I like things to be in order. Everything in its place and a place for every thing. However, life does not always grant this wish due to busy schedules, daily demands, and the joy of raising young pixies.
However, Tim and I still do our best to maintain a sense of order within our walls. We notice it makes a huge difference in the rhythm of our home. Beauty is found in order.
Elisabeth Elliot talks about having a habit of order in her book The Shaping of a Christian Family. She writes about her own home life,
"A perfect home. Was it? Of course not. It could not have been impeccable at all times, but this is my impression ...of ...our home... As a child I took it for granted, but later when I came home from boarding school or college, it hit me as soon as I entered the front hall--the freshness, the neatness, the sense of things being placed."
The sense of things being placed. I love this idea of things having their place. I notice that our own family rhythm is more joyful when things are in their proper place.
There are three things I observe in particular when we have a habit of order within our home.
1. Our moods are lighter.
Everyone breathes a little deeper, laughs a little harder. Lightheartedness seems to prevail. The heaviness of drudgery seems to disappear. We know where to find things, and everything flows a little smoother.
2. Our work ethic is stronger.
We get more done when things are where they need to be. Order births creative output. In his book, Effortless, Greg McKeown, notes that when we clear the clutter in our physical environment, it helps clear the clutter in our minds.
3. Communion is sweeter.
Strife and angst are harder to come by. We enjoy each other more and relax in the beauty of order. As we gather around the table, the burdens of the day lift off our shoulders and we relax as things are settled in their place.
Our aim in creating order is not perfection. We don’t want (or need) a perfect home, but rather the sense of everything being in its place. Our spirits settle as the atmosphere of our homes reflect the beauty of order.
Breathe deep, my friend. May you know this habit of order today.
What is one thing you can do today to begin creating a habit of order? Is there something you are currently doing that is working well for your family to help everything find it’s place? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!
We have a rather freeform order around here. A bit more organic. But, Abba does love "Seder". his holy order for the life He has created for us.