Setting things in order

I need to "set in order the things that are lacking." Titus 1:5

This verse really yelled at me today! I mean just got right up off the page, pointed its finger in my face and SCREAMED! Things are NOT in order right now. Blessedly, this time it is not BIG things, but rather the little things that make things run smoother. However, I have found myself grumpy and irritable lately from the little things that aren't getting done.

I have a dear friend who lost her baby a few weeks ago. This was heartbreaking for her and her family and also very hard for me as I was with her when it happened. It brought back many feelings of loss that I have for Jacob. I took care of her as well as I knew how (including involving other people, don't worry, I didn't do it all on my own!) and especially tried to do things for her I appreciated from people when Jacob died. (Or things that I wish had happened when he died.) Anyway, it was an emotional week or so and then I got a big, bad cold. Not just your garden variety cold but a BIG BAD one. I basically laid around for another whole week.

Needless to say (and yet I am going to say it), things aren't in order around here. We are a little behind on our laundry and our cleaning. However, I am VERY proud to say, we are not terribly behind and I am not feeling overwhelmed. I have to give kudos to my kids who helped out amazingly this past month. In fact, I am feeling energized and raring to go! I already have systems in place that are good, just have to re-implement them and maybe tweak them a little.

After this verse struck me this morning, I knew today was the day to start getting things back in order! WOOHOO! Yes, it will keep me from my crocheting, but I will reward myself with some crocheting time after we are done today. (I am working on an afghan for hubby for Valentine's Day) :-)

I am at lunch right now, after a good morning of school with the kids.

Here is a quick update: Ethan has been a little hard to handle yet, but I refuse to call it "terrible twos." They are going to be his "terrific twos!" Speaking of that, he just turned 2 on Monday! Emily has been full of good ideas lately! She has come up with some that surprise us all. Kaedra is doing great and is capped again. Brittany is lovely and wonderful and crocheting almost as much as me, lately. Michael is out of town for the week, in KC for a manager's meeting. He is still on nights when he gets back home and it has been really hard on him and for the family. Please pray that he gets done with that soon! No news on our move at all. Still praying that there may be an opening in OKC.

So, today is the day. I am going to start putting things in order again. Here are my lists of things that are lacking:

1. laundry
2. chore lists getting done
3. house cleaning (go back to a little a day or stay at one big one weekly?)
4. Emily's room
5. Kaedra's closet
6. attic (organize/declutter on warm day or in spring)
7. clean out/declutter my closet
8. leave a little time for reading (in other words NOT crocheting)
9. lesson plans in advance
10. zone cleaning (ala Flylady)
11. work on next year's lesson plans (I am writing our curriculum for next year)

I am also working on SMART habits again. They will be in my sidebar.

I will check back in a few days and see how my "ordering" is going!