Setting
Your House in Order, Part 1
Marsha
Bird
For about 2 years now I have felt the impress of the Holy
Spirit to set my house in order, spiritually and physically. I would try for a while, do well and then
would slowly lose sight of the goal that I had set for myself and the
Lord. I was at a
As Restoration women in the last days I believe that God has a special calling for each one of us. We do live in the hastening time. Everywhere you look people are running to and fro and don't have time for the important things in life. Their lives are so busy and full of obtaining the material things of this life that they fail to see that they are missing out on the greater blessings that God desires to give them. There is a great spiritual battle taking place on the home front. Satan desires to destroy the homes because he knows that is where the kingdom is being built up. He knows that it is the very foundation where the little ones are taught to love Jesus Christ and the gospel. God is calling us to come up to a higher level that we might stand as an ensign and a testimony of a better way of life to the world that we live in. God has given us a pattern in all things. He is a God of Order and He desires for us to have a life of order that we might be able to serve Him better. Order is a spiritual principle. Hopefully we will be able to touch on the important steps of what we need to do to set our homes in order that we might be able to do the great and marvelous work that He has called us to. We are called to build up a home where love reigns and order prevails. It is our calling and our stewardship for the time that we live in.
1. Put God first in your life.
a. Know His desires for you. If we know what His plan is, then we can make
our plan. Matt. 6:38 Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
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b. Your day HAS to begin with prayer. Not a rushed, hurried prayer but time to kneel down a few minutes with the Lord and THANK HIM first, then ask Him to be with you that you might be able to set your house in order both physically and spiritually. I have even asked Him to make the day go slow for me so that I
might get more done, and it's amazing how much time I felt I had. You need His
help in accomplishing the tasks of setting your house in order. I was preparing a
class one time and had determined that each morning I would give my time first
to the Lord. I decided that I would pray and study for half an hour before I began
my day and claim His promises. It went well for a few days, then one morning I
felt like I needed to get going and didn't have time to pray first. The Lord spoke
to my heart and said "If you will put me first I will bless you." Needless to say, I
got down on my knees and prayed and asked for forgiveness. I got everything
done and had time to spare. Be aware that Satan also knows what you're trying to do and will try to discourage you and place stumbling blocks in your way. I
always pray silently during these prayer times so only God knows the true desires
of my heart.
c. Choosing the spiritual first. Luke 10:39-43. Mary and Martha had the opportunity to have Christ come to their home. Martha was so busy with her physical preparation that she did not have time to listen to the voice of the Master. Mary sat at His feet and chose the greater part. It is a lesson to us all.
This doesn't mean that we can let everything go and use that as an excuse for not accomplishing what we need to for our families, but it does mean that we need to recognize that we have to make time for the Lord and make that a priority.
2 Nephi -
What will it take to make your home the place that God desires for it to be?
Make a list of changes you would like to make or things you can do to have a Godly home. Here are a few things I have listed but I know you will think of
many more.
a. Feast upon the words of Christ - study time
b. Pray and fast each day for specific things
c. Keep the commandments - work on one at a time
d. Teach your children to walk in truth and light, obedience, respect
e. Teach your children to have great faith in Jesus Christ
f. Teach your children to put on the whole armor of the Lord
g. Family Worship - set a time - so important!
h. Take unclean things from home - consecrate
i. Stewardship - time, talents and money
j. Jesus Christ as your example and foundation
k. Peace and joy in your home - what we all want!
l. Set example - a light on a hill
m. Word of Wisdom - strength of body to do His work
d. Set priorities and goals.
1. Be a goalsetter. Write down exactly what you would like to
accomplish in your house and have goals with deadlines. Have a plan
and take action. You have to have a target to aim for.
2. Establish priorities and make wise choices - do you want to live a life
of order or chaos?
3. Take control of your time. No one can take that away from you unless
you allow it. (Stewardship) What changes can you make to put "more
hours in your day?" It takes time to get organized which is part of the
problem in the first place.. You must find 30 minutes every day just to
pick up and do one job beyond what you normally do. If it means
getting up 1/2 an hour earlier or cutting out something else in your
schedule it is a MUST! Otherwise you will get frustrated because
you're not making any headway. Find personal time for yourself and
those you love especially your husband. You were a couple before
the kids came and you will be when they're gone.
4. Having the discernment to say NO even when you want to serve. Do
not over-schedule yourself. You will be frustrated and burned out,
feeling like you're not doing anything well. If you allow yourself some
time now to get your house established, you will be more productive
for the Lord and others. BUT don't be afraid to move out in faith to do
something the Lord wants you to do like teaching a class on setting
your house in order! : ) He will bless you and help you.
e. Simplicity in all we do
1. Get rid of the clutter in your home one room at a time. If you haven't
used it in a year you're probably not going to. Share it with others.
2. Organize each room as you go and only have in it what you need
and what makes it a place of usefulness and beauty for your family.
No more than we need and a place for it.
3. If you find you're on too many committees or taking responsibilities
that are just busy work, re-evaluate and get rid of some of the "clutter"
out of your life that detracts from your goal of having a home that is in
order. What is important? Ask the Lord.
4. Keep life simple - just be still sometimes and don't be on the run all the
time. Realize your limits and keep the stress to a minimum.
6. You will have more time for the important things in life—to be able to
visit the sick and afflicted, to do things for others. Everything will be
easier to take care of because you will have control of your home.
You will have joy and peace.
f. Preparation and Discipline
1. Make a "To Do" list for every day of things that you need to do and
prioritize them according to importance i.e. #1, #2, etc. (I like to also
put how long I think a job will take so I can try to beat that time). 2. Decide on a job and get started. Lack of motivation or
procrastination keeps us from having our homes the way we would
like them. We all feel overwhelmed at times but we have to start
somewhere. Get a friend to help you that will encourage you.
3. Start small. Learn to take little bites out of a room. Do a corner at a
time or just pick up the clutter and it will feel cleaner. Set a timer and
spend 15 minutes on a room or project and then stop. You will be
amazed at how much you can get done. My kids loved this because we
were working together and it was a game to see how fast we could get
a room done. It also gives them a sense of accomplishment and
responsibility.
4. Move quickly and don't try to do a "perfect" job. Just try picking up a
room in 15 minutes and see how much better you feel. If you try to
make everything perfect all at once, you will never get done and probably won't ever get started.
5. Do a little each day, i.e. if you know you have cookies to bake for
Thursday, bake them and freeze them on Monday or Tuesday or
start deep cleaning the week before so you're not tired and stressed at the last moment.
6. PLAN AHEAD. Marsha's law - "If it can happen it will!!" and it
does! Lack of preparation causes a lot of stress in our lives. Have a
plan. Preparing the night before. Preparation (planning ahead) –
when I was a young girl, my mom would prepare everything ahead of
time. She would make our dresses from old dresses. She would wash,
starch and iron church clothes early in the week and have them hanging
up. She would have us read our Sunday school lessons the night
before, take baths, curl our hair and lay everything out. She would
prepare food the night before. She would get up at 6 to get ready then
would wake us up, fix our hair, feed us, and we would leave at 8 for an
hour drive and beat the deacon to church. She was an organized
woman! It was a different time, and we would do well to learn from
those who have gone before us. Today a lot of people make plans for
Saturday evening and stay out late and give very little time in
preparation for the day of the Lord. It's something to think about. It's
also stressful doing things the same day because you never know
what's going to come up and throw your plans out the window
(sickness, emergencies, etc.).
7. Don't overdo. Take time out to rest, reward yourself. Get rid of the
stuff you've gone through. Just keep plugging. It took a while to get things in a mess. It will take a while to get it sorted out. Be patient.
Remember it takes 21 days to break old habits.
8. Learn from others how to be efficient and organized. Watch how
other people do things and learn from them. Ask them how they
declutter a room or plan ahead and they will tell you. It is a blessing to
be able to change old habits that keep us from being our best.
9. We must be flexible. Even the best laid plans go by the wayside.
Sometimes I'm down to Plan Z wondering why I even bothered to plan
my day and make a list. If you've prayed over your day, just
remember that sometimes God has other plans for you that day. Just
try to be focused and not get stressed and upset, but just keep trying to
do the things you have committed to.
g. Hospitality
1. Just remember that your homes do not have to be perfect. It is more
important to have a home that you can find rest in and that your family
feels free to live in. You want to create a home filled with warmth,
laughter, love, happiness, good memories - a place where God's Spirit can dwell and all who come in feel that and want to be there. 2. Open up your home and your hearts to others. Get to know the saints better by having them over for Sunday lunch. Keep it simple. Just
decide to do it –
then plan ahead.
3. Remember everything is the Lord's. Being organized allows us to be
spontaneous in our service to Him and to others. We are to share all
that we have for the sake of the Kingdom.
h. Sick and afflicted, poor and needy
This is such an important part of our lives. God has commanded us to take care of those around us. It should be a daily part of our lives. Never be
too busy to go to the hospitals and visit the shut-ins or to impart of what
you have to others who are in need. I cannot say enough about this. We
have all fallen far short in this area and need to make it a matter of prayer
that the Lord will help us to have time to reach out to others.
God desires for us to have balance in our lives and he is willing to help us with that. If our spiritual lives are in order, then our houses will be in order and that is the desire of our hearts. May God bless you in the exciting journey that is ahead of you as you set your house in order for His purposes. What we do is not just for us and our families but for the great and marvelous work that we are privileged to be a part of. Remember - they are coming!