a whole new view

Jan 4, 2010

I love to rearrange. In fact, I cannot clean without rearranging. My children do not understand this. They are all about constancy. I do believe they would never move a thing in their bedrooms if they had their way about it (I do try to let them have their way about it, but sometimes, things have got to be moved!) I, on the other hand, love rearranging. I love changing around furniture every month or so. It clears my mind and gives me a chance to get a new perspective.

There is nothing better than the rearranging that comes with Christmas.

First, we have to shuffle things around to make room for the tree, the nativities, the pictures of Jesus, the Christmas books, the baking, the present making, and the stockings. I love the coziness of it all. I love the whole month of December and how we work together as a family to learn about Jesus and serve others…but after the New Year, it is time to put all that stuff away (hopefully not all the lessons or desires…just the stuff). It is amazing what happens – the whole feel of my home changes. After a month of focusing on only one topic and being immersed in it, we are ready for more. Ready to do more and try more. Our ability to think is expanded. It is as if we have made room for new thoughts and ideas to bounce around the walls of our home…and our minds.

As I rearrange our living spaces, I can feel my spirit opening up to changes and opportunities that this year will bring. I am excited about the new thoughts that are coming. We just finished up family council and have made some changes to how our family will function and what routines we are going to be striving to establish. I am excited about starting our Old Testament study tomorrow night. I am excited to start a new learning time plan with my girls that will give them time to be “teachers” for the younger children while I have some 1:1 time with each of them. I am excited to start Magical Moments with Mom. I am excited to start a new math adventure with Blythe and The Life of Fred. I cannot wait to read the rest of The Hidden Christ. This morning’s reading was far too short for all the treasures I found.

The great thing about rearranging furniture is that if we don’t like it we can try out some other way that might suit us better. It isn’t permanent – it is temporary. My children seem to think if I put the couches a certain way they don’t like that they need to moan and complain. I just smile and say “We’ll try it this way for a little while and we will change it in a few weeks – no need to fret.” Maybe if we saw the changes in our lives the same way we wouldn’t feel so leery of making them.