Young, transient, and....organized?

It's Monday again. I have mixed feelings about Mondays. Unlike the rest of the world, Monday is not the day I start my work week (I work Tuesdays - Saturdays), but it is my day off. As Sunday is my first day off which I seek to spend in relaxation, leisure, and good company, Monday is my day when I want to get stuff done. Frequently when my friends ask me what I am going to do on Monday I say "organize my life." It's pretty much my main goal every Monday - run errands, pay bills, and most of all, try and organize the paperwork, mail, clothes, and random boxes in my room. Sometimes I make a dent in the project, many times, I get frustrated. Last Monday was especially frustrating because I realized that by the time I did my household chores, did my laundry, and dealt with other paperwork, I wouldn't have as my time to organize the piles in my room as I hoped.

I suppose it's much easier to accomplish the goal of organization when you are a choleric personality and strive to have everything in exact order. For those of us who are more free-spirited in our home organization, it's much more difficult to bring order to our space without getting suddenly distracted by a great magazine article on our desk that we have been wanting to read, or remembering a package that needs to be mailed at the post office.

But digging deeper, I know that my frustration with home organization is not just an aggravation with stray papers, but a reluctance to develop a more permanent state of organization in my room in the midst of my transient existence. In the past 8 years, (counting college years), I have moved 8 times. Because of my tendency to take my time to decide how to organize each room, and very thoughtfully and deliberately unpack my things, by the time I get my room fully unpacked, it's about time for me to pack up again. And inevitably, this means adding more odds and ends to my odds and ends box(es) that just seem to get more full with each move.

I truly admire my friends who have also moved frequently, and are able to establish a well-organized room within a few days. Knowing that even my current location is somewhat temporary, I am still reluctant to unpack every single box, in anticipation that before long, I will probably be moving again. But every time I face the challenge of organizing, I also face the desire putting down roots, and having more stability. As a young adult still discerning my permanent vocation and God's will for my life, geographical stability is not something that I have. So it is my challenge and prayer not only to organize my space to be well-ordered for the present moment, but to find my roots and stability in His heart. For us transient, nomadic singles, at this time in our lives, our lack of stability and roots is a unique cross. I have heard the quote before, "My home is in His heart." May this be our comfort and our prayer in our packing, unpacking, moving forward, and staying in place.