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JennGM
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Saturday I was part of a delightful gathering of ladies, a "Tea for St. Martha". We had a guest speaker, Abby Sasscer, who does Project Nazareth as her apostolic work.
I always need some reminders and shots in the arm to get my house under control. She had some great tips and her e-book "Simplifying the Domestic Church" is fabulous. She also gives phone and email support, too.
After the morning talk, I came home, organized my pantry, purged a few more items for the donation pick-up, and I have more concrete ideas on how to get things under control.
The e-book is downloadable from CHC for only $9.95. You would have to print it out, and for her display she used a 3 ring binder with plastic protector for each page (no holes punched).
For those who are Martha Stewart wanna-bes, but stymied by your melancholic perfectionism, I think this will really help.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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juststartn
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Can you share some more?
Rachel
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Martha in VA
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JennGM wrote:
| Saturday I was part of a delightful gathering of ladies, a "Tea for St. Martha". We had a guest speaker, Abby Sasscer |
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I already have Abby's book but I have to say I'm feelin' green with envy  over your tea gathering with her.  It does indeed sound lovely.
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JennGM
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But of course, Rachel!
The attitude is a bit different than secular organizational books.
Don't lose sight of loving Jesus in doing chores. That's what St. Martha failed to do.
True order does not lie in organization but in having an ordered love:
First God,
spouse
children
home
community
We strive for order so as our home is not a distraction to our vocation. But organization doesn't mean pristine!
4 Key Components:
Centralize -- have a central area for things, such as sports equipment, homeschooling materials, mail, etc. That is half the battle knowing at least a general area where something should be.
Contain -- containers control clutter. Designated place for everything, such as hooks for coats.
Systemize -- Labelling makes systems self-run. And you don't need a labelmaker. She has a system that can be used with a printer.
Maintain -- once you set up a system, easier to maintain. Minimally, Lent and Advent, or do quarterly, or even more frequently.
I love how she says it's not just decluttering, but it's detaching. Detaching is a form of mortification, so decluttering becomes an opportunity for virtue!
She gives 15 tips on helps for decluttering.
She's not saying be ruthless, as she had some examples of where you shouldn't just completely purge and declutter. But one thought to keep in mind if you're having a hard time letting go: Fast forward to the last 2 hours of your life, and determine whether or not you will need this item to go with you on your deathbed into eternity.
That puts things into perspective!
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Elizabeth
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I had the privilege of having a long one-on-one with Abby a few weeks ago. And now I'm knee-deep in re-purposing my whole house . Here are some of my thoughts after that conversation. I plan to blog the rest of my notes (there were pages and pages), but I'm kind of caught up with my label-maker right now  .
I think the biggest thing I took away is that there is a difference between an "ordered life" and an "orderly life." Your life can be well ordered--that is you are doing things in order of priority--and it can still look a little untidy, not necessarily orderly. Good food for meditation for those of us who tend towards visual perfectionism. And that meditation time is important above all. Abby reminded me that just as our children and spouses want our time and attention, so does God.
One more thing: I put the book in our young ladies' curriculum, but I'm scheduling it in with the Faith items, because it really lends itself to quiet time meditations. It's a very contemplative book, where most home management books are almost pure action.
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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JennGM
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I do agree with Elizabeth that this journal is a lot of spiritual aspects. Abby mentioned that she found many of the organizational or simplifying books complicated. Her book is simply laid out, places for you to think and meditate and jot down your thoughts.
The book includes:
Decluttering
Organizing
Time Management
Menu Planning
Vital Documents
Blank Forms and Labels to print
I just finished printing and putting mine in a binder and giving lots of thought and prayer to this.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Project Nazareth
