Garage sales and other musings....

Apparently it is time for my yearly blog posting (insert frustration at self for not writing more frequently). Many things seem to take precedence over keeping this blog updated, and yet I would dearly love to do so. My life seems to be flying by so quickly and yet I am so thankful for each moment I am given.

My sweet little boy is growing and learning ever so quickly, and he is a constant reminder of God's love and faithfulness to me. He has such an inate knack for asking the most complicated questions in the simplest form. He also has a knack for keeping me in line and accountable for the decisions I make. I see so much of myself in him sometimes, and yet he has such a spark of his own spirited personality. I couldn't be more excited to watch him grow and learn and hopefully become a strong and loving man of God.

On another note...I am possibly doing the dumbest (or the smartest?) thing I have done in a while. I am attempting to have a garage sale and being the organized, crazy person that I am, it is driving me nuts to have a garage full of various items in piles all over the floor, not to mention, the couch and loveseat that so kindly found their way to the garage as well. I can't seem to do anything other than move and "re-organize" the boxes into yet more piles with VERY small walkways in between. Colin was the one coaxing me the other day to go and "clean out" the garage, and we even spent over an hour just moving stuff around, but the "cleaning" was to no avail. I have already pushed back the date of the sale two weeks now and hope that by then I can have things adequatley priced and ready to go. For such a seemingly simple idea, garage sales are quite complicated (at least for such detail oriented people like me :)). However, I WILL get it done, and hope to post an update on my success (even if it is a year from now!).

Motherhood....

First off, I feel like a completely lousy mom! I enjoy my time with Colin so much that I often forget to write down any of what happens, and assume I'll always remember. Unfortunately my brain does not have that capacity and I really want to capture so many things I find poignant or funny as he grows into a young man. I hope to use this outlet for much of that, but I also need to write it down with a good old-fashioned pen and paper. There are so many things that he does and says that just make me smile so big. The other day we were headed to the store and he matter-of-factly stated that he needed some money, when I asked him what he needed it for he said "just in case" :). For as crazy as he can be sometimes, it seems as if he is the one teaching me more often then I am teaching him. I think that is true of spending time with almost any child. I think it is how God humbles us and shows us how to see from His point of view.

A Journey of Sorts....

I find that in each little nugget of truth I hear that I am hungry for more. Isn't that how truth should be? Shouldn't it draw us in and bring us face to face with a choice? To take that bit of truth and find some way to spread it into the world, or, to turn your back to that truth and refuse for whatever reason to accept it. I feel as if I am on a journey for truth, to find it and to spread it as far as my feeble attempts can reach. Truth isn't some kind of loose concept, it is a very concrete fact. It can be seen or proven, it can also be accepted or rejected, but that doesn't make it any less of a concrete fact. I find that my hunger for truth is driven by the fact that the more I know the more I can make a difference in this world.

My quest for truth ultimately pours forth in my constant pursuit to draw closer to Christ, the Creator of truth. But lately my search for truth has also found itself seeking truth in the ever growing, ever deceiving food industry. It may seem silly to have such a build up about truth and then mention food, but there really is a correlation, I promise! The more I read and hear about what we have been calling "food" in the last several generations is almost frighting. I have been greatly moved into action by several books and documentaries as of late. I don't feel as if I need to cram this information down anyone's throat, but I really believe that the majority of people, mostly American, have no idea what is going on what to do to make a difference. That being said, I will add several links and name some very influential books that I have found to be helpful on the topic.

Documentaries:





Books:

The Great Physician's RX for Health and Wellness by Jordan Rubin (the first book I ever read about whole food and true health)
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Food Rules by Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

http://michaelpollan.com/

Again, I believe that there is a choice one has to make when faced with the truth, to accept it and do something with it or to ignore it and turn the other way. This is my (and my family's) journey to find the truth and use it to better our lives and those around us.

Stay tuned for more bits and pieces in this particular journey..... :)

A Step Backwards....

Alright, I've titled this post "A Step Backwards" but it really isn't as ominous as it seems. I have just decided to make this blog a "catch all" for all of my adventures and not just the organized ones. I truly would love to have my own business someday and I am by no means giving up, but I feel as if God is giving me more important tasks right now and I mean to take full advantage of them. It seems as if I am always regretting not writing things down so this, I suppose, will be my outlet. I feel as if each new day brings both order and chaos and it is up to me by the grace of God to make the most of it. So here it goes.......

Slow and Steady

So far I've accomplished the "slow" portion of that phrase. I can't seem to keep up the "steady". I think I am apprehensive about taking such small steps at a time. I want to jump in and give it everything I have because, as I mentioned before, I am a slight perfectionist ;). When I don't feel like I am going to accomplish very much I tend to put it off until I have the time to do it all at once.

This might not be the best time in my life to start something like this, but it is honestly something I love to do. I want to use this ability to make a difference to those around me. I want to have something to call my own and an outlet to give to others. It might seem silly, but I really believe God has given me this ability and passion to organize to spread His joy. I just need to trust that if this is His plan, He will give me the opportunity and time I need to accomplish it.

Must keep going......

A Fresh Approach

Professional organizing requires one important factor that I seem to be void of - time! ( It has taken me a week just to publish this post!) In the last two months I have been able to squeeze a short "assessment" session in with a very forgiving aunt, but have yet to come back to actually start the project! Other then a few home projects I have not been very "professional" at this organizing business. My time is whisked away so quickly by my "day job", the adventures I share with my (almost) one-year old son and countless other things that seem to pop up unexpectedly. I find myself wondering where the time goes and if I will ever be able to catch up with it.

A very wise man tells me often that we have to take each day a step at a time and make the most of every minute we are given. I am determined to make that my goal and focus on each individual moment as it comes. I may not be moving as quickly as I would like, but I have come to learn that my plans and goals are not as important or as meaningful as my Creator's and even though He blessed me with this ability I am to do it for Him and on His timing, not mine. So, slow and steady I shall press on as I take a fresh approach to "professional organizing"!

Practice Round 1

Since I am just starting out I chose to do some "practice" rounds in order to get a head start. My first practice round was my Aunt "C"'s kitchen (I will refer to her as "C" to protect her identity :)) . She is a very organized person, but struggles with lack of space in her kitchen. I really enjoyed the opportunity to help her organize. I also enjoyed working with her and showing her some techniques that would work with her limited space. I am posting a few "before" and "after" photos of some of the areas we worked on below:

This is a "before" look at under the sink:

This is what it looked like after:

Here is an "after" picture of her spice cabinet (The "before" picture didn't come out very well)




Here are a few things we did for storage to maximize her space :

• Under the sink (see picture above) - we used small plastic bins to separate her cleaning supplies for easy access i.e. each bin can slide out for her to reach the supplies she needs whereas before they would all have to be taken out to reach the items in the back.

• Spice Cabinet (see picture above) - we purchased a two-tiered, revolving spice rack (purchased at Wal-mart) to store her cooking spices and baking supplies.

• Bulk Storage (see picture above) - We purchased two large plastic containers with pour spouts for a convenient way to store her extra sugar and flour.