31 Days {Day 31} Take A Risk

photo credit

And I did!
We did...together.


Today is the final day of this challenge of writing about the same topic for 31 Days.  Thank you for taking the journey with me.  I had never done anything like this before so I wasn't sure how it would go.  I started out thinking that I'd write about how to get organized and get our homes and schedules in order.  I did a bit of that but mainly it went much deeper than that and our inside messes were tended to.


Writing here every day about peace has held me accountable and challenged to seeking it in all the right ways.  
Sharing about circumstances in my life that I wouldn't have gotten through without God, reminded me that He was there and will continue to be there through the latest challenges.  It helps to recall how you got through...hey, that you even got through.

But the other thing is, I discovered a love for writing that I never knew was in me and I wouldn't have known it had I not taken a risk.

So, at the conclusion of these 31 Days, I want to encourage you to take a risk.

Do something out of your comfort zone.


  Something that you're not exactly sure how to do, but you'd love to try.


  Something you've been dreaming of doing, but haven't allowed yourself because fear stands in the way and mocks.


Do it anyway!


  I believe just the trying will bring you peace...
because a vision has become reality.


And you've faced a fear.


You'll be stretched.


It'll require something of you that you didn't know you'd give.


But it'll be worth it.


And the satisfaction that comes in using a gift that you've been given is unmatched.


So go ahead...spread your wings...you just may find you know how to fly!

source

I have loved being here with you each day.

  I hope that you've enjoyed it too.

  And if you've gotten comfortable here, there's no need to leave.

  The 31 Days are over, but I'll continue to be here writing and sharing.
  It may not be everyday, so I invite you to go to the side bar and sign up to follow by email and have each post delivered right to your inbox so you don't miss one.
  There's also an option to subscribe to receive posts in a reader.  

 I'm looking forward to the holidays and plan on sharing lots about that and much more right here.

So stick around and get cozy.

 Have you missed a day in reading 31 Days of Seeking Peace in the Midst of the Mess? 
click here

There are over 700 bloggers taking the challenge, along with me, to write about one topic for 31 days.

You can check them out here.

31 Days {Day 30} Looking For Peace?

I saw this quote and it struck me.

source

I've found that sometimes in my search for peace I have thought, 

If only I lived in a bigger, better home...had brand new clothes...went out to dinner whenever I wanted...jetted off on vacation whenever the moment presented itself....  

If only I had money to pay for whatever I wanted, even needed, whenever I wanted...

then, 

yes then, 

I'd have peace!

Well, I've found that a big problem with that way of thinking is, it sets you up for failure.

  It means that only when circumstances are favorable, you can have peace.

  It's a recipe for dissatisfaction and a lack of fulfillment.
And that's exactly what you get.

  Because you've handed over your peace to outside circumstances.

  Your peace therefore can only exist under certain, predetermined, perfect conditions.

Well, who wants that?

  Not me!

  So, instead of searching for peace in a new outfit, a magazine-worthy home, a yummy slice of double chocolate cake, or even a new spouse, let's take our lives and make them beautiful right where we are.
  Let's decide that our peace doesn't come in perfect circumstances or even a person, place or thing.
   Because let's face it, life isn't perfect...we get our feelings hurt, loved ones die, husbands lose jobs, babies are diagnosed with terminal disorders, and money runs out.
  And because of that and all the other less than perfect things that happen in this world, peace needs to come from within and it begins with a decision to receive supernatural grace.


Jesus said:  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
(John 14:27)

So, I've decided to receive peace and give thanks, no matter the circumstance.
  To fix my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.
 To think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 
I desire, instead of looking for a beautiful life, to use the one I've been given and make it beautiful right where I'm at.


Ah, Peace...

Are you looking for a beautiful life or making one right where you are?

Have you missed a day in reading 31 Days of Seeking Peace in the Midst of the Mess ?  

click here

If you aren't following Loving This Life yet, I’d love to invite you to do so. Simply click here or go to the side bar and click on join this site.  There are also options on the side bar to subscribe to receive posts in a reader or to sign up for email to have each post delivered to you right into your inbox.  

There are over 700 bloggers taking the challenge, along with me, to write about one topic for 31 days.

You can check them out here.

31 Days {Day 29} Create a Mudroom Using What You Have

I know, you're probably thinking, 

What does creating a mudroom have to do with seeking peace?  

Well, if you've got kids and stuff then you know corralling their mess would definitely bring a little peace to the house.  So, take a look at these mudrooms I found on the web...great inspiration. 

source: mudroomfurniture.co

source: BHG.com

source: pottery barn

Beautiful, huh?

  And completely unrealistic...at least for me.  So, aside from moving into a brand new, big house, I decided to use what I already have in my nearly 100-year-old, small house to create my own mudroom.  And, when I get an idea, I want it done like yesterday, so I wasn't going for built-in cabinets or anything fussy, just function that still looked nice.  I used one of my go-to decorating techniques...I shopped the house.  Oh, I'd love to head over to HomeGoods and spend some serious money, but when money's tight, even for HomeGoods prices, I get creative. 

So, I set out to "shop the house" in order to create my "mini-mudroom" on the cheap (that is, for free)!

First, in my small house I needed to find the space. I don't have a "bonus" room or even a defined entryway into my home.  So, I decided upon a tiny, 3ft wide wall in my kitchen next to the fridge.

Then, I got to "shopping".

  I found a piece of wood in the garage. Had my hubby hang it and add some hooks he had lying around...a place to hang coats and backpacks...check.  I also repurposed some plastic file wall containers to hold homework in progress and other papers...3 mailboxes...check. 

  

And...to jazz up the plain old wood, I covered it with scrapbook paper left over from my cork board re-do I did in the summer.  (You can check that out here.) 

To cover the wood I just cut the paper into strips, coated the plain wood with Mod Podge, randomly placed the paper strips and covered them with more MP...

30 minutes later...done!

  The boys had a cork board that wasn't really being utilized in their bedroom, so I added that to my mudroom...a place for important papers...check.

Again, I used the scrapbook paper to add a few details like pockets to hold papers that need to be turned in this week, such as field trip slips or picture forms.  I made a pocket mailbox for me too.  I also came up with a "school week at-a-glance" page.  This is where I can record everyone's "specials" for each day, sports events, and extra things that the boys may need to bring to school.  Having this in one place and out in the open helps me to keep track of what's going on in their world for the week, instead of scrambling at the last minute.

Finally, I grabbed 3 fabric bins I had purchased a couple years ago for toy storage.  I had since "downsized" the toys so the bins weren't being used...a place to corral shoes...check.

And this is what I came up with...it's not Pottery Barn, but it was "free" and it's very functional.

And it brings some peace to the house...mission accomplished!

So what about you?

Do you need a place for your kids' stuff?

  Take a walk around your home with a creative eye.

  Where can you create your own mini-mudroom? 

Only have enough room to do it in a closet?

  Check out this closet-turned-mudroom from Ohdeedoh

click here.

Have you missed a day in reading 31 Days of Seeking Peace in the Midst of the Mess ?  

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If you aren't following Loving This Life yet, I’d love to invite you to do so. Simply click here or go to the side bar and click on join this site.  There are also options on the side bar to subscribe to receive posts in a reader or to sign up for email to have each post delivered to you right into your inbox.  

There are over 700 bloggers taking the challenge, along with me, to write about one topic for 31 days.

You can check them out here.

31 Days {Day 28} Helpful Links

 There is no delight in owning anything unshared.   Seneca

As I'm winding down and heading into the last few days of writing about Seeking Peace in the Midst of the Mess, I wanted to give you some links to other blogs that have been very helpful to me in achieving a little peace inside and out.

Here they are:

A Holy Experience: When Perfectionism and To-Do Lists Overwhelm

Simple Mom: How to be Disorganized and Unproductive at Home

(in)courage: Taking Time to Create

Simple Mom: Back to the Basics: How to Get out of Debt
Tip Junkie: 5 Ways to Increase Storage in Your Home
Steady Mom: What's Important at the End of the Day?

Enjoy!

Have you missed a day in reading 31 Days of Seeking Peace in the Midst of the Mess ?  

click here

If you aren't following Loving This Life yet, I’d love to invite you to do so. Simply click here or go to the side bar and click on join this site.  There are also options on the side bar to subscribe to receive posts in a reader or to sign up for email to have each post delivered to you right into your inbox.  

There are over 700 bloggers taking the challenge, along with me, to write about one topic for 31 days.

You can check them out here.

31 Days {Day 27} Super Woman vs. Abiding Woman

I thought this was a great reminder during our seeking peace in the midst of the mess....

Graphic via Daes of Our Lives

Content via Confessions of a Homeschooler

Thankful I found this today.
  It's easy to forget Who's in charge and to try to do it all on my own, in my own power.
  This is a timely reminder.
  I invite you to check out the blogs above of the ones who created it.
They are offering printable versions.
I'll be printing one up and posting somewhere that I can see it often.


Breathe in some peace today my friends.
Remember God's in charge, so you don't have to be.
Abide in Him and find rest for your weary, super woman souls.

 Have you missed a day in reading 31 Days of Seeking Peace in the Midst of the Mess ?  

click here

If you aren't following Loving This Life yet, I’d love to invite you to do so. Simply click here or go to the side bar and click on join this site.  There are also options on the side bar to subscribe to receive posts in a reader or to sign up for email to have each post delivered to you right into your inbox.  

There are over 700 bloggers taking the challenge, along with me, to write about one topic for 31 days.

You can check them out here.

31 Days {Day 26} The Home Management Binder

Do you have scads of papers everywhere?  A paper for today's to-do list, another one for your monthly calendar, yet another for that daily schedule you're trying to create and piles more papers that you feel are important but just don't have a place to keep them?  Add to those piles your latest grocery store ad, the gym schedule, your child's school schedule, etc, etc...you get my drift. 

Yes, I know, I had the pile system too.  My "place to keep them" was the kitchen counter, which turns out is not a good place if you actually want to get some kitchen-type things accomplished, like say, cooking.  

So, to help cut the clutter and get organized, about a year ago I created our own

Home Management Binder.

This binder holds all of those things I mentioned and more...and it sits nice and pretty on my kitchen counter, but is also portable.  Very much unlike those unsightly and often huge stacks of paper.

In fact, here's a pic of it sitting ever so nicely on my counter right now...

Don't I give the illusion of being organized?
No, seriously though, this system has helped me and that's why I wanted to share it with you.  

How do you get started?

Well, you've already got the stacks and stacks of papers, now you just need a few more things. 

1. A binder

2. A pretty piece or 2 of scrapbook paper
(to slip under the clear plastic cover on the front and back of your binder to pretty it up)

3. Subject divider tabs

4. Clear page protectors

5. Plastic binder pockets

6. Plastic binder envelopes
7. 3-hole punch

8. Label maker or pen to label each divider

Put it together.

1. Decide which papers are important to you and put them in the binder.
They should be papers you use on a regular basis and/or papers that you need to refer to for decision making. 

2. Use a subject tabbed divider for each section (i.e. monthly calendars, school schedules, etc).  Then place those papers behind the coordinating tab.  You can either hole punch the pages or use page protectors.
3. Label the tab by subject (i.e. monthly calendar) using a label maker or pen.
4. Use binder envelopes and pockets for all the extra papers, like invitations, that go along with your calendar or for holding paperwork that's too thick to hole punch, like a school phone book. 

Here's what I have in my binder:
1. Daily schedule and to-do list
2. Monthly calendars
3. A binder envelope behind the calendars to hold anything that I may need to refer to on my calendar (invitations, field trip info, my annual mammo script to remind me to schedule it, etc)
4. A Master To-Do List
5. A binder envelope holding any relevant paperwork for things on the to-do list
6. The lastest Neighborhood Association Newsletter
7. A Project List listing any household projects needing to be done
8. A Daily Blessings page to list any moments in the day that I want to capture, like funny things my kids say.
9. School Info Section
 (calendars, teacher and classroom info, school daily schedule, etc. all divided by child)
10. YMCA schedules and program guide
11. Menu Planning Section
(grocery store ads, blank paper to plan out meals and grocery list, list of menu ideas)


These are just a few ideas of what you can do with your binder.  There's so much you can do.  Just make something that fits for you and your family to banish the stacks of paper and bring some peace to the house.


Below you'll find some extra resources to help you with your Home Management Binder.  


Click on these to download free notebook printables...
Life Your Way: Home Management Printables
Organized Home: Home Management Notebook Printables


And here are some great books I've read that help with this as well...
"Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living" by Tsh Oxenreider
"Steady Days: A Journey Towards Intentional, Professional Motherhood" by Jamie Martin


Any other ideas for things you can put in the HM Binder?
Do you think this would work for you?
I'd love for you to share in the comments.

 Have you missed a day in reading 31 Days of Seeking Peace in the Midst of the Mess ?  

click here

If you aren't following Loving This Life yet, I’d love to invite you to do so. Simply click here or go to the side bar and click on join this site.  There are also options on the side bar to subscribe to receive posts in a reader or to sign up for email to have each post delivered to you right into your inbox.  

There are over 700 bloggers taking the challenge, along with me, to write about one topic for 31 days.

You can check them out here.