Part 3 of a 3 Part Series

Article by Make the Days Count Contributor Judy Mosley

“If everything is sacred, then nothing is sacred.”

-Peter Walsh

What’s sacred in your life?  What are the material possessions that hold real value for your family?  Is it a family heirloom, an important award, or old love letters from your spouse?  Could you find them immediately, if someone asked to see them?  Do they have a place of honor in your home?  Or are they buried beneath everything else that you can’t get rid of?

My husband and I found ourselves in this situation at the beginning of our marriage.  We spent the first two years of our marriage shopping instead of connecting with each other and material things took the place of passion.  We lived paycheck to paycheck and couldn’t understand why.  This left us feeling frustrated, broke, and surrounded by things that we didn’t even like.  We came to the conclusion that we couldn’t live this way any longer. Read More »

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Marie Monroe

Finding balance in a busy life is difficult.  Often we make temporary sacrifices in one area of life to focus on another more intensely.  It’s important to be flexible enough to do this from time to time.  However over the long haul, especially if work is our chief focus, very real problems can arise.

Don’t get me wrong.  A passionate approach to one’s work is great.  It’s workaholism I am talking about here – working instead of attending to other parts of life. Read More »

Part 2 of a 3 Part Series

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Judy Mosley

It was obvious that I was in trouble when I pulled out the vacuum cleaner and my firstborn, who was 2 ½ at the time, asked me what I was holding.  I knew that I had vacuumed in front of my children, but apparently, not enough!

Since then I have discovered a few applications that I’ve infused into my daily living.  Most of them are fairly simple suggestions that keep me focused when I would rather be watching television or reading.  I hope these support you, as well, on your path to a more peaceful home.

And, relax.  If you are about to sift through years of amounted clutter, keep in mind that true order rarely happens overnight.  Start small with manageable tasks and celebrate each success.  We don’t need aim for perfectionism but for reality.  Home is a place that should support the life we want to lead. Not to consume our every waking moment. Read More »

Part 1 of a 3 Part Series

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Judy Mosley

Home.  It’s a place of refuge, strength, and peace.  It’s where you come to recharge, make sense out of life, and find ways to express your creativity.

At least . . . it should be.

How has the state of your home been, lately?  Has it become harder to find things that you need?  Are the dishes sitting in the sink longer than normal?  Are you having to step over things on the floor than usual?  Or, have you lived in disarray for so long that you’re not sure anything else is possible?

If this is you, welcome to my life!  I am a native messy.  I grew up avoiding order and not thinking twice about it.  Even in young adulthood, learning how to stay organized was extremely difficult.  It’s only been within the past few years I have been able to make clearer steps toward a cleaner, more organized home. Read More »

Article by Make The Days Count Contributor Chris Bennett

Every body knows that guy who just loves to go the extra mile, on anything and everything.  Audacious to an extent, but you just can’t wrap your mind around how he has so much persistence and such a ridiculous amount of drive.

I ran into this situation recently, and I found myself asking just how in the world this person functions on an off day.  You know, one of those days where getting out of bed is a hassle in its own right, and then you have work or school and have to be around people, it just is not a fun day.  Time seizes up and seems to go by ever so slowly and you cannot fathom being overly productive.  Well, I soon realized that this guy lets nothing stand in his way of his daily quota of productivity, not even a five-minute coffee break just to catch up on the weekend festivities.  

That is one extreme end of the velocity of life spectrum I want nothing to do with.  Which end are you on? Read More »