Away

When I woke up yesterday, I had one thought: AWAY.

I knew if I did not invest some time putting things away, throwing things away, or giving things away, I might end up being locked away in a loony bin. 

That might be an exaggeration.

But not much. I confess with eyes wide open that I am not a great housekeeper. I am not even a good housekeeper. I am not a hoarder, but I do not keep an environment that allows the rhythm of my life to function at its ideal. It is an on going struggle.

My daughter and I have a saying...when we get something simplified and organized we say it just feels more, "ahhhhhhhhhh....." We both know exactly what we mean. 

There is a peace in simplicity.

 

"for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men." 2 Corinthians 8:21

Does it get any more simple than that?

This summer, my home has functioned more closely to the way that I desire. My girls and I hosted a weekly Bible Study here, so the word of God has grown.  I have really searched and found a better path for Brighten A Corner Ministry, so God's work will be done. My family has had lots of time together in the sun and relaxing, so my family feels stronger.

Now I need to simplify so that there is less burden of excess. Everything I keep in my home drains me of something--space, mental energy, a decision that needs to be faced.  Some of these things also add benefits...function, fun, or memories. As I grow, it is my hope that my home will both function as I want it to function AND look like I want it to look. 

The only hope of that happening is AWAY...putting things away, giving things away, or throwing things away. Away I go, to get to work! 

What's For Dinner?

SOOOO...my house may not look exactly like this during the dinner hour this week. But, in my endless attempts to get organized, meal planning still seems like the next place I need to go.

I think I tried to set aside a day last week to get "caught up." Never happened. Saturday brought a last minute trip to the lake with friends and today is a last minute trip (again) to the water park. Today's adventure is to catch up with one of my most precious friends and her kids, I am so excited! I will "catch up" a bit this morning and then (as usual) put it off to another time!

Making  a meal plan last week was a huge success. Executing the meal plan last week was an epic failure. Two reasons:

1. I had so many leftovers from entertaining the week before, it would have been down right wasteful not to use them and prepare all fresh meals.
2. I did not understand the dynamics of my hubby's week. He is in the middle of a huge airplane part installation thingy that has him working in his hangar until at least midnight every day.

I am learning, but I don't want to give up on the plan just because it has gotten off to a rocky start! Here we are:

• MEXICAN MONDAY  Turkey Taco Salad
• CROCK POT TUESDAY  Chicken with tomatoes and corn over mashed potatoes   I teach Bible Study Tuesday Nights, so simple is best. This week I will have to leave early because I have to take my mother and father in law to a doctor's appointment. We live 20 minutes out of town, so I will just stay after the appointment and hang out at church. This crock pot meal is a staple in our house and actually has several servings of veggies in it, so if there is no salad that is ok!
• SIMPLE WEDNESDAY   Trader Joe's Chicken nuggets and fruit   I am not an organized person. I am not a perfectionist either--I am a pragmatist, so being realistic about what can get accomplished is the best plan. Simple Wednesday's are likely to become a staple.
• PASTA THURSDAY    Penne pasta with marinara, meatballs and salad
• BURGER FRIDAY NIGHTS  Might not happen...depends on hubby's schedule.
• SATURDAY   Fish Tacos    I never made them last week, so I will try again. This is a family favorite. It would be nice to eat out on the front porch??
• SUNDAY   Picnic at the beach. Summer is almost over. Maybe an afternoon trip to the beach and a picnic? That would be great fun!

As summer is winding down, I am feeling the need to clear out the past and gear up for the future! I hope to take several loads to the Goodwill this week and clean out some closets. The changing of the seasons always makes me want to..."get organized."