June 30, 2012
To keep things a bit less cluttered in my life currently, I had to take a break from working on Red Wednesday's Widsom this week, due to an actual break that happened to my ankle! Check back next Wednesday as we continue to look at Clutter Healing Guideline #1, and in the meantime, please be praying for my fast healing and recovery and keep plugging away at your SW.
June 20, 2012
Red Wednesday's Widsom - CHG #1, Part Two
Slow Down and Be Still
First of all, I would like to slow down and be still with you by praying.
Father God, we thank you for showing us this past week where we needed to slow down so we could become more patient with You, ourselves, and one another. You tell us in 1 Corinthians 13:1 that love is patient. It is the first word that You use to show me what love looks like. Boy Lord, I am so impatient! I want to pray fast, eat fast, talk fast, walk fast, and be in a relationship fast! I want a fast computer, a fast phone, and a fast fax. I want a fast car and a fast plane. I want to shop, shop, shop, move, move, move, till I drop, drop, drop! I want everything FAST – fast food, and a fast drive through. I want, want, want. I want this and I want that! Help me Lord, to slow down enough to hear You say what I need, need, need, vs. what I want, want, want.
What do you think is the #1 word that people use to describe how they think or feel about their clutter? If you said "overwhelmed," you are correct. How would you describe overwhelmed? The dictionary says that it means to pour down and bury beneath, or to crush. So being overwhelmed can make us think and feel like we are being poured down, buried, or crushed.
Being overwhelmed is often the result of taking on too much and doing it too fast. We pile up so much on ourselves that we feel overwhelmed by all of our doing!
In order to lessen that feeling of being overwhelmed, I would like to start out by having you slow down and reflect on what you found out about yourself this past week. How did you make an honest attempt to slow down or be still for just one minute every day? How did this slowing down change or transform you? Did your change influence someone else? Notice that I said influence and not change. I want to reinforce what I said last week. You can only change yourself. You can not change another. When change takes place in you, it can influence others, but it is up to each individual to decide if he or she is motivated to change themselves.
The one word that I used to describe my clutter from last week was “chores.” More specifically it had to do with all of my outdoor chores. Here was my thinking at the beginning of this past week. I wanted to get all my chores done by Father’s Day weekend, since I was expecting company, but I needed to be patient with myself. I needed to let go of the want to have the perfect completed look. I needed to be realistic about the full work week schedule that was already going to take place. By choosing to be still and let go of all the doing, it enabled me to nurture myself and take in the beauty of my yard as it was, while enjoying conversation with neighbors passing by - a big change for me, because I often tell myself that I do not have time.
So as we continue to reflect on the answers that we have gathered about ourselves over this past week, I am now going to ask you to consider what one clutter category best represents where you are at this time in your life.
I have classified clutter into 7 categories, and I use this acronym: MMESS PR
Mental
Material
Emotional
Situational
Spiritual
Physical
Relational
After each category you will see some examples of the signs/symptoms for that clutter category. Please note that the signs and symptoms that are listed are simply that, examples. No sign or symptom is specific to a certain category. Let me clarify. Scattered may be a sign/symptom that gets reflected in more than one category. It can be the sign/symptom of someone's mental clutter and for someone else it could reflect their emotional clutter.
Material: paper, clothes, toys, laundry
Mental: scattered, conflicting beliefs, low self worth or value, negativity
Emotional: anger, shame, depression, isolation, judging, criticizing
Situational: divorce, moving, death, job loss, finances
Spiritual: religiosity, psychics, horoscopes, numerology, over serving
Physical Health: weight/food issues, cancer, addictions (drugs, alcohol, smoking)
Relational: dating, marriage, parenting, work relations
Please keep in mind that these clutter categories along with their signs and symptoms are all intertwined with one another. You have clutter in all of these categories and it comes at you in different ways and at different times throughout your life. By breaking down the concept of clutter into these seven categories, we are breaking down the big picture of what is stress.
When we look at the whole big picture and think we have to deal with it all at one time, we don't know where to start, and that is what causes us to think and feel overwhelmed. It’s too much to tackle. It's like seeing the drawing of a new house you are going to build and thinking that you have to build the whole house all at the same time. It doesn't work that way. You have to break down the building of that home in a step by step process to accomplish the end result or you will be the one that ends up being broken down.
Your SW for this coming week is to choose the one clutter category that most reflects that area in your life that prompted you to slow down and be still last week. This is the area of clutter that most needs your attention in your life right now. As you focus on your clutter category, write it down, and then record some of your thoughts as you ask your self how the Scripture from Psalm 46:10, “Be silent and know that I am God,” speaks to you personally about your clutter category. This is the Scripture that backs up our need to slow down and be still. Do you remember what seed you waned to plant? Go back and look up the answer you wrote from your first SW. Was it healing, hope, love, or Truth? As reinforcement for yourself, write down the seed you wanted to plant in relationship to the clutter category you have now chosen to focus on. This will help you to begin to seeing the fruit of your planting.
Psalm 46:10 reminds me to be quiet so I can listen. When I am quiet I can listen to what God is saying through His word, His creation, my experiences, and others. When I am quiet I can better hear what I say to myself through my thoughts. And when I practice the discipline of keeping my mouth closed, I am able to better hear what others are speaking. This Scripture also reinforces my need for knowledge. It says know that I am God. In other words, I am not God, God is God, and God really wants me to think about being quiet and Him being God. When I meditate on what God is telling me, I am applying that knowledge about Him being God to my thoughts and it will change me. Remember what we learned from last week: knowledge + application = change.
My clutter will always build up when I attempt to do too much, do it too fast, or I am too busy to slow down. My clutter builds up when I do not still myself to be renewed, refreshed, and relaxed. Therefore, when I slow down and I when I still myself, I lessen my clutter.
In terms of symbolism, the lighthouse is a symbol that God has often used with me, and others, to get our attention to slow down and be still. Whenever I see one, whether it is a picture or an actual lighthouse, I am reminded that God is God, and He is the Lighthouse that directs me at all times, especially in my darkness when I am alone, or when I am overwhelmed by the storms of life. See if He uses the lighthouse to get your attention to remember that He is God, and that He is the One who will direct your steps to slow down and be still in Him. If not a lighthouse, it may be this song by Steven Curtis Chapman called Be Still and Know.
First of all, I would like to slow down and be still with you by praying.
Father God, we thank you for showing us this past week where we needed to slow down so we could become more patient with You, ourselves, and one another. You tell us in 1 Corinthians 13:1 that love is patient. It is the first word that You use to show me what love looks like. Boy Lord, I am so impatient! I want to pray fast, eat fast, talk fast, walk fast, and be in a relationship fast! I want a fast computer, a fast phone, and a fast fax. I want a fast car and a fast plane. I want to shop, shop, shop, move, move, move, till I drop, drop, drop! I want everything FAST – fast food, and a fast drive through. I want, want, want. I want this and I want that! Help me Lord, to slow down enough to hear You say what I need, need, need, vs. what I want, want, want.
What do you think is the #1 word that people use to describe how they think or feel about their clutter? If you said "overwhelmed," you are correct. How would you describe overwhelmed? The dictionary says that it means to pour down and bury beneath, or to crush. So being overwhelmed can make us think and feel like we are being poured down, buried, or crushed.
Being overwhelmed is often the result of taking on too much and doing it too fast. We pile up so much on ourselves that we feel overwhelmed by all of our doing!
In order to lessen that feeling of being overwhelmed, I would like to start out by having you slow down and reflect on what you found out about yourself this past week. How did you make an honest attempt to slow down or be still for just one minute every day? How did this slowing down change or transform you? Did your change influence someone else? Notice that I said influence and not change. I want to reinforce what I said last week. You can only change yourself. You can not change another. When change takes place in you, it can influence others, but it is up to each individual to decide if he or she is motivated to change themselves.
The one word that I used to describe my clutter from last week was “chores.” More specifically it had to do with all of my outdoor chores. Here was my thinking at the beginning of this past week. I wanted to get all my chores done by Father’s Day weekend, since I was expecting company, but I needed to be patient with myself. I needed to let go of the want to have the perfect completed look. I needed to be realistic about the full work week schedule that was already going to take place. By choosing to be still and let go of all the doing, it enabled me to nurture myself and take in the beauty of my yard as it was, while enjoying conversation with neighbors passing by - a big change for me, because I often tell myself that I do not have time.
So as we continue to reflect on the answers that we have gathered about ourselves over this past week, I am now going to ask you to consider what one clutter category best represents where you are at this time in your life.
I have classified clutter into 7 categories, and I use this acronym: MMESS PR
Mental
Material
Emotional
Situational
Spiritual
Physical
Relational
After each category you will see some examples of the signs/symptoms for that clutter category. Please note that the signs and symptoms that are listed are simply that, examples. No sign or symptom is specific to a certain category. Let me clarify. Scattered may be a sign/symptom that gets reflected in more than one category. It can be the sign/symptom of someone's mental clutter and for someone else it could reflect their emotional clutter.
Material: paper, clothes, toys, laundry
Mental: scattered, conflicting beliefs, low self worth or value, negativity
Emotional: anger, shame, depression, isolation, judging, criticizing
Situational: divorce, moving, death, job loss, finances
Spiritual: religiosity, psychics, horoscopes, numerology, over serving
Physical Health: weight/food issues, cancer, addictions (drugs, alcohol, smoking)
Relational: dating, marriage, parenting, work relations
Please keep in mind that these clutter categories along with their signs and symptoms are all intertwined with one another. You have clutter in all of these categories and it comes at you in different ways and at different times throughout your life. By breaking down the concept of clutter into these seven categories, we are breaking down the big picture of what is stress.
When we look at the whole big picture and think we have to deal with it all at one time, we don't know where to start, and that is what causes us to think and feel overwhelmed. It’s too much to tackle. It's like seeing the drawing of a new house you are going to build and thinking that you have to build the whole house all at the same time. It doesn't work that way. You have to break down the building of that home in a step by step process to accomplish the end result or you will be the one that ends up being broken down.
Your SW for this coming week is to choose the one clutter category that most reflects that area in your life that prompted you to slow down and be still last week. This is the area of clutter that most needs your attention in your life right now. As you focus on your clutter category, write it down, and then record some of your thoughts as you ask your self how the Scripture from Psalm 46:10, “Be silent and know that I am God,” speaks to you personally about your clutter category. This is the Scripture that backs up our need to slow down and be still. Do you remember what seed you waned to plant? Go back and look up the answer you wrote from your first SW. Was it healing, hope, love, or Truth? As reinforcement for yourself, write down the seed you wanted to plant in relationship to the clutter category you have now chosen to focus on. This will help you to begin to seeing the fruit of your planting.
Psalm 46:10 reminds me to be quiet so I can listen. When I am quiet I can listen to what God is saying through His word, His creation, my experiences, and others. When I am quiet I can better hear what I say to myself through my thoughts. And when I practice the discipline of keeping my mouth closed, I am able to better hear what others are speaking. This Scripture also reinforces my need for knowledge. It says know that I am God. In other words, I am not God, God is God, and God really wants me to think about being quiet and Him being God. When I meditate on what God is telling me, I am applying that knowledge about Him being God to my thoughts and it will change me. Remember what we learned from last week: knowledge + application = change.
My clutter will always build up when I attempt to do too much, do it too fast, or I am too busy to slow down. My clutter builds up when I do not still myself to be renewed, refreshed, and relaxed. Therefore, when I slow down and I when I still myself, I lessen my clutter.
In terms of symbolism, the lighthouse is a symbol that God has often used with me, and others, to get our attention to slow down and be still. Whenever I see one, whether it is a picture or an actual lighthouse, I am reminded that God is God, and He is the Lighthouse that directs me at all times, especially in my darkness when I am alone, or when I am overwhelmed by the storms of life. See if He uses the lighthouse to get your attention to remember that He is God, and that He is the One who will direct your steps to slow down and be still in Him. If not a lighthouse, it may be this song by Steven Curtis Chapman called Be Still and Know.
June 13, 2012
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #1, Part One
Slow Down and Be Still
Prior to writing today’s Red Wednesday’s Wisdom, I stilled myself by spending some time in prayer and reflection. As a result of that slowing down, I wanted to share what came to me through Pastor Tony Evan’s daily e-mail devotion. And to put it quite simply, had I not slowed down to be still with the Lord, I would have missed what God wanted to say to me, and particularly as it pertains to this blog! Today’s devotion was just one example of the many ways that God affirms for me that I am on His path, heeding His calling.
Last week I taught you about journaling and what you can learn through God’s Holy Spirit when you write down your one word responses or phrases that are reflective of your answers to the SW. This morning’s devotion began with these words. “Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord” (Exodus 24:4), and then Pastor Evans went on to say that Moses did not want to miss or forget anything that God was telling him.
I can not tell you how excited I got! Whenever I hear God specifically and personally speaking to me through His written Word and His Holy Spirit, I continue to be in awe. Just think about it, the God of the universe wants to talk to us! It is so unfathomable, but the Bible, which is inclusive of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), was inspired through God’s Holy Spirit! The Bible remains the # 1 best selling book, and it contains God’s most personal love letters that have been written to each and every one of us!
So with that little side note, grab your journal and pen as we prepare to slow down. Take some time to slowly breathe in and slowly breathe out so you can get that oxygen flowing to your brain. Now take a moment to think, and consider the visual that comes to mind as you ponder on the word "clutter." Write down your thought in one word. If you then want to elaborate on your one word go right ahead. For the majority of you there was an immediate mental picture of the pile ups and build ups of material “stuff” - mail, paperwork, laundry, dishes, or toys. My one word would have been "chores." Maybe your word was "paperwork."
Remember when I told you last week that clutter = stress? I am going to help you see how specific we can be in identifying our stress when we rethink of it in terms of what builds up and piles up not only with our possessions, but also in our heads and hearts, as well as situationaly, spiritually, physically and mentally. All you have to do is look at the expression on this face and you can sense that there is way more clutter going on than meets the eye!
Build ups and pile ups take place first and foremost in our heads, where we are bombarded with unlimited thoughts. Those thoughts can then give way to an endless array of built up emotions and feelings that get stored up in our hearts. Thoughts and feelings directly influence the numerous situations that we find ourselves piling into. Add to all of this the bewildering pileup of spiritual beliefs systems, and you will see the ripple effect of what builds up inside of our bodies that adversely affects our physical health, and spreads to a build up of damaged relationships.
Looking at clutter from this point of view helps us to more clearly see that it can encompass every aspect of our lives. As we look at stress in the light of defining it as clutter, I hope you will be better prepared to see what is robbing you from living with simplicity, order and nurturance.
Slow down and reflect on this:
♥ Clutter is anything that builds up or piles up around us.
♥ Clutter is anything that builds up or piles up inside of us.
♥ Our outward clutter reflects our inward clutter.
♥ Clutter is directly related to the build-up or pile-up of how we think and feel.
♥ Clutter is the build-up or pile-up of “pushing off” or “putting off” the making of a decision. In one word, we "avoid" or "procrastinate" the making of a decision. In one phrase, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”
♥ Clutter causes confusion, chaos, and disorder within us and around us.
♥ Clutter can reflect the barriers of sin that come between us and God.
To summarize, our outward environment reflects what we think and feel on the inside. Therefore, our outward clutter is a reflection of the clutter that is going on inside of us. And here is the truth about clutter, it is always coming at you just like the mail, whether it is snail mail or e-mail. Clutter never goes away but, we can learn how to manage it and lessen it.
How do we manage and lessen the clutter? We will start by slowing down, and I will for warn you, this is a Clutter Healing Guideline (CHG) that is a foundational life skill for living in a very fast paced world. We are going to spend some very precious time in learning how to do this. So, in your journal, and even on a post it note, write down the following equation: Knowledge + Application = Change. Over the next week, take just one minute each day to remind yourself to slow down and think about how change pertains specifically to you and not someone else.
Knowledge without application is useless. And when you are introduced next week to the 7 categories of clutter, you will begin to gain the knowledge that you need and the opportunity to apply that knowledge. You will be able to lessen, manage, and heal your clutter, and that will bring about a transformation that is life changing.
Here is the challenge for you this up coming week as you still yourself to reflect these three truths about change:
♥ You can only change you.
♥ You can not change another.
♥ True change, true transformation, comes through God’s power source, His Holy Spirit.
This week let’s make a conscientious effort to honestly assess where we need to slow down and/or be still. Maybe it has to do with our scheduling, driving, talking, reacting, spending, serving, pleasing. Ask God to help you identify that one area in your life that needs to change, and then write it down for yourself in just one word.
The first guideline to healing any kind of clutter is to slow down and be still. We have build ups and pile ups in our life because we are doing everything way too fast and we think there is no time to slow sown or to quiet ourselves. Here is the Scripture that God speaks to us in backing up this first Clutter Healing Guideline, which will be referred to as CHG from here on out. “Be silent, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). I look forward to breaking this Scripture down for you next week as we continue to explore CHG #1.
Prior to writing today’s Red Wednesday’s Wisdom, I stilled myself by spending some time in prayer and reflection. As a result of that slowing down, I wanted to share what came to me through Pastor Tony Evan’s daily e-mail devotion. And to put it quite simply, had I not slowed down to be still with the Lord, I would have missed what God wanted to say to me, and particularly as it pertains to this blog! Today’s devotion was just one example of the many ways that God affirms for me that I am on His path, heeding His calling.
Last week I taught you about journaling and what you can learn through God’s Holy Spirit when you write down your one word responses or phrases that are reflective of your answers to the SW. This morning’s devotion began with these words. “Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord” (Exodus 24:4), and then Pastor Evans went on to say that Moses did not want to miss or forget anything that God was telling him.
I can not tell you how excited I got! Whenever I hear God specifically and personally speaking to me through His written Word and His Holy Spirit, I continue to be in awe. Just think about it, the God of the universe wants to talk to us! It is so unfathomable, but the Bible, which is inclusive of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible), was inspired through God’s Holy Spirit! The Bible remains the # 1 best selling book, and it contains God’s most personal love letters that have been written to each and every one of us!
So with that little side note, grab your journal and pen as we prepare to slow down. Take some time to slowly breathe in and slowly breathe out so you can get that oxygen flowing to your brain. Now take a moment to think, and consider the visual that comes to mind as you ponder on the word "clutter." Write down your thought in one word. If you then want to elaborate on your one word go right ahead. For the majority of you there was an immediate mental picture of the pile ups and build ups of material “stuff” - mail, paperwork, laundry, dishes, or toys. My one word would have been "chores." Maybe your word was "paperwork."
Remember when I told you last week that clutter = stress? I am going to help you see how specific we can be in identifying our stress when we rethink of it in terms of what builds up and piles up not only with our possessions, but also in our heads and hearts, as well as situationaly, spiritually, physically and mentally. All you have to do is look at the expression on this face and you can sense that there is way more clutter going on than meets the eye!
Looking at clutter from this point of view helps us to more clearly see that it can encompass every aspect of our lives. As we look at stress in the light of defining it as clutter, I hope you will be better prepared to see what is robbing you from living with simplicity, order and nurturance.
Slow down and reflect on this:
♥ Clutter is anything that builds up or piles up around us.
♥ Clutter is anything that builds up or piles up inside of us.
♥ Our outward clutter reflects our inward clutter.
♥ Clutter is directly related to the build-up or pile-up of how we think and feel.
♥ Clutter is the build-up or pile-up of “pushing off” or “putting off” the making of a decision. In one word, we "avoid" or "procrastinate" the making of a decision. In one phrase, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”
♥ Clutter causes confusion, chaos, and disorder within us and around us.
♥ Clutter can reflect the barriers of sin that come between us and God.
To summarize, our outward environment reflects what we think and feel on the inside. Therefore, our outward clutter is a reflection of the clutter that is going on inside of us. And here is the truth about clutter, it is always coming at you just like the mail, whether it is snail mail or e-mail. Clutter never goes away but, we can learn how to manage it and lessen it.
How do we manage and lessen the clutter? We will start by slowing down, and I will for warn you, this is a Clutter Healing Guideline (CHG) that is a foundational life skill for living in a very fast paced world. We are going to spend some very precious time in learning how to do this. So, in your journal, and even on a post it note, write down the following equation: Knowledge + Application = Change. Over the next week, take just one minute each day to remind yourself to slow down and think about how change pertains specifically to you and not someone else.
Knowledge without application is useless. And when you are introduced next week to the 7 categories of clutter, you will begin to gain the knowledge that you need and the opportunity to apply that knowledge. You will be able to lessen, manage, and heal your clutter, and that will bring about a transformation that is life changing.
Here is the challenge for you this up coming week as you still yourself to reflect these three truths about change:
♥ You can only change you.
♥ You can not change another.
♥ True change, true transformation, comes through God’s power source, His Holy Spirit.
This week let’s make a conscientious effort to honestly assess where we need to slow down and/or be still. Maybe it has to do with our scheduling, driving, talking, reacting, spending, serving, pleasing. Ask God to help you identify that one area in your life that needs to change, and then write it down for yourself in just one word.
The first guideline to healing any kind of clutter is to slow down and be still. We have build ups and pile ups in our life because we are doing everything way too fast and we think there is no time to slow sown or to quiet ourselves. Here is the Scripture that God speaks to us in backing up this first Clutter Healing Guideline, which will be referred to as CHG from here on out. “Be silent, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). I look forward to breaking this Scripture down for you next week as we continue to explore CHG #1.
June 6, 2012
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - Journaling
As we get connected to one another through this blog, I am going to suggest that from here on out you consider buying yourself a journal. It can be as simple as a paper tablet. And if you have any kind of hesitation to doing this because you hate to write, I want to put your mind at ease. The journaling or writing that I am talking about is simply related to one word thoughts or feelings, and sometimes it consists of just a phrase or sentence.
Last week I introduced you to Spirit Work (SW). The journal is a great place to begin recording your answers to that SW and to the ones that will follow. If you begin to write your SW answers in one place you will start to see the story that the Holy Spirit wants to reveal to you about yourself. Consider using the journal like you would use a container. You are going to use it to gather your thoughts and feelings.
Writing is actually one of the guidelines for lessening and healing the clutter in your life. Think of your “to do list,” it is a great example of this. When your “to do list” is put down on paper it gives you more clarity and direction. It can actually save you space, time, energy, and money. That is what journaling is all about. It gives you a more clear direction in how to live your day to day life with the Holy Spirit guiding you.
So I hope you get that journal book and begin to write down your answers to last week’s SW. I then want you to look at those answers and consider if they had any bearing on what took place in your life from last week to this week. How did that one thought, feeling, seed, or Scripture influence you or not influence you? How did the song Draw Me Close touch you?
Here is an example of how I would respond to the question in regards to the song. I “happened” to hear that song on the radio this past week. I had not heard it for a long time. I then came upon the Scripture in James 4:8 that reflected the title, “Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.” This past week was filled with much sadness and disappointment concerning a loved one. Consequently, I knew that I needed a couple of days to be by myself and in God’s presence. This song and Scripture came after my two days of quiet time. It affirmed for me that God was reaching down, taking my hand and saying, “I am always here with you. You drew close to me Colleen, and I drew close to you.” I was healed from the cluttered emotions of sadness and disappointment, and I am at peace!
I am just about ready to dig in to your specific clutter, but there are five points that I want to reinforce as the Holy Spirit prepares us to take this journey through our clutter.
♥ Truth
Truth can only be found in God’s Word. Truth comes from what God says, and not what man says or thinks it should be. John 14:17 says, “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.”
With the vast number of cluttered divorces, broken families, wounded relationships and the wide spread addiction to drugs, alcohol and sex, we have all been personally and adversely affected. We desperately need God’s Word to guide us through these tumultuous issues that I refer to as clutter.
Jesus said in John 14:6. “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus is the only one who can direct my path because He is truth and He is life. Every breath that I take is because He is the life Giver! The Truth of God’s Word continually teaches me to look at life from God’s view point and not mine.
♥ Prevention
As a Nurse I want to help you in knowing how to prevent the problems that create your clutter. I want to equip you with the tools that will help you to take better care of your physical health so you can lessen the burden of disease, sickness, and illness that can clutter your body, mind, spirit and the environment that you live and work in.
Clutter = Stress
Clutter = Build ups and Pile ups
Clutter is anything that builds up or piles up on the outside of our bodies as well as on the inside of our bodies. In my years as both a nurse and patient I can tell you that the word stress has been used as a nonspecific catch all for many of the symptoms that cause people to seek medical help. I define clutter as being equal to stress, and I will get very specific in helping you to identify the cause of those build ups and pile ups so you can know how to become healthier.
♥ Nurturance
I also want to focus on prioritizing your need for nurturance. It can be very difficult to nurture and care for others if you are not first taking care of yourself. We have been erroneous in thinking that loving and taking care of ourselves is selfish. To be selfish is to have no regard or interest for anyone but me! Nurturance has to do with self love and it means that I nourish my physical and emotional needs. Giving yourself permission to take care of you, to nurture you, is not selfish. You need to know how to care for your own health if you are going to effectively care about the health of others.
♥ Conservation
As a professional organizer I want to help you better manage the clutter of everyday life and to help you conserve your STEM – your Space, Time, Energy, and Money.
As a professional organizer I want to help you better manage the clutter of everyday life and to help you conserve your STEM – your Space, Time, Energy, and Money.
For most of you, your biggest expense will be where you live, but many of you avoid going there at all costs, and it’s because you are so overwhelmed by all your “stuff!” I want to help you to know how you can change that for yourself and create a place that says, “Welcome Home!”
♥ Guidelines
As a Biblical coach/counselor, I want to help you become more aware of how to care for your spiritual health. Whether you believe it or not you have an enemy and it is not each other! This enemy is a spirit that desires to steal, kill, and destroy your entire life.
♥ Guidelines
As a Biblical coach/counselor, I want to help you become more aware of how to care for your spiritual health. Whether you believe it or not you have an enemy and it is not each other! This enemy is a spirit that desires to steal, kill, and destroy your entire life.
Talk about clutter! As you learn to draw into a loving relationship with God, yourself, and others, you will be armored to move against this enemy instead of God, yourself, and other people.
I will guide you in knowing how to apply the “Twelve Clutter Healing Guidelines.” Each guideline is based on God’s Word. These guidelines are the tools in your tool box, but they only work to your advantage if you use them every day. They are the tools to use if you want to prevent and manage the clutter of day to day living.
In my thirty plus years of nursing, organizing, coaching, and counseling, I can say this with confidence and authority, CLUTTER will literally rob you of your health, home, family, heart and work. I know it all too well. It happened to me and it does not need to stay that way for me or for you!
I hope and pray that you make the decision to nurture yourself - get that journal and write in last week’s SW and then get ready for a new way of living. God’s voice is shouting out to you “Prepare a straight pathway for My coming,” John 1:23. Can you hear Him?
May 30, 2012
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - Spirit Work (SW)
In order to help you get to the root of whatever clutter issues you are dealing with, I want to introduce you to the concept of Spirit Work, also known as SW. I want to clarify that SW is not homework. It is designed to help your spirit and your heart connect with God’s Spirit and His heart. Think of SW as a time of prayer, a time to slow down, to quiet yourself, and appreciate that God wants to have communication with you. SW helps you to do that.
As we all know, communication and relationships take work. Your communication and relationship with God also takes work. SW helps you to come into a relationship with God, yourself, and others.
SW is going to help you to:
♥ Experience the Person and power of God’s Holy Spirit.
♥ Stretch yourself by making healthier choices.
♥ Take small steps to make big changes.
♥ Find healing, hope, love, and truth.
♥ Reveal your own hidden story.
♥ Find God’s way rather than your way.
So now that you have been introduced to SW, let’s get started so that you can gain more insight and clarity to your story through the power, strength, guidance, and council of God’s Holy Spirit.
The following SW questions have been designed to help you get into the habit of getting your thoughts decluttered. Regardless of what the clutter is in your life, it is always related to how you think, so we are going to start with decluttering your thinking. And because your thinking then influences how you feel and what you say, we are also going to focus on decluttering your heart and the amount of words that come out of your mouth. Therefore, we are going to focus on one word phrases for your answers. Feel free to print this off.
1. In one word, write down the thought that reflects why you are choosing to read Red Wednesday’s Blog______________
2. In one word, write down the feeling that relates to why you are choosing to read Red Wednesday’s Blog_____________
Please keep this in mind about feelings:
♥ Feelings are secondary to what you think.
♥ Your feelings belong to you based on your thinking.
♥ Someone else can not make you feel a certain way.
♥ You are responsible for what you think and feel.
♥ Someone else does not have the power to make you feel a certain way.
♥ You are responsible for what you feel and not someone else.
3. Circle the one seed that you most want to plant as you consider how you answered your first two questions:
♥ Healing
♥ Hope
♥ Love
♥ Truth
The fruit of planting your specific seed will take place over a number of months and even years. Change will happen in all four areas of Healing, Hope, Love, and Truth, but, it will be a process that is meant to be gradual, slow, purposeful and watchful as you focus on just one seed.
4. As you reflect on the one seed that you want to plant, circle the one Scripture out of the following that most speaks to you in regards to the seed that you want to plant for yourself:
♥ “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
♥ “Keep on asking and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened.” Luke 11: 9
♥ “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God and he was God.” John 1: 1
♥ “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
This Scripture will be your personal Scripture in the months to come. I suggest that you write it down on a small card and carry it or post it where you can see it every day. Then look forward to hearing it and seeing it as the Lord uses it to get your attention about the seed you are planting.
As you choose to focus on:
♥ One thought
♥ One feeling
♥ One word
♥ One Scripture
♥ One step at a time
You will begin to see how you can live your life with more of the SON:
His Simplicity
His Order
His Nurturance
One of my very favorite songs is called Draw me Close by the Katinas. One of the ways that I am always drawn closer to God is through SW. May you be blessed with this week’s SW and be drawn closer to the Lord.
As we all know, communication and relationships take work. Your communication and relationship with God also takes work. SW helps you to come into a relationship with God, yourself, and others.
SW is going to help you to:
♥ Experience the Person and power of God’s Holy Spirit.
♥ Stretch yourself by making healthier choices.
♥ Take small steps to make big changes.
♥ Find healing, hope, love, and truth.
♥ Reveal your own hidden story.
♥ Find God’s way rather than your way.
So now that you have been introduced to SW, let’s get started so that you can gain more insight and clarity to your story through the power, strength, guidance, and council of God’s Holy Spirit.
The following SW questions have been designed to help you get into the habit of getting your thoughts decluttered. Regardless of what the clutter is in your life, it is always related to how you think, so we are going to start with decluttering your thinking. And because your thinking then influences how you feel and what you say, we are also going to focus on decluttering your heart and the amount of words that come out of your mouth. Therefore, we are going to focus on one word phrases for your answers. Feel free to print this off.
1. In one word, write down the thought that reflects why you are choosing to read Red Wednesday’s Blog______________
2. In one word, write down the feeling that relates to why you are choosing to read Red Wednesday’s Blog_____________
Please keep this in mind about feelings:
♥ Feelings are secondary to what you think.
♥ Your feelings belong to you based on your thinking.
♥ Someone else can not make you feel a certain way.
♥ You are responsible for what you think and feel.
♥ Someone else does not have the power to make you feel a certain way.
♥ You are responsible for what you feel and not someone else.
3. Circle the one seed that you most want to plant as you consider how you answered your first two questions:
♥ Healing
♥ Hope
♥ Love
♥ Truth
The fruit of planting your specific seed will take place over a number of months and even years. Change will happen in all four areas of Healing, Hope, Love, and Truth, but, it will be a process that is meant to be gradual, slow, purposeful and watchful as you focus on just one seed.
4. As you reflect on the one seed that you want to plant, circle the one Scripture out of the following that most speaks to you in regards to the seed that you want to plant for yourself:
♥ “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
♥ “Keep on asking and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened.” Luke 11: 9
♥ “In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God and he was God.” John 1: 1
♥ “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
This Scripture will be your personal Scripture in the months to come. I suggest that you write it down on a small card and carry it or post it where you can see it every day. Then look forward to hearing it and seeing it as the Lord uses it to get your attention about the seed you are planting.
As you choose to focus on:
♥ One thought
♥ One feeling
♥ One word
♥ One Scripture
♥ One step at a time
You will begin to see how you can live your life with more of the SON:
His Simplicity
His Order
His Nurturance
One of my very favorite songs is called Draw me Close by the Katinas. One of the ways that I am always drawn closer to God is through SW. May you be blessed with this week’s SW and be drawn closer to the Lord.
May 16, 2012
Red Wednesday's Widsom - Symbolism
Symbolism is a form of communication. Webster defines a symbol as “an object that is used to represent something abstract.” So symbolism can be a reminder to us of what an object stands for or the message it is meant to convey to us. But here is the caution that I want to express about symbolism, symbolism does not always carry the same message or have the same meaning for all of us, and therefore, we need to be discerning in how we use it in our communication:
♥ Satanic rock groups wear crosses.
♥ The New Age movement puts power and energy into symbols.
♥ God uses His creation to speak to our hearts, BUT our focus is on the Creator and not His creation.
Over the years, I have learned that the Bible is full of symbolism. God has consistently used specific symbols to speak to me and to get my attention about His Word, His Power, and His Spirit. Ultimately, many of the symbols were very significant in my developing the Clutter Healing Guidelines (CHG’S) that have taught me about God’s simplicity, order, and nurturance.
God’s world is speaking to us all the time. We just need to be opened to how He uses His creation to reveal His personal touch and relationship with each and every one of us. This week I will share some of the symbolism that God has used with me in hopes that you too will begin to experience the touch of God’s Holy Spirit and His desire to speak to you as well, even through something as simple as a candle and an apple!
In the presence of some candlelight, intentionally allow yourself to be quiet, and as you look into the candlelight’s flame, think upon this Scripture from Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path.” In some of my darkest times it has been that one flame of light that has been a symbol of hope for me.
Florence Nightingale was the first nurse, and when she is depicted in pictures, she is often seen as carrying an oil lamp to light her way to the sick. God’s Word brings light to the darkest sick room, including the darkest mind, heart, and soul. Where does God want to shed His light, His lamp of understanding in your life? What does He want you to see that can only be seen through Him?
In Acts 2:3 we are told, “Then what looked like flames or tongues of fire settled on each of them and everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages.” When I gaze upon a candle’s flame, I am reminded of how it is a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s power and how He equips me to do what I could never do on my own! When we make the decision to ask Jesus into our life, He blesses us with this great gift, this power, the presence of His Holy Spirit.
Have you ever thought about yourself in relationship to an apple? Are you aware that God guards us as “the apple of (His) eye,” Psalm 17:8? No matter what we do or who we are, we will always have value in God’s eyes.
An apple often symbolizes the fruit that Adam and Eve ate. Genesis 3:6 just says that they ate some of the fruit. It could have been an apple, a banana, or an orange. It really doesn’t matter what kind of fruit they ate. The fruit was not the issue. The issue was about being obedient to God’s thoughts and what God said, and not what man thought or what man said.
Is it possible that Adam and Eve posed a question to one another that went something like this, “I know I believe in Him, but I’m just not sure I believe Him!” It’s some food for thought when it comes to reflecting on the apple.
Next week you will begin to see more clearly how our clutter is always about:
♥ What builds up and piles up in our life.
♥ That original erroneous spiritual thinking of Adam and Eve.
♥ Thinking that we can be above God and do things our way.
In truth, we are no different than Adam and Eve. We could have done exactly what they did, and we do! We will always be in the middle of determining what voice we are listening to. Ask yourself, am I listening to the voice of God, myself, man, or Satan? There are always two forces at work in everything we do. There is the force and power of God’s light, and the force and power of darkness. Spirits are real and there are many, but there is only one Holy Spirit or Ghost, and He has power over ALL spirits!
I am here sharing the light of what God has taught me on His path for my life as a nurse, organizer, and spiritual coach/counselor. Will you allow God to take you on the path He has set for you? This week, I pray that all of us will experience God’s spiritual awakening so we can see what we have been blind to seeing, be able to hear what we have been deaf to hearing, be clear on what we have been confused in thinking, and be at peace with what we have been numb to feeling. May He free us from the hidden, secretive, and dark strongholds in our lives.
♥ Satanic rock groups wear crosses.
♥ The New Age movement puts power and energy into symbols.
♥ God uses His creation to speak to our hearts, BUT our focus is on the Creator and not His creation.
Over the years, I have learned that the Bible is full of symbolism. God has consistently used specific symbols to speak to me and to get my attention about His Word, His Power, and His Spirit. Ultimately, many of the symbols were very significant in my developing the Clutter Healing Guidelines (CHG’S) that have taught me about God’s simplicity, order, and nurturance.
God’s world is speaking to us all the time. We just need to be opened to how He uses His creation to reveal His personal touch and relationship with each and every one of us. This week I will share some of the symbolism that God has used with me in hopes that you too will begin to experience the touch of God’s Holy Spirit and His desire to speak to you as well, even through something as simple as a candle and an apple!
In the presence of some candlelight, intentionally allow yourself to be quiet, and as you look into the candlelight’s flame, think upon this Scripture from Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path.” In some of my darkest times it has been that one flame of light that has been a symbol of hope for me.
Florence Nightingale was the first nurse, and when she is depicted in pictures, she is often seen as carrying an oil lamp to light her way to the sick. God’s Word brings light to the darkest sick room, including the darkest mind, heart, and soul. Where does God want to shed His light, His lamp of understanding in your life? What does He want you to see that can only be seen through Him?
In Acts 2:3 we are told, “Then what looked like flames or tongues of fire settled on each of them and everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages.” When I gaze upon a candle’s flame, I am reminded of how it is a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s power and how He equips me to do what I could never do on my own! When we make the decision to ask Jesus into our life, He blesses us with this great gift, this power, the presence of His Holy Spirit.
Have you ever thought about yourself in relationship to an apple? Are you aware that God guards us as “the apple of (His) eye,” Psalm 17:8? No matter what we do or who we are, we will always have value in God’s eyes.
An apple often symbolizes the fruit that Adam and Eve ate. Genesis 3:6 just says that they ate some of the fruit. It could have been an apple, a banana, or an orange. It really doesn’t matter what kind of fruit they ate. The fruit was not the issue. The issue was about being obedient to God’s thoughts and what God said, and not what man thought or what man said.
Is it possible that Adam and Eve posed a question to one another that went something like this, “I know I believe in Him, but I’m just not sure I believe Him!” It’s some food for thought when it comes to reflecting on the apple.
Next week you will begin to see more clearly how our clutter is always about:
♥ What builds up and piles up in our life.
♥ That original erroneous spiritual thinking of Adam and Eve.
♥ Thinking that we can be above God and do things our way.
In truth, we are no different than Adam and Eve. We could have done exactly what they did, and we do! We will always be in the middle of determining what voice we are listening to. Ask yourself, am I listening to the voice of God, myself, man, or Satan? There are always two forces at work in everything we do. There is the force and power of God’s light, and the force and power of darkness. Spirits are real and there are many, but there is only one Holy Spirit or Ghost, and He has power over ALL spirits!
I am here sharing the light of what God has taught me on His path for my life as a nurse, organizer, and spiritual coach/counselor. Will you allow God to take you on the path He has set for you? This week, I pray that all of us will experience God’s spiritual awakening so we can see what we have been blind to seeing, be able to hear what we have been deaf to hearing, be clear on what we have been confused in thinking, and be at peace with what we have been numb to feeling. May He free us from the hidden, secretive, and dark strongholds in our lives.
May 2, 2012
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - One Word
Because our day to day communication can get so cluttered up by all the words that are spoken and heard, we can often miss the original intent of what was meant to be spoken, heard, or understood. The people I work with routinely hear me asking them to put their thoughts or feelings into one word phrases. In fact, I purposefully used one word themes for most of my postings in the first 8 months so it would reflect the simplicity of this kind of communication.
And because I practice what I teach, I also know how challenging it can be to declutter your communication by using one word phrases, but this is the key to lessening the amount of words that you think you need to say in conveying a message. It is a great example of how you can stretch yourself and get out of your comfort zone. As you make a conscientious decision to practice communicating with one word, you will begin to see this is a process that is causing you to slow down your thinking. Slowing down is the first guideline for healing any kind of clutter in your life. This intentional slowing down of your thinking will result in you being able to think with more clarity so that you can then communicate more clearly with yourself, others, and even God.
Your communication will also become less cluttered as you intentionally:
• Establish eye to eye contact.
• Practice putting your thoughts and feelings into one word, and then elaborate.
• Replace "you" messages with "I" messages.
• Become more aware of your tone in a message. The clutter of a message is often not in its content but in how we deliver it.
• Use reflective listening for validation not argumentation.
• Become more aware of the non verbal communication with yourself and others.
In my class situations, I am always modeling and reinforcing these points so that we can begin to improve our communication, so let's take the points a little bit further:
1. We sit in a circle to reinforce the eye to eye contact. When you are talking with someone be sure to establish face to face communication. This one piece of nonverbal communication says I am focused on you and I value what you have to say. This is particularly important in helping children to focus on what they are being told to encourage good listening.
2. I will constantly challenge you to express your thoughts or feelings with one word responses and then elaborate on what that one word means for you. You will be amazed at how your communication improves!
3. I will remind you to say “I” messages rather than "you" messages so we can avoid feelings of defensiveness that are the result of pointing the finger.
• Say the following sentence with the focus being on "you" rather than“I” and see if you can hear or feel the blame game:
“You make me angry when I am ready to leave on time but have to wait on you and then I am late.”
The minute we start out with emphasizing you we are setting ourselves up for a battle of defensiveness. And please remember this: Your feelings are yours and they are secondary to what you think, therefore, someone else can not make you feel a certain way. There is a difference in being responsible for my own emotions and communicating the “I” message in regards to them, verses blaming another for the emotions I feel.
4. I will encourage you to examine the different verbal tones that we hear in our communication so we can discern how our tone can create harmony or discord.
In the following two sentences, see if you can hear how the change in your tone can convey a different message even though the words remain the same and have the appropriate “I” message.
• Say the following sentence with what sounds like a tone of acceptance to you:
“I feel angry when I want to leave on time and need to wait, and then I am late.”
• Now say this same sentence with what sounds like a tone of anger to you:
“I feel angry when I want to leave on time and need to wait, and then I am late.”
Which sentence tone was most receptive to being received by you? So often we get into conflict with one another because of the tone in our voice. The words in our message are often appropriate, but it’s our tone that can totally destroy the message of what we wanted to convey.
5. I will use reflective listening when communicating with you and ask you to do the same with me.
Reflective listening is mirroring back what I thought I heard you say. It gives clarification and indicates that we are truly listening to one another. It also validates whether or not we understand the intent of what is being communicated. I can not tell you how many times I have said, “So, I heard you say………,” and I repeat back their exact words, and I get the response back, “I didn’t say that!” Even though I was simply repeating what was said, it shows how unaware we can sometimes be of what we are saying. Sometimes this happens because the meaning of what we wanted to convey does not come through the words we choose to speak. That creates clutter!
6. We can get mixed messages with what we hear and with what we see. Let go of assuming that you know what someone's nonverbal communication means. Instead, state what you are observing and ask the person what your observation means for them
This week I encourage you to take these communication tools with you and begin using them in your home and work place. See if you find your communication becoming less cluttered, especially when it comes to fewer disagreements, arguments, and misunderstandings.
And because I practice what I teach, I also know how challenging it can be to declutter your communication by using one word phrases, but this is the key to lessening the amount of words that you think you need to say in conveying a message. It is a great example of how you can stretch yourself and get out of your comfort zone. As you make a conscientious decision to practice communicating with one word, you will begin to see this is a process that is causing you to slow down your thinking. Slowing down is the first guideline for healing any kind of clutter in your life. This intentional slowing down of your thinking will result in you being able to think with more clarity so that you can then communicate more clearly with yourself, others, and even God.
Your communication will also become less cluttered as you intentionally:
• Establish eye to eye contact.
• Practice putting your thoughts and feelings into one word, and then elaborate.
• Replace "you" messages with "I" messages.
• Become more aware of your tone in a message. The clutter of a message is often not in its content but in how we deliver it.
• Use reflective listening for validation not argumentation.
• Become more aware of the non verbal communication with yourself and others.
In my class situations, I am always modeling and reinforcing these points so that we can begin to improve our communication, so let's take the points a little bit further:
1. We sit in a circle to reinforce the eye to eye contact. When you are talking with someone be sure to establish face to face communication. This one piece of nonverbal communication says I am focused on you and I value what you have to say. This is particularly important in helping children to focus on what they are being told to encourage good listening.
2. I will constantly challenge you to express your thoughts or feelings with one word responses and then elaborate on what that one word means for you. You will be amazed at how your communication improves!
3. I will remind you to say “I” messages rather than "you" messages so we can avoid feelings of defensiveness that are the result of pointing the finger.
• Say the following sentence with the focus being on "you" rather than“I” and see if you can hear or feel the blame game:
“You make me angry when I am ready to leave on time but have to wait on you and then I am late.”
The minute we start out with emphasizing you we are setting ourselves up for a battle of defensiveness. And please remember this: Your feelings are yours and they are secondary to what you think, therefore, someone else can not make you feel a certain way. There is a difference in being responsible for my own emotions and communicating the “I” message in regards to them, verses blaming another for the emotions I feel.
4. I will encourage you to examine the different verbal tones that we hear in our communication so we can discern how our tone can create harmony or discord.
In the following two sentences, see if you can hear how the change in your tone can convey a different message even though the words remain the same and have the appropriate “I” message.
• Say the following sentence with what sounds like a tone of acceptance to you:
“I feel angry when I want to leave on time and need to wait, and then I am late.”
• Now say this same sentence with what sounds like a tone of anger to you:
“I feel angry when I want to leave on time and need to wait, and then I am late.”
Which sentence tone was most receptive to being received by you? So often we get into conflict with one another because of the tone in our voice. The words in our message are often appropriate, but it’s our tone that can totally destroy the message of what we wanted to convey.
5. I will use reflective listening when communicating with you and ask you to do the same with me.
Reflective listening is mirroring back what I thought I heard you say. It gives clarification and indicates that we are truly listening to one another. It also validates whether or not we understand the intent of what is being communicated. I can not tell you how many times I have said, “So, I heard you say………,” and I repeat back their exact words, and I get the response back, “I didn’t say that!” Even though I was simply repeating what was said, it shows how unaware we can sometimes be of what we are saying. Sometimes this happens because the meaning of what we wanted to convey does not come through the words we choose to speak. That creates clutter!
6. We can get mixed messages with what we hear and with what we see. Let go of assuming that you know what someone's nonverbal communication means. Instead, state what you are observing and ask the person what your observation means for them
This week I encourage you to take these communication tools with you and begin using them in your home and work place. See if you find your communication becoming less cluttered, especially when it comes to fewer disagreements, arguments, and misunderstandings.
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