"Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

I love organization! I love to label drawers and totes. I love to file papers. I love to face all my can goods the same way. I love making sure my towels are folded a certain way so they "look pretty" in the cabinet. I love to make binders with dividers and special pockets. I love to color code my calendars. I love having things in the calendar so I can plan ahead for the kids. I love working on my homemaker binder that helps me stay focused on my daily tasks. I love working on our family budget. I could organize in nit-picky detail all day long. I just love all of it!!

Now, you and I both know that being a mom of two little ones can often throw a wrench in my nice, clean, detailed plan. There are far too many things to do to take care of their basic needs, that I'm left with not a whole lot of time to get the towels out of the dryer let alone folded "just so." The quiet time I plan to read my Bible, is often interrupted by a little one ready to get up and start their day.

God has really been working on this aspect of my personality over the past year since becoming a stay-at-home mom. I thank Him for helping me see that although days can get crazy with diaper changes, meal times, fussiness, more diaper changes, neediness, and battle-of-the-wills, He is still there, just a prayer away, for guidance. I praise Him for yet another reminder today, that although our "quiet time" may get interrupted, He wants me to commune with Him all day, not just when I plan it.
 
“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.” Proverbs 31:10, 17

Oh, the month of April: celebration of our risen Lord, spring cleaning, trees in bloom, and taxes. Tax time should come as no surprise, since April rolls around the same time every year; and yet, I have still not filed my taxes.

Those of you who are pastor’s wives know the joys of tracking your housing expenses. I’m afraid that I was not the most organized in my recordkeeping last year, so preparing for tax filing is a daunting task. I know once I sit down and do it, it won’t be that big of a deal, but in my mind it’s HUGE!

Isn’t that how it is with so many things in our lives? I’m so busy...when we are rushing to a church event and running late. Life is so hard...when the diaper bag gets stuck on the door handle while carrying my 8-month old son in his car seat on our way to that church event. The house is a pigsty...when there is one pair of socks that didn’t make it to the clothes basket and some Cheerios on the floor. There’s nothing to fix for supper...when I’m staring at a freezer full of meat and veggies. The list goes on and on. I have quite the flare for the dramatic, don’t I?

Now, what’s the most logical thing to do when things are SO overwhelming? Whine and complain about them or totally avoid them, right? Oops. I’m pretty sure that’s not the right answer, but that is definitely what I do. God tells us in Proverbs 14:23 “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

Being organized can be hard work. Making a weekly or monthly menu plan, can be hard work. Addressing the family about helping with household chores, can be hard work. Taking time the night before to prepare for the next day so we don’t have to rush, can be hard work. Making sure our family commitments get on a joint calendar so there are minimal surprises and we can all be ready on time, can be hard work. Keeping paperwork together so tax time isn’t so daunting, can be hard work.

But we all know what happens when we don’t do the “hard work.” Nothing. Well, nothing but make ourselves miserable. So today’s challenge: attack the paperwork.