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Inheritance

My grandpa was an amazing man. He had the heart of a missionary, the mind of a teacher and the skilled hands of an artist. He delivered milk and then Coca-Cola before he went back to school to get his teacher's degree.

He bought an old bus and brought the kids home from school once a week to hear about Jesus at his house. Who knows how many children entered the kingdom because of his life? He learned Spanish so he could help a church plant and he often preached sermons about the love of God there.

He was a skilled musician (could've been a professional) and enjoyed many other art forms as well: oil painting and wood crafting especially. After he retired he turned his old school bus into a workshop and filled it with his supplies.

His love for "stuff" was so great that the space of his small house (and the bus-workshop) was not enough to contain all of it. His love for people was so great that his body could not contain his heart.

After he went home to get his hug from Jesus, my grandma spent years (10?) trying to figure out what to do with all of grandpa's stuff. Every time we went to visit, we came home with something else that we didn't really need. An old TV tray, some books, a ceramic dish he or she had made...

I've inherited many things from my grandpa. I hope I have half of his heart for people and Jesus. I share his appreciation for art and music and the Bible. I wish I had more of his work ethic (he worked two jobs while going to school full time and slept a few hours a night!)

But the fact is, I KNOW I inherited one thing from grandpa: I'm as big a packrat as he ever was. And I don't have a bus to store my junk (including the books, TV tray and ceramics)!!

So, I'm no expert in organization. As a matter of fact, here's how I organize my bills:


And here's how I organize my files:


Do you like it? (Why do I take such pleasure in sharing my weaknesses with you?)

One area I can organize is my computer. I keep all of my documents filed away in separate files. One for VBS, one for blogging, one for articles, one for Bible studies... It's so easy to make and keep organized files on the computer (wish it were easier with papers!) And, I've organized my e-mails too according to purpose because let's be honest. I don't like to throw things away.

If you want some REAL ideas on how to get organized, go visit Lysa TerKeurst's site for the Swap and Hop.

Comments

LOVE IT!!!

Thanks for a REAL contribution to the Swap & Hop!! This one didn't make me hyperventilate! :-)
Becky Avella said…
Hi Heather,

Thanks for your comment on my blog. I am a comment junkie, so it is great to know people are visiting. : )

Your grandpa sounds like he was an amazing man. Thanks for the inspiration.

I agree that organizing the computer is so much easier than organizing real life stuff, and it helps so much. It has made a big difference for me with being able to enjoy my computer more.

Thanks for the tip.

Becky : )
BethAnne said…
I found your blog through Lysa --- I think we might be related because I inherited disorganization too! :-) hahhahaha
Jenny said…
I love it, we share the same heart for bill organizing!

Your site is very nice too! I'll be back when I have more time,
Jen
Denise said…
I liked this post.
Sheila said…
I think all of us have some things we can organize and some things we can't.

For me it's pictures. I have so many files in all sorts of directories on my computer, but I haven't printed any out in years and I don't even know where to start. Sigh.

Visit To Love, Honor and Vacuum today!
Kathy Schwanke said…
Heather, thanks for making me laugh, I just sorted my "file-pile" yesterday...the one where I put everything I am too lazy to file until it is overflowing!!

Unfortunately I am not as good at filing on the computer as it sounds like you are.

I love your stories of your godly grandparents. What a blessing to have such an inheritance!!

Hey, Lysa is going to be one of the keynote speakers at the 2009"Set Apart" confrence @ Northwestern College(that I mentioned to you a while ago) next March. I was pretty excited to hear that.
Anonymous said…
Reading about your grandpa inspires me to love people more and share Jesus with them!
Are you sure you didn't sneak into my house and take pictures of my mess! That sure looks familiar!

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