Oh Dear.

I'm gonna have to get organized. I've thought about getting organized in the past, but have never really had anything push me toward that goal... long term anyway. I will often have looming projects ahead that will cause me to hunker down and put things in order and get a list of things done in a timely manner. But I have a feeling, forget the feeling, I absolutely know that I am entering a season of life that will call me to a higher standard of organization.

I've known it to be coming for quite a while. Really before this house adventure even entered into the picture. I think the addition of the 4th child really showed me that I need to think (dare I even say plan) ahead a little more than just waking up in the morning and determining what I am going to fix for supper (and actually follow through and lay something out!).

I've never really been much of a planner. I have strong inclinations to move a certain direction, but I don't sit down and think out each detail of what I need to do and when it needs to be done. I've never had long term career goals, I don't make new year resolutions. I simply go through life, see what is thrown into my path and tackle it as it comes. I never planned to have 4 kids, to work part-time while being a wife and mother and be in the middle of a new house project by the time I was 32 -- I'm more the type that sits down and looks behind me and says "man, look at that I've got 4 kids, a part-time job and a new house project - how did I get here?"

I've always been fearful of becoming a "rubber stamper" - the type that sits down and gets my life figured out on paper and then prays that God blesses my ideas (or rubber stamps my plans). I don't think that's what God calls His followers to be. But I do think that I now often times become so unorganized with life that I am missing out on God's bigger picture of things and need to find a happy middle ground. I often look up and hear my child's disrespectful tone, or realize my negative attitude, or lose my mind with all the stuff caving in on me and realize I wouldn't get into these messes if I had planned just a little bit better. It's become especially hard to stay on course since I have reached the season of life where sufficient time for good Bible study seems non-existent.

So my new favorite word is moderation - it seems to be a term that has been lost in the American vocabulary. I'm going to have to find the balance between an ultra organized planner/micromanager and the fly by the seat of your pants, spontaneous knee jerk reactor.

This new house adventure along with some upcoming events at work, a new school year (home-school years start officially in July) for now 2 kids, among other things are going to force me to become a moderately organized individual, especially since we will soon be living a good 20-30 minutes from the convenience of "town." Which even a little bit will be hard for me because it seems like every new "schedule" I compile or create falls by the wayside in a week or two - you know after life happens.

So wish me luck - really is that hard for an old dog to learn new tricks? I will soon find out.