prove to you that He is who He says He is.
• God’s Word gives me a direction and plan.
• Jesus saved me from the sin and darkness of myself, the world I live in, and the world yet to come.
• Our prayers can have so much in them, that even they, can get very cluttered.
• Cluttered prayers can cause us to not remember what we prayed.
• Cluttered prayers can reflect the cluttered communication that we have with others.
• Communication with God and others improves when we get specific, use less words, and listen.
• Be WATCHFUL of non verbal communication, it can say more than the words that are spoken.
• Be WAITFUL in speaking because goodness and abundance come to those who wait.
• People who deal with ADD issues often see and hear the written message over the verbal message.
• Foolishness is = to talking too much.
• Wisdom is = to listening.
• The Old Testament Book of Habakkuk shows us that we can go to God with our prayers and He will reply.
• Change is gradual, purposeful, watchful, and waitful.
• With God’s power, you can change yourself but not someone else.
• Are you doing what God is asking you to do?
• CPR WARNINGS: the heart warnings of God’s love that get misinterpreted as His negativity.
• God is not looking down on us and pointing His finger at us.
• SHE – The Safe, Healthy, and Edifying relationships that God wants you to have.
• Determine what to hold on to and what to let go of by asking if it is safe, healthy and edifying.
• God lifts me out of my piled up clutter.
• True love is safe, healthy, and lifts us up.
• You cannot afford to not spend time with God.
• Create time to be available to God.
• Your attitude is based on how you think, feel, and behave.
• We hold our breaths when we are anxious, so remind yourself to breathe.
• Lack of sleep will rob you of what you can effectively accomplish in less time, so rest.
• Give yourself permission to spend time with yourself.
• My value is not based on how much I can do or how fast I can do it.
• Observe the 2 year old and learn how to say “NO.”
• Pray before you say “YES.”
• Being BUSY is Being Under Satan’s Yoke.
• What do I need to do verses what do I want to do.
• Believing leads to receiving, so believe to receive.
• Be still means to be, to become, to be quiet, to slow down, to receive, and take in.
• You cannot give what you do not have or have not received.
• Think with your head instead of your tail.
• Let go of saying but….but….but…..
• God always loves us even when we do not love Him, ourselves, or others.
• God’s love and acceptance of me does not increase by me doing good works.
• I cannot earn God’s love, it is freely given to me as a result of His grace.
• When I focus on my past sins and faults, I create distance between me and God.
• It is my choice to decide if I will choose to love God.
• I will learn to love God’s way when I come into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Where have I looked and not found the Lord?
• Where have I looked and found the Lord?
• How have I hurt or offended God?
• What do I think about God?
• What do I feel for God?
• What does God think about me?
• What does God feel for me?
• How does the world measure success?
• How does God measure success?
There is lots of spiritual food to chew on here, so as your SW, take the next week to see how you think and feel in response to “Colleen’s Quips and Quotes.” I will use next week to continue sharing some of the more favored quips and quotes before introducing you to CHG #8.
Yes, I did it! I began the arduous task of decluttering my tax information for 2012. And I am also thankful to say that my tests came back negative. So at this point, I am assuming that I had a nasty GI bug that took up a one week’s residence. I trust that you too found success in your endeavors to get decluttered and organized, and particularly with those paper piles.
Having spent the past six weeks on CHG #7, I thought it would be nice to take a little reprieve before starting in with CHG #8. So, I am going to share what many of my clients and students have come to call “Colleen’s Quips and Quotes.” Some of them may sound familiar to you, since they do come out of my teaching. And if they do, then that is a good indication of what you are learning and retaining.
Colleen’s Quips and Quotes
• We all need help with whatever we are going through.
• No one person has all the answers, but God does.
• Get clear on what your heart desires.
• Our greatest clutter starts in our head and moves to our heart.
• You can deal with anything when you discover the reality and practicality of God and His Word.
• The 12 CHG’s are the practical tools for lessening your clutter and experiencing healing.
• God’s Word is an endless supply of hope, love, and truth.
• You can hear God speaking if you listen to His Word.
• My prayer time and going to God’s Word, is like a phone call to God, and He always picks up.
• God always answers prayers in His timing and way, not in my timing or my expectations.
• The 12 CHG’s are the result of listening and obeying to the Lord’s direction in my life.
• The number 12 is symbolic of the 12 disciples who followed and learned from Jesus.
• Prayer is the ongoing, never ending opportunity, to communicate with God and be specific.
• When I pray, I am gathering the thoughts and feelings that I want to share with God.
• When I write down my prayers, I can better see what I wanted to say and reflect on what I said.
• Going to God’s Word helps me to sort through the thoughts and feelings of my prayers.
• God’s Word is a prayerful communication to me about His thoughts and feelings.
• God will always prove to you that He is who He says He is.
• God’s Word gives me a direction and plan.
• Jesus saved me from the sin and darkness of myself, the world I live in, and the world yet to come.
• Our prayers can have so much in them, that even they, can get very cluttered.
• Cluttered prayers can cause us to not remember what we prayed.
• Cluttered prayers can reflect the cluttered communication that we have with others.
• Communication with God and others improves when we get specific, use less words, and listen.
• Be WATCHFUL of non verbal communication, it can say more than the words that are spoken.
• Be WAITFUL in speaking because goodness and abundance come to those who wait.
• People who deal with ADD issues often see and hear the written message over the verbal message.
• Foolishness is = to talking too much.
• Wisdom is = to listening.
• The Old Testament Book of Habakkuk shows us that we can go to God with our prayers and He will reply.
• Change is gradual, purposeful, watchful, and waitful.
• With God’s power, you can change yourself but not someone else.
• Are you doing what God is asking you to do?
• CPR WARNINGS: the heart warnings of God’s love that get misinterpreted as His negativity.
• God is not looking down on us and pointing His finger at us.
• SHE – The Safe, Healthy, and Edifying relationships that God wants you to have.
• Determine what to hold on to and what to let go of by asking if it is safe, healthy and edifying.
• God lifts me out of my piled up clutter.
• True love is safe, healthy, and lifts us up.
• You cannot afford to not spend time with God.
• Create time to be available to God.
• Your attitude is based on how you think, feel, and behave.
• We hold our breaths when we are anxious, so remind yourself to breathe.
• Lack of sleep will rob you of what you can effectively accomplish in less time, so rest.
• Give yourself permission to spend time with yourself.
• My value is not based on how much I can do or how fast I can do it.
• Observe the 2 year old and learn how to say “NO.”
• Pray before you say “YES.”
• Being BUSY is Being Under Satan’s Yoke.
• What do I need to do verses what do I want to do.
• Believing leads to receiving, so believe to receive.
• Be still means to be, to become, to be quiet, to slow down, to receive, and take in.
• You cannot give what you do not have or have not received.
• Think with your head instead of your tail.
• Let go of saying but….but….but…..
• God always loves us even when we do not love Him, ourselves, or others.
• God’s love and acceptance of me does not increase by me doing good works.
• I cannot earn God’s love, it is freely given to me as a result of His grace.
• When I focus on my past sins and faults, I create distance between me and God.
• It is my choice to decide if I will choose to love God.
• I will learn to love God’s way when I come into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Where have I looked and not found the Lord?
• Where have I looked and found the Lord?
• How have I hurt or offended God?
• What do I think about God?
• What do I feel for God?
• What does God think about me?
• What does God feel for me?
• How does the world measure success?
• How does God measure success?
There is lots of spiritual food to chew on here, so as your SW, take the next week to see how you think and feel in response to “Colleen’s Quips and Quotes.” I will use next week to continue sharing some of the more favored quips and quotes before introducing you to CHG #8.
February 20, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #7, Part Six
Implement a
Prioritized Plan with Patience
What kind of response did you hear from the Lord when you asked Him to help you get the direction you needed to begin fine sorting those generalized paper piles? Well, here is the reality of what happened with me. I have been notoriously hearing the two most familiar words that have become a constant mantra in my life. Can you guess what they might be. You’d be right if you guessed “slow down.” It is that all too familiar prompting of CHG #1 that is consistently prodding me to slow down. Having said that, I want to clarify that my slowing down can look very different from the slowing down that you need to put into action as we deal with our individualized paper piles.
So let’s see how my situation can hopefully help you to understand some of the steps to execute in getting your own paper pile in order. First of all, I gathered a generalized paper pile that got categorized as the 2012 tax year. The goal that I had set for myself was to get my tax information finely sorted, recorded, and delivered to my accountant no later than March 15th. My plan was to do the taxes this past weekend, but that did not come to fruition. Instead, I found myself being “delayed” as I was in my bed for the entire weekend. It became very clear that there was a bigger priority at hand. I was under enemy attack, and my body needed to fight off the unidentified GI bug, gallbladder issue, or whatever unknown entity gets revealed, as I wait for some of the test results. Here is the direction that God gave me. He helped me to be at peace with the change of plans. My desire to get the taxes done in an even shorter time than what my goal had allotted me was being stalled, and God’s words resonated in my head about being patient. I needed to be patient with the change of plans, my goal setting (CHG # 5), and their implementation (CHG # 7). It can be so hard to still ourselves when we want to move, but it is possible, especially when we choose to listen to the quiet Spirit of God who is directing and working out our steps!
God willing, the tax information will get finely sorted tomorrow in their more specific piles. Here is a sampling of some of those categories that get finely sorted for someone like me who is self employed:
One of the biggest problems that arrive with sorting, is when the paper pile starts to get sorted, but then an interruption occurs and it causes many of you to ultimately throw all of your sorting, time, and energy back into an unsorted pile. It results in a repetitive sorting that never sees the follow through to completion. Stop that madness now! Here is what to do instead. First, use those post its to label each categorized pile. Then think of paper clips, rubber bands, file folders, or zip locks as your containerizing tools. Determine which of these tools will best keep what you have sorted to stay sorted. You can then gather your labeled and sorted piles into one pile. Your pile will stay sorted and you can pick up where you left off.
Once you have done the fine sorting, you are ready to take one pile at a time to read and study its contents, and make the necessary decisions. Your job will be done when you determine the type of container that is needed for your specific categories so that they can be taken home to rest.
Our time and devotion to CHG #7 has been very detailed, and it has taken twice as long to discuss compared to any of the other guidelines. This is because CHG #7 is really the blueprint for how your mind needs to think so you can create order in your outer environment as well as your inner environment. I love the response that I heard this past week in regards to the time we have taken with CHG #7. “CHG #7 helped me to move from a place of hope, to a place of faith, to a place that is now reality.” The change that had taken place inwardly was now being reflected outwardly. Material order had been achieved as well as an order that came from within.
Your SW this week is to gather the supplies you need to get your paperwork in order so you can begin to break down those large paper piles into smaller more specific piles and get a system established for yourself.
What kind of response did you hear from the Lord when you asked Him to help you get the direction you needed to begin fine sorting those generalized paper piles? Well, here is the reality of what happened with me. I have been notoriously hearing the two most familiar words that have become a constant mantra in my life. Can you guess what they might be. You’d be right if you guessed “slow down.” It is that all too familiar prompting of CHG #1 that is consistently prodding me to slow down. Having said that, I want to clarify that my slowing down can look very different from the slowing down that you need to put into action as we deal with our individualized paper piles.
So let’s see how my situation can hopefully help you to understand some of the steps to execute in getting your own paper pile in order. First of all, I gathered a generalized paper pile that got categorized as the 2012 tax year. The goal that I had set for myself was to get my tax information finely sorted, recorded, and delivered to my accountant no later than March 15th. My plan was to do the taxes this past weekend, but that did not come to fruition. Instead, I found myself being “delayed” as I was in my bed for the entire weekend. It became very clear that there was a bigger priority at hand. I was under enemy attack, and my body needed to fight off the unidentified GI bug, gallbladder issue, or whatever unknown entity gets revealed, as I wait for some of the test results. Here is the direction that God gave me. He helped me to be at peace with the change of plans. My desire to get the taxes done in an even shorter time than what my goal had allotted me was being stalled, and God’s words resonated in my head about being patient. I needed to be patient with the change of plans, my goal setting (CHG # 5), and their implementation (CHG # 7). It can be so hard to still ourselves when we want to move, but it is possible, especially when we choose to listen to the quiet Spirit of God who is directing and working out our steps!
God willing, the tax information will get finely sorted tomorrow in their more specific piles. Here is a sampling of some of those categories that get finely sorted for someone like me who is self employed:
1. Expenses: Promotional,
Advertising. Office supplies, Seminars, Teaching
2. Utilities: Phones,
Gas and Electric, Internet, Security System
3. Mileage: Business, Health
4. Donations: Church, Charities,
Ministries
5. Investments: IRA, Mortgage
6. Taxes: Federal,
State, Local, Real Estate
7. Insurance: Health, Long
Term, Home/Auto
8. Income
The supplies that you want to gather for sorting papers include: post-its, sharpies, paper clips, scissors, rubber
bands, stapler, file folders, and a variety of clear zip lock bags.One of the biggest problems that arrive with sorting, is when the paper pile starts to get sorted, but then an interruption occurs and it causes many of you to ultimately throw all of your sorting, time, and energy back into an unsorted pile. It results in a repetitive sorting that never sees the follow through to completion. Stop that madness now! Here is what to do instead. First, use those post its to label each categorized pile. Then think of paper clips, rubber bands, file folders, or zip locks as your containerizing tools. Determine which of these tools will best keep what you have sorted to stay sorted. You can then gather your labeled and sorted piles into one pile. Your pile will stay sorted and you can pick up where you left off.
Once you have done the fine sorting, you are ready to take one pile at a time to read and study its contents, and make the necessary decisions. Your job will be done when you determine the type of container that is needed for your specific categories so that they can be taken home to rest.
Our time and devotion to CHG #7 has been very detailed, and it has taken twice as long to discuss compared to any of the other guidelines. This is because CHG #7 is really the blueprint for how your mind needs to think so you can create order in your outer environment as well as your inner environment. I love the response that I heard this past week in regards to the time we have taken with CHG #7. “CHG #7 helped me to move from a place of hope, to a place of faith, to a place that is now reality.” The change that had taken place inwardly was now being reflected outwardly. Material order had been achieved as well as an order that came from within.
Your SW this week is to gather the supplies you need to get your paperwork in order so you can begin to break down those large paper piles into smaller more specific piles and get a system established for yourself.
February 13, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #7, Part Five
Implement a
Prioritized Plan with Patience
This week your SW was to address your generalized piles and choose the ones that would be the easiest for you to make a decision about. How did you do with those piles? How did it go for you in terms of labeling and determining what to keep, trash, recycle, or give away? It is my hope that you also began to gain some insight about any fears that have deterred you in being able to let go of what has not been a blessing to you, so you can experience the healing and love that God wants to grant you.
You may have discovered that the paper piles were more challenging to you than any of the other piles. Though toys and clothes can mound up pretty high and take up a lot of space, it tends to be the paperwork that is most cumbersome. It requires more of your attention and time to fine sort and categorize paperwork, due to the reading, studying, and decision making for keeping or letting go.
So, let’s focus on the easier piles first and start with toys. I will focus on two generalized categories so that you can get an idea of where to begin. Gather your supplies: an assortment of bags – clear zip locks, white and or black trash bags, sharpie, post its, index cards, hole puncher, scissors, and ribbon. A generalized sorting would be, as an example, stuffed animals. Fine sorting the stuffed animals might be according to their size, so they would be labeled as: small stuffed animals, medium stuffed animals or large stuffed animals. Stuffed animals take up more space than any other toy outside of toy furniture. My suggestion is that you try to minimize them and keep them in a generalized category with an assortment of sizes.
The next toy category is dolls. Keeping them in a generalized doll category is suggested for young children, but as children get older there is a greater assortment of dolls. This is when you will want to fine sort them into Barbie, baby, Polly pockets, etc. Once you have decided what to keep and what to let go of, you are ready to bag up the categories you have made until you use the containers you have on hand or purchase new ones. Bagging of toys is temporary and keeps them sorted until you put them in a permanent container that becomes their home.
When it comes to toy containers, I advocate inexpensive white laundry baskets. The look is easy and clean. Label an index card, hole punch it, put ribbon through it and tie it to your basket. Enjoy the order that comes from this set up that also requires you to routinely help your children to bring their toys home by putting them in the designated container. Clear shoe box containers are advised for these fine sorted categories: markers, crayons, colored pencils, stickers. Of course, use containers that are smaller or larger than this, depending on your individualized needs. Cut index cards in half, label it and tape it to your box. Warning: Keep these kinds of items and small tiny parts and games where children need to ask for them and be supervised. Otherwise, you will end up with way more clutter than you ever wanted.
When it comes to the generalized pile of clothes, fine sort them according to pants, shorts, shirts, blouses, T’s, etc. Keep this tip in mind: Clothes that are hung are always better to see and organize than those that are folded. When storing outgrown clothes, put them in containers that differentiate them, such as boy or girl and the age range. Warning: Bagging clothes for storage can make for a lot more clutter, especially if they are not properly labeled.
I realize that there are many of you who have a variety of individualized organizing needs. And over the past five weeks, I have singled out some of the basic principles to help you implement a prioritized plan with patience. I am happy to help you in any way that I can, so if you have a question or concern, please, always know that you can ask me for help. If you have a question, then get an answer. Do not stay stuck in that fear and doubt!
Next week we will fine sort those paper piles. Your SW this week is to continue asking the Lord to direct you in fine sorting your gathered piles and to ask others for the help that you need.
This week your SW was to address your generalized piles and choose the ones that would be the easiest for you to make a decision about. How did you do with those piles? How did it go for you in terms of labeling and determining what to keep, trash, recycle, or give away? It is my hope that you also began to gain some insight about any fears that have deterred you in being able to let go of what has not been a blessing to you, so you can experience the healing and love that God wants to grant you.
You may have discovered that the paper piles were more challenging to you than any of the other piles. Though toys and clothes can mound up pretty high and take up a lot of space, it tends to be the paperwork that is most cumbersome. It requires more of your attention and time to fine sort and categorize paperwork, due to the reading, studying, and decision making for keeping or letting go.
So, let’s focus on the easier piles first and start with toys. I will focus on two generalized categories so that you can get an idea of where to begin. Gather your supplies: an assortment of bags – clear zip locks, white and or black trash bags, sharpie, post its, index cards, hole puncher, scissors, and ribbon. A generalized sorting would be, as an example, stuffed animals. Fine sorting the stuffed animals might be according to their size, so they would be labeled as: small stuffed animals, medium stuffed animals or large stuffed animals. Stuffed animals take up more space than any other toy outside of toy furniture. My suggestion is that you try to minimize them and keep them in a generalized category with an assortment of sizes.
The next toy category is dolls. Keeping them in a generalized doll category is suggested for young children, but as children get older there is a greater assortment of dolls. This is when you will want to fine sort them into Barbie, baby, Polly pockets, etc. Once you have decided what to keep and what to let go of, you are ready to bag up the categories you have made until you use the containers you have on hand or purchase new ones. Bagging of toys is temporary and keeps them sorted until you put them in a permanent container that becomes their home.
When it comes to toy containers, I advocate inexpensive white laundry baskets. The look is easy and clean. Label an index card, hole punch it, put ribbon through it and tie it to your basket. Enjoy the order that comes from this set up that also requires you to routinely help your children to bring their toys home by putting them in the designated container. Clear shoe box containers are advised for these fine sorted categories: markers, crayons, colored pencils, stickers. Of course, use containers that are smaller or larger than this, depending on your individualized needs. Cut index cards in half, label it and tape it to your box. Warning: Keep these kinds of items and small tiny parts and games where children need to ask for them and be supervised. Otherwise, you will end up with way more clutter than you ever wanted.
When it comes to the generalized pile of clothes, fine sort them according to pants, shorts, shirts, blouses, T’s, etc. Keep this tip in mind: Clothes that are hung are always better to see and organize than those that are folded. When storing outgrown clothes, put them in containers that differentiate them, such as boy or girl and the age range. Warning: Bagging clothes for storage can make for a lot more clutter, especially if they are not properly labeled.
I realize that there are many of you who have a variety of individualized organizing needs. And over the past five weeks, I have singled out some of the basic principles to help you implement a prioritized plan with patience. I am happy to help you in any way that I can, so if you have a question or concern, please, always know that you can ask me for help. If you have a question, then get an answer. Do not stay stuck in that fear and doubt!
Next week we will fine sort those paper piles. Your SW this week is to continue asking the Lord to direct you in fine sorting your gathered piles and to ask others for the help that you need.
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