Mastering the CHAOS

Part of the CHAOS - (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) - in my home is because of papers....paper everywhere, coupons, bills, newspaper, letters, things to be filed, things to be thrown away, things to be shredded - you name it and it's probably in the pile.  Most of it comes to me via the Postman...
Much of it is unopened, until I "have time to read it" or have time to file it, or until I have the funds to pay some things quite honestly.  I now have this large bag of CHAOS I will tackle this week.  In fact, by midnight Sunday night, the items in this bag will each be ordered into it's proper place!


This CHAOS is draining.  It's like a lead ball chained to my neck.  Seriously.  It's usually all over the house - kitchen table, hall table, desk, countertop.  Just having it in the one bag is my first step towards order.  However, as it was in little piles all over the house, just looking at the pile and knowing their just going to grow is horrible.  I can literally feel the stress from it, and the energy drain from me with CHAOS around me.  This is my year for putting things in ORDER...and keeping them that way.

If you know me well, you know this is a monumental task.  I used to joke and say that somehow when God was handing out organization, I missed out. I'm not saying that anymore.  Quite frankly there are sometimes and some areas...I'm actually really good at organizing.  That's usually when it comes to people or events, and not paperwork though.  It might not come as easily for me as others, but deep in there I do have the ability to be organized and miracle of miracles...the ability to STAY organized.   I actually really do love ORDER...I just have never had an easy time keeping things in order.  It's so natural and easy for so many....they think I am completely ridiculous to struggle with this.  They will often say...if you just go through the mail each day, open everything and then throw away the trash, file what needs to be filed, etc, etc, ....I am actually intelligent enough to understand HOW it's done.  It's really not that difficult.  But somewhere there is still this complete disconnect....I hate it so much I avoid it as long as possible, until it then becomes the chain around my neck.
How could someone be so ridiculous?  I wish I knew...BUT  "The pain of staying the same is much much much greater than the pain of change"...so here I go!  ORDER in the house!  ORDER in my life!!  I will Master the Chaos....it will no longer master me!

Giving myself a deadline and posting it for all to see worked well for cleaning my kitchen, which did I mention was still clean?! -  so I figured I'd try it with this stupid bag of chaos...and I believe this is a beginning of staying on top of it before it piles up again.  I know the bag actually grows each time I check the mail, so this is going to be so freeing once I get it all taken care of.

So there you have it...for the very few of you who are getting to watch this journey unfold, (especially since I post it near midnight when the fewest people are on line) thank you in advance for praying for me, cheering for me....and believing with me that with God's help...truly anything is possible...including recreating a life right in front of your eyes.  Watch Him change me as I continue on this journey.  I hope somehow in all of this craziness, I even encourage you to start your own journey of change.

~Being Rearranged by God and loving it!
Theresa