Sorting and Purging Revisited

Not only am I sorting and purging the physical things in my life, not that I have been that diligent in this process in the last couple of weeks. But I also seem to be sorting and purging internally as well, emotions, feelings, comfort zones, doubts, insecurities. The list goes on.

I have for far too long held on to the doubt, "Maybe God won't act." That doubt let me stay comfortable in my circumstances. So I didn't have to risk letting God have it all and believing that He CAN, He WILL, and what's more He WANTS to act. He believes that I am WORTH Him acting. He wants me to risk giving it all to Him and Him saying it is best for me to stay right here and He will act and give me the ability to function here for Him.

Sorting and Purging.

For the last two days the kiddos and I have been working hard.  We have gotten rid of two boxes of books and a bag of shoes etc.   That have been sitting around cluttering up space.  The toys in the boys' room have been sorted and purged.  Each child has a tote to hold "their special toys"  Then we have about four totes of various sizes to hold various collections, Little People, Legos, Trains and Tracks, and Blocks and Tools.  This is all that is going with us when we move.  The stuffed animals etc will have to go in their individual totes.  There are probably still to many toys, but at the moment that is what we have.

The next sorting and purging will be books.  That may be a bit more painful but it will happen next week.

However, I have noticed in the sorting and purging we have been doing that I have been doing a lot of purging emotionally and mentally as well.  Getting rid of the extraneous should'ves would'ves and could'ves.  It has been emotionally freeing.  I can only live the life I have been given.  And the only way to live it out is the way that works for  me and my family.  And that is between God, me and my family, no one else.

Blogging for Me

After a discussion last night that I know my husband expected me to take and let it send me into a depressive state, I have made some great strides today.  I needed reassurance that I was doing the right thing and basically got it through my husband giving me some ideas that mirrored my own that I had already been mulling over in my mind.  

These included more responsibilities for the children and more routine for me.  It also gave me insight into what he wanted and his vision of what I needed to be doing.  And again yes it mirrored what I already thought.  But because it was from his mind, not simply agreeing with what I said, it was comforting to know what I was already thinking was what he was thinking.  

This week I am working on delegating more chores and responsibilities to the kids and making  my own to do list and menu for the day the night before.  Next week I will delve into more routines for the kids and I particularly morning and nighttime routines.  

More Time for ME

1. Create a housework schedule/ notebook
2. Menu Plan
3. Create a chore list for the girls
4. Spend more time learning and enjoying than doing chores
5. Start making goal lists the night before
6. Create morning and night time routines
7. Declutter each room of the house 

I stole this list from a friend of mine.  But her list is actually very close to my own list.  We for different reasons and in different circumstances seem to be walking the same path lately.  So I shamelessly stole her list to make my own.  

I have said many times in my life that I am going to change things when it comes to my housework and life in general.  I have needed to make changes because I wasn't happy with the way things were.  I could even envision things the "way they were supposed to be".  But I never quite got there.  I never really made it past just a few days or weeks lots of times.  What makes  me think it will be different this time.  Because my motivations are different.  I am at the place where I am doing this for *ME* because *I* want to.  Not for the need to match up to some idealized state that I can never be.  Not for the need to be or do something I think someone else wants me to be or do in order to be accepted.  Not even for the need to do it because someone else wants me to, I *should* do it.  It is for me, and only me.  Sure my family and my home will reap the benefits of it, and in a way I am doing it for them. But primarily it is for me.  Ownership I have a part in it I am owing up to it. I am doing it for me.

If any of that made sense to you. I am glad, if it didn't that is okay, too. Perhaps I just needed to write it out for me anyway.  

Now for the *ME* version of my list

*Create a meal plan, and meal notebook

*Create a household notebook, including budget/financial pages

*Create morning and evening routines for me and kiddos

*Create chore charts for kiddos

*Create running grocery list and to do lists

*Create yarn project lists ( what I wanna do with what I have, what I wanna do that I don't have, make wish lists and watch for sales etc) 

The Words of My Life.

Purging, Cleaning, Simplifying, Changing, Ownership, Stewardship, Responsibility, Pouring Into, Emptying, Joy, Satisfaction, Seeking, LOVE.

Those are just some of the words on my heart right now.  Later they may come out on paper too.............

The Happiness Project

"Take a picture everyday of something that makes you happy. Look forward to the happy things in that day and look back at the memories you've made rather than cluttering your life with things that you hope will happen. Love what you've got, love where you are. It's not just something you wake up feeling, it's something you choose everyday to do."

I took this idea from my friend. I believe that she took it from someone else. But who ever thought of it I need it, and so I am going to try to do this. I will be posting it on my Facebook account daily, hopefully. But I hope to bring it here every few days.

I am starting with this one. It is of Dad and Bug reading together. As a homeschooling family we infuse learning experiences in all.the.time. and the love it. It doesn't seem like school, they don't turn off, as in sometimes the case. It is basically what I believe family life should be all the time. Because we school at home we get the chance to make learning fun and have it happen all the time, rather than compartmentalizing our lives into "school" and "home" or having to overcome the "That's not how or why or whatever...we do it at school!" Anyway, I'll step off the soapbox now.

Dad and Bug were reading "More M&M's Math" and discussing all the math concepts, including multiplication and division with my six year old. And HE WAS GETTING IT! All that makes me happy.!!!

Reading With Daddy.