A Place For Everything

When I was a child, my mother could often be heard finishing that statement in a sing-songy type voice, “A place for everything, and everything in its place!” She always finished triumphantly as if the conclusion of the saying was some colossal win for the world. It is true; our apartment was organized. The shelves were neatly stocked, stacked, and lined with whatever belonged there. The first aid kit was filled consistently to never run out of bandaids, steri-strips, tincture of benzoin, or antibiotic cream. There were tongue depressors and otoscopes, thermometers, and tweezers.

Organization Queen

Towels and washcloths were folded the same way, as were pillowcases and fitted sheets. The contents of the hall closet and medicine cabinet were lined up soldier style, and our shoes stayed in the basket by the door. There was comfort in the organization. There was very little looking for things that had a place. The only lost items were car keys or things we kids had not put away properly. Mom always put things back where they belonged.

Bless This Mess?

I still find it difficult to function in a mess. Not that my house doesn’t get messy. It does. A lot. But that doesn’t keep me from reorganizing it until I get the function correct. We decided that enough was enough in the past few months and we would change the kitchen up. It was a hodgepodge of pieces that didn’t match, were hideously ugly, and were never intended for use in a kitchen. I couldn’t take another second in the disfunction.

Ikea And Me

The Ikea catalog and I formulated a plan. I worked it around until outright disagreement and rebellion had simmered down to simple displeasure. We could not remodel the kitchen, but I felt we could do something to make it better. Then I got hit with supply chain issues. How can every component of shelves be in stock EXCEPT the shelves!! I ended up making a last-minute switch. I couldn’t go back – I’d already committed.

They Like Me! They Really Like Me!

Everyone hated it; everyone except me. The shelves were metal, industrial, and looked like they had come out of the walk-in freezer at the diner. Then I started organizing., moving, discarding, adjusting. Pretty soon, there was a place for everything, and everything was in its place. We had more in there but still had more room in the kitchen to move around. It functioned better. We could see what we had. Now everyone likes it. It’s just so much easier. We feel like we have a whole new hang out room.

It Doesn’t Mean You Don’t Know Where You’re Going!

There are times when the vision of what we want isn’t necessarily what’s best. Sometimes we have to move by faith when we can’t see the finish line. Other times we can become so overwhelmed with the “stuff” of life that we don’t know where to start or want to throw up our hands in dismay. But just because others can’t see, it doesn’t mean you don’t know where you’re going!

Have Faith!

God gave you that brain – that heart – that vision. Have some faith in yourself today. Know that when God leads you to do something – He’s leading you. He might not show that vision to someone else. Sometimes you may be able to understand where you’re headed – other times, you may not. Both times call for faith. God bless you this week, whatever you are facing.

Mark 11:22-24 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.