I learned from the best of them \u2013 my mother-in-law \u2013 about organizing and keeping things in their proper order. Perfectionism is one of her claims to fame which she passed on to her son, my husband and to our son who is \u201cMr. Organized\u201d to the nth degree and thrives on everything being in its rightful place. Then, there\u2019s me, who doesn\u2019t take all that so seriously, though I should, and as the saying goes: \u201cI\u2019ve come a long way, Baby!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I gave you that background to introduce you to someone I just recently heard about. She is Marie Kondo aka KonMari. To me, she seems to be a Japanese version of Joanna Gaines \u2013 except her niche is tidying up. I noticed this beautiful Japanese woman popping up on various news programs and talk shows. She wrote a best seller titled \u201cThe Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up\u201d and has a hit show on Netflix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I investigated her website to learn more about her. She makes a fortune encouraging people to clean up and simplify their surroundings by choosing to keep only the things that give joy. She\u2019s too late for me on that advice, as that is exactly what I did when I moved from Frisco to Austin in February. I have had a few wishful thoughts that perhaps I should have kept this or that because I have since, had to re-purchase them. But all in all, I love my newfound simpler and smaller home and lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marie Kondo says to: \u201cCommit yourself to tidying. And, get rid of it, if it doesn\u2019t spark joy in you.\u201d A lot of what she teaches makes good sense. I started making a home for my husband and me in the late 1960s. Back in those days, we couldn\u2019t put enough \u201cstuff\u201d on our shelves. Every stack of books required a small brass pot with a plant on top. And every wall had to include a collage of decoupage wall hangings I had made and several framed pictures rather than one giant canvas of one giant flower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m on a mission to keep a tidy place though my grandson noticed my little open desk in my bedroom where I type my blogs, pay my bills, keep my important \u201cto-do\u201d list and my stack of notes. He commented: \u201cWhy don\u2019t we get you a real desk where you have drawers and can keep all that hidden?\u201d Argh! Looks like I also have a grandson who likes things tidy. It runs in the family!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Honestly, I do like my home to be tidy without the little stack of papers and water bottles here and there. I really do want my bathroom vanity to be cleared off! I don\u2019t think I will become a Marie Kondo disciple anytime soon, but I do think she inspires some healthy thinking, and she inspires me to be a more purposeful tidier!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, far more important than the tidiness of our homes is what the inside of our hearts and souls looks like. Are we cluttering up our thinking with negative thoughts, worry and concern that hinders productivity and positivity? What can we eliminate from our lives that would help us to be more peaceful and purpose-driven? And, as Marie Kondo instructs people to only keep those things that give them joy, shouldn\u2019t we put a higher value on God\u2019s thinking and be joy and peace givers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I want my home to be stream-lined without clutter and look a little better but, even more, I want my heart and soul to be free from all the clutter that holds me back from the joy of the Lord which is my strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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