Book Review: The Organized Heart

A Woman’s Guide to Conquering Chaos by Staci Eastin.

Staci Eastin is a blogger I’ve known for a while. She runs in my circle of blogging friends, you might say. When I found out she was writing a book for women on organizing the home—or “organizing chaos,” to use the wording of the subtitle—I was pretty sure this wasn’t a book for me, since I’ve never had much a problem with chaos in my home, at least not for long.

But then Staci offered to send me a copy of her book. How could I refuse?

Guess what? It turns out that there’s a chapter especially for me in The Organized Heart; or rather, there’s a chapter for a younger me. (I’ve been at this running a home thing for 35 years now. I’ve worked things out, or more accurately, God has worked in me, and I’m mostly content with things as they are.)

But I’ll get to the chapter that applies to me after I quote what Staci writes about this book.

This book will be different than any other book on organization that you’ve probably read. I have no schedule to offer you, I won’t tell you what day to mop the kitchen floor, and you don’t need to buy a timer. Your standards for an organized home and a reasonable schedule will vary with your personality, season of life, and the needs and preferences of your family.

Staci looks at our difficulties managing our homes through the lens of idolatry. 

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Thankful Thursday

 

I’m thankful that son and I had a safe trip. We put on a lot of miles without incident, if you don’t count the bug goo that I can’t get off the hood of my new car, that is. We found a way around all the closed roads in southern Saskatchewan that didn’t add a whole lot of miles to the trip. I’m thankful that God’s hand worked all that out for us.

We saw my niece married and had a good time with all the wedding activities. I got to see my dad and sister and all my sister’s kids. I’m thankful for my extended family and time spent with them. 

I’m thankful for the produce from the garden. Everything is so much bigger than when we left. We’ve had lettuce and other greens, cauliflower, and broccoli, and there are tomatoes that will be ready to pick in a couple of days. I’m thankful for the rain and the sun and the soil that grows my garden vegetables.

I’m thankful that our God is a benevolent God; I’m thankful that he gives good gifts. I’m thankful that he is rescueing God; I’m thankful that he saves and protects. I’m thankful that he is a trustworthy God; I’m thankful that he keeps his promises.

Throughout this year I’m planning to post a few thoughts of thanksgiving each Thursday along with Kim at the Upward Call and others.

Round the Sphere Again: Sanctification

Through Marriage
Martin Luther on Marriage as a School of Character by Matthew Barrett at The Gospel Coalition Blog.

Life was hard. Family life was hard. Marriage was hard. And yet, Martin and Katie loved each other tremendously. They viewed marriage as a school of character, whereby God uses the hardships of daily family life to sanctify us. 

In Singleness
The point of this next piece is not so different than the point of the one linked above: Living with others helps us learn to live unselfishly (Paula Hendricks at True Woman Blog).

I lived alone for about six months and I loved it. I could have everything just the way I wanted it, and since I’m an introvert, I had no trouble being happy doing things all by myself without interruptions. Now I have two adult children living with me and sometimes I wish I didn’t, but all in all, I think living with others requires that I “look not only on [my] own interests, but also the interests of others.” It forces me to be more Christ-like.