Ducks in a Row

I'm good at being organized. Really, I am. That's why I love my job so much and that's why I wonder how some people (the less organized) can function. Other people are creative or brilliant or cool or handy. I'm organized. I'm not complaining - I'm kinda proud of it.

We bought a new house (well, new to us) and for the month of August we are on the remodel crusade - fresh paint, hardwood floors, take out a wall, etc. Pulling off something of this magnitude requires a lot of organization. Here I come to save the day! I create many to-do lists and to-buy-from-Home Depot lists and we are just fine. The house is actually coming along quite well.

I've heard and read in several places that your "idol" is whatever you think about in your spare time, but more than that, we worship whatever we think we make us "okay". Tim Keller talks about this a lot in "Counterfeit Gods". His sermons can be found here. Anthony and I have been aware that we are excited about this new house and having twice the square footage and thinking it will solve all our problems. So we've been on guard.

About a week ago, I was spinning my wheels and getting very wound up about so much to do and so little time and how in the world can we budget for all this, and it went through my head, "I'm so organized, why am I having all this trouble?" Ta Da! Idol revealed! I know it is comical, but I realized I'd been thinking my organizational skills would keep me from stress and make our family go smoothly through this transition and everything would be done right on time. Some people worship their family or job or stuff. Me? I think organization can save me. (Okay, I know I have other issues, this is just the most recent one to pop up.)

Here's the deal... our hearts always always always tend toward anything other than Jesus. Even silly things like salvation through organization. AND our hearts deceive us and we don't know we're doing it until it lets us down. In my case, I forget to pay a couple bills or I freak out because my planned schedule doesn't work. A heart fixed on having all ducks in a row may seem insignificant, but it reminds me of my need of grace, and that isn't insignificant.