BUT...I don't have time to read a book, or get organized or...

No matter who you are you have a list, either physical or in your mind, of what you need to or want to accomplish. Some of those things are items that need to happen today, some of those are items that you dream will someday happen, but they are there, in a list waiting.  So why aren't they being accomplished? Or, if they are being accomplished why do we often not feel the joy of having them accomplished.

Starting tomorrow, Monday, April 11th, I invite you to join me on a journey of rediscovering how to get things accomplished and find joy at the same time. We will be reading through and discussing the book Having a Martha Home the Mary Way 31 Days to a Clean House and A Satisfied Soul by Sarah Mae.

Here's how I envision this working. Sometime today, or maybe tomorrow,  read the introduction. This section explains better how the book is set up and some background information on the author Sarah Mae.  It's about 20 pages all together, and the longest reading you will have to do.  Then over the course of the next few weeks we will read a chapter a day, (Monday-Friday only) which will usually be about 2-3 pages, complete a short activity designed to help get our homes in better order, and spend a little bit of time in reflection of scripture and God's design for our lives.  Because we all have different schedules, families and responsibilities I find that it is best to do the readings 5 days a week with 2 days allowed at the end of the week to catch up on anything you may not have accomplished. Yes, that means you will learn to have a Martha home the Mary Way in longer than 31 days, but I'm ok with that if you are!

I am planning on posting a short reflection on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays here on my blog, as well as sending the link to this blog to Facebook. I'll be taking the journey with you, and sharing with you how I've begun to discover how to find joy despite the busy in my life.

Here's what I've learned from the introduction:

We have a skewed sense of our worth.  Many of us think we are worth something more if our homes and lives run smoothly.  We aren't! We are worth what we are worth because God loves us and was willing to die for us, despite how our house looks, our kids behave, or what job we have.

"I love the freedom that comes from knowing I am already-from eternity's perspective-perfect and complete for all time. I don't have to do better or be better; I just need to walk faithfully with my God as He molds me. And so do you" (Sarah Mae, xvi).

We are often so caught up in what others have, or are doing that we miss what we have and what we are doing.  We need to learn how to make good choices everyday, with discernment as to what His plan is for our lives.  That is where we will learn to find the joy, and quite often in the process the rest will fall into place too. Sometimes that means doing what we can as we can and not worrying about our inabilities or what doesn't get done. I have come to the conclusion as long as we are alive there will be things we need to get done. Somedays I will succeed and get things done, and other days I won't get as much done.  On the days I don't get as much done I am not a failure! Even if I don't get as much done because I made choices that caused me to be delayed in what I was doing, I am still not a failure. I will make mistakes, I will mess up. Just the same I am a work in progress and I can keep moving forward.

I hope and pray that you will be encouraged as you read this book.  As Sarah Mae so beautifully chose for the quote for Day 0 (which is incidentally today!) "The secret of getting ahead is getting started"- Mark Twain


Happy getting started! Let the journey begin!