I seriously have read more books over the past six months than I have in my entire adult post-college life. I'm totally not toot-tooting my horn, just something in my spirit has been yearning for truth and growth. Also, the beauty of being in a weekly Bible Study or something like it, is that it keeps you accountable to reading it so that you don't end up being the girl who didn't do her homework. I thank my AP English teacher for instilling that in me.
I recently read Staci Eastin's The Organized Heart. It's put out my a publishing company called Cruciform Press. I did a little googling and found out that Cruciform Press releases one book every month that is concise, yet so very gospel and Cross centered. So many books out there are 250+ pages. Ain't nobody got time for that! And most of those pages are fluff that only mention God once every other page. Not these books by Cruciform Press. They are straightforward and to the point about Christ.
Organized Heart: A Woman's Guide to Conquering Chaos. Just the title sends the listmaker in me into a tizzy! What is it about women and organization? If we have it, we are stellar at it and even offer it out to people. Or if you are like me and don't have it, you read and Pin and re-Pin everything you can about it. I keep thinking that every time I pin one of these "Organize Your Life in 31 Days" articles that something magic is going to occur and I will all of a sudden be organized and carefree. Wrong. I just keep trying and doing and going nowhere. I have planners and lists and schedule templates galore, but still at the end of the day I feel like my day didn't run as smoothly as I would have liked, or I spent too much time on one thing and too little on another. Know the feeling?
If you've been reading me for awhile, you know that we recently switched churches. We went from a large mega-church to a tiny 50 member church plant. In the short two months that we've been attending, we have already met some awesome folks. One of them gave me this book. She said her husband gave it to her for Mother's Day and it was so good that she ordered a bunch and just started handing them out to ladies at church. After reading it, I know why.
She gave it to me on the Sunday just after school had gotten out and I was about to start summer with my three boys at home. I thought, "Oh just what I need, another magic book on organization." **insert eye roll**The next day was our first swim lesson. I tossed the book into the swim bag thinking I would possibly take a look at it while the kids were swimming. I'm not sure if my intentions were sincere because in His awesome sovereignty, during breaktime from lessons, one of my little darlings spilled an entire red sports drink on the untouched 'organization and conquering chaos' book. Yes, God does have a sense of humor.
Well thanks for that God. Now I have to read it. So once it was dry, three days later, I started reading it. and I couldn't. Put. It. Down. I love a book that exposes my own sin and idolatry. And this one does just that. There are chapters addressing the following:
Perfectionism
Busyness
Possessions
Leisure
Wow!! Ladies--- this is not a checklist, or a daily task list to get things in order in your home. This book goes after the root of your chaos-- your heart. It identifies idols, exposes fears and sin, and brings it all back to Jesus. We create chaos and clutter by trying too hard and over-filling our calendar. We are gluttons for acquiring 'things' and have no way to decipher the difference between spiritual rest and leisure.
My sweet friend could not have given me this book at a better time. With summer and three boys on the horizon, I was feeling a little overwhelemd. But reading this gave me some insight and some persective. It gave me a chance to repent of some things like my desire to please others and my love of having things. If you read my last post, it really helped hone in my desire to serve a friend rather than trying to please.
This is a must-read for all. Even men!
I love feedback! Have you ever read this book? Or any others similar?
--Becca
