The future...

Dear readers and subscribers,

Thank you very much for choosing to subscribe to this blog. I hope the tips have been helpful and encouraging in your journey of staying close to God and doing life well. I want to extend special appreciation to Gayle Hilligoss, who has provided many of the tips that have appeared here.

The time has come for a change, however, and I wanted to share a few details.

I, and H.O.P.E. Unlimited are entering a new season where the focus will be:

• Break Time Bible studies (one live, and others through email) and continued content on the BTBS blog.
• Serving of our monthly supporters, known as Gold Members 
• Launch of Organizing from the Heart in paperback and marketing/promoting of the book to individuals and groups who want to grow in this area.
• Development/maintaining of complementary resources to OFH, offered primarily through our blog.
• Local client work in marketing/communications which includes writing, social media, event planning, strategic planning, and client appreciation for professional firms.

As I consider the demands of the above responsibilities, along with some personal growth and change, I have decided that I have to be wise about what I keep on my plate. 

I used to keep four blogs up in addition to other work, but I am finding that it is time to prune and consolidate, at least for a season. Therefore, I am discontinuing adding new content to this blog for an extended time. 

In future months I'll be updating and polishing a central presence for people to find and connect with me. Even now, you can visit BethBeutler.com to subscribe to my email list (used primarily for announcements), connect on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn, or access my You Tube page. There, you'll also find information about my availability as a speaker. I offer several topics related to staying close to God and doing life well. I'm also available to professional firms for consultation in the areas of team building, communications, event planning, writing, and marketing. Please do visit that site!

Thank you for your continued interest and I "HOPE" we will remain connected so I can continue to serve you for a long time to come! 

Stay Close to God...do Life Well!

Beth Beutler

Serving Others

Being organized helps you serve others more easily. Recently I attended a jewelry party with several friends. At the last minute, I offered to drive the group. Thankfully, my vehicle has been remaining pretty clean interior-wise for awhile now, due to some regular habits (i.e. whenever I get gas I empty the trash and check for stuff on the floor, etc.) My husband and a couple of other guys had been in the truck on the weekend, and he had graciously cleaned it out before I needed it again on Monday. There was only one stray zip lock bag on the back floorboard.

I also keep an air freshener in the vehicle. One of the gals said, "It smells nice in here."

It was gratifying to be able to provide a ride on the spur of the moment and not be embarrassed by the condition of my vehicle. It only takes a couple minutes each week (and less than a minute each day, to make sure it is all picked up when I arrive back home) to have the vehicle be "company ready" at any time.

This is the type of thing to help you serve others well...not being distracted by a messy car, for example!

Jazz Up Your Plants

Potted plants look prettier with a layer of glass marbles covering the dirt. (GH)

Hospitality

I Peter 4:9 NIV Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Prayer Walk

A prayer walk is a simple act of worship you can do in your home anytime, and in any creative way you choose.

Simply walk through your home, and pray for a few minutes in each room of the house. Ask God to reveal His thoughts to you about what happens in that room, how it can be used to serve others, and how He can help the people who occupy that room the most.

Also, as you walk through your home, express gratitude for something in each room of the house. Instead of complaining about a mess you see, thank God for the life of the person who caused the mess. Express gratefulness for a comfortable chair, or plenty of food in the kitchen, or indoor plumbing!

Narrow Your Focus

Identify two or three places in your home that need to be kept up with the most (i.e. the rooms company would see.) Concentrate on keeping those areas tidy rather than trying to tackle an entire house.

Being Prepared for Company

Keep some basics on hand to be ready for entertaining:

Refrigerated cookie dough
Cinnamon rolls
Eggs
Fresh fruit
Hamburger meat
Frozen pizza
Paper plates, cups, plastic utensils

You'll be prepared at a moment's notice!

Fruit of the Spirit in Your Home

How is the environment in your home when measured against the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23?


But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, fiathfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  NKJV

Quiet Time Places

Reserve certain spaces in your home for quiet times. You will begin to associate those spaces with meaningful times with God and may find yourself drawn there regularly.

Do it for the Lord!

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Col. 3:17 NKJV

This includes organizing your home!

Prayer Walk

A prayer walk through your home is a great way to re-order your mindset in regard to taking care of it. Pray through each room for the people and projects that occupy it.

Time to Bring in the Hints!

After a brief sabbatical, I'm resurrecting HOPE Hints on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday publishing schedule (with occasional flexibility.)

Throughout the summer, the hints and thoughts will come directly from our new book, Organizing from the Heart: Change Your Mindset, Conquer Your Challenges.

Currently an online group is going through the book as a study, and these posts will complement that experience. Although e-mail groups are closed, if you own a copy of the book, you can request to be part of the private Facebook group any time.

The book can be ordered through the corresponding blog here.

Via: Rehab International

HOPE Hints is taking a short break through the end of May. We plan to pick back up with regular hints and articles in June on our general pattern of three days per week.

In the meantime, we hope you'll consider enrolling part of our "Summer of Getting Organized" online study. This is a free study (other than your purchase of a book.) It begins June 11.

Details here.

Google Calendar

Google calendar syncs with outlook, desktops and smart phones so you can have a consistent calendar across all platforms. Check it out!

Agree or Disagree?

"Until you make peace with who you are you'll never be content with what you have." 

Doris Mortman, American Author

Other Uses for Hair Spray

A quick spritz of hair spray can zap a pesky fly, wasp or other flying critter. Another quick spritz can take the static out of a clingy garment. (GH)

Neat Wrapping

I received a gift wrapped in a used calendar page and a big red bow. Too cute--and what a creative way to recycle big calendar sheets. (GH)

A Clean Desk is a Happy Desk

See your desk as a tool, not simply a piece of furniture. Keep nothing on it or in it that you don't use or enjoy regularly. Piles, even neat piles, are a distraction. (GH)

Healthy Choice

Save as much as $500 a year just by opting for water instead of soft drinks at breaks and with eat out meals. Healthier too. (GH)

A Reminder...

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid. For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2

Magnetic Strip

Display memos, photos, cards, etc. with Mini Magnetic Strip, a 13-inch strip with 6 super strong magnets. (GH)

Pretty Your Plants

Potted plants look prettier with a layer of glass marbles covering the dirt. (GH)

Packing Tape Tip

Don't let the cut end of a roll of packaging tape get loss. After each use, place a paperclip under the loose end. The next time you need it, you will be good to go. (GH)

Concise and to the Point

Keep your written correspondence concise and to the point with the following tips:

• Scroll not: aim to keep email to no more than one screen length
• Handle important details first: opening sentences should answer what, who, when questions.
• Omit extra words: pull out redundant, needlessly descriptive words
• Read the item out loud--slowly: this will help you see/hear errors
• Take time: write a draft and if possible, walk away for awhile, particularly if you are dealing with a sensitive or potentially tense subject

My New Book!

New Book! I'm delighted to announce that my new book, co-authored with Stephanie Baker and Karina Whisnant, is now available!

Organizing from the Heart: Change Your Mindset, Conquer Your Challenges is availabe as an ebook from Amazon or a downloadable PDF via HOPE Unlimited. Ebooks are $5.99 and the PDF is $4.99. This book was written in a way that includes teaching, personal study questions, small group discussion, tips and even a fiction story. It's designed to appeal to readers of all styles! 

Visit this link to the right to get your copy!

Updating your office at home or work? Spend some time at ikea.com for good ideas, affordable products, and functional solutions. (GH)

Omit extra, unnecessary, additional, redundant, needless, descriptive words from your written publications. 

Intriguing Thank You Gift

Fill a brown paper lunch sack with a dozen chocolate chip cookies, or a bag of tortilla chips with salsa. Attach a card with a handwritten note:  "Thanks for chippin' in on our big project." - Discipleship Journal

Before using Basil, gently wash leaves and dry gently with paper towel. Store by wrapping in a damp paper towel and in a resealable food storage bag. Refrigerate up to one week. Source unknown.

Happy Easter!

He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!

Isaiah 12:2  Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. For the LORD Jehovah is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation.

Why do you think "God as salvation" is listed twice in one verse?

Teach people how to do things that they normally ask you to do. For example, share with your teen how to use the washer/dryer or your young child how to sort clothes. Educate your co-worker about how to unjam the copier. You can be gracious and helpful, while also sharing instructions so they don't have to run to you next time.

Overwhelmed by stuff to do? Step back. Pray for wisdom. Then take one thing and do it. Stay focused. Then move on to the next thing. Sometimes deciding between a number of different tasks is what overwhelms us when the tasks themselves won't take too long if done one at a time.

Use a bulletin board or cork board on closet walls to organize jewelry. You can insert pins, put up hooks for bracelets and necklaces, etc. You can also use hanging zipper bags for some of your pieces. 

Marinade

A marinade (from the French word "to pickle") is a highly seasoned liquid that helps tenderize meat. A marinade must contain an acidic ingredient (i.e. lemon juice, vinegar, wine.) Source unknown.

Pray while doing household chores. Use the time to pray for family and friends, and tie in certain chores with certain types of prayer. For example, take a look at yesterday's post here about  praying while folding laundry.

If you enjoy looking at a variety of photos, considering getting a frame that rotates digital photos so you can have one frame and still enjoy several photos. If you enjoy certain knick-knacks on your desk, change them out every month or so (put a reminder on your task list.) You don't have to keep every meaningful item out at once. 

Consistently de-junk your home and office. Determine to discard one tangible or electronic item per week, if not one per day. Over time, you will be maintaining your files and home/office items with ease.

Thank you for Your Feedback

Thank you for your feedback about this blog. Based on your thoughts, I have decided for the foreseeable future  to continue the blog and also post hints on our Facebook page. This way, I can continue to bless our readers in the way they are accustomed to reading.

The blog posts automatically feed into our Facebook page as well.

I will, however be taking a different approach to the blog itself. Rather than have a strict publishing schedule, I will upload hints regularly but not necessarily daily. Also, hints will not always have a photo image attached as they used to. By using a more relaxed approach, I will not overwhelm your mailboxes and can maintain flexibility on this end. I estimate you will still receive hints about three times a week.

Thank you very much for reading. I encourage you to consider Gold Membership if you are regular reader of this blog. Gold Membership is part of the way I receive support for my time. At this time, we don't do advertising on the blogs except for encouraging you to shop at Amazon through our link (so we get a small commission on your purchases) so gold members are truly appreciated.

Final Opportunity for Feedback

If you have not already given us feedback:

We will be making our final decision by March 15.

We are giving some thought to moving our regular tips to our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/hopeunlimitedforyou instead of putting near-daily content on this blog.

We would like reader feedback on this possible decision, especially from those who are email subscribers to this blog and receive the near daily tips directly to their in-box.

You would not have to be a Facebook user to view our Facebook page and see our tips.

We will be taking a sabbatical for up to a month (through mid-March) while we determine if HOPE Hints should be continued in this blog format. We'd appreciate your feedback in the comments or via an email.

Thank you!

Feedback Please

If you have not already given us feedback:

We are giving some thought to moving our regular tips to our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/hopeunlimitedforyou instead of putting near-daily content on this blog.

We would like reader feedback on this possible decision, especially from those who are email subscribers to this blog and receive the near daily tips directly to their in-box.

You would not have to be a Facebook user to view our Facebook page and see our tips.

We will be taking a sabbatical for up to a month (through mid-March) while we determine if HOPE Hints should be continued in this blog format. We'd appreciate your feedback in the comments or via an email.

Thank you!

Need your feedback / sabbatical

We are giving some thought to moving our regular tips to our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/hopeunlimitedforyou instead of putting near-daily content on this blog.

We would like reader feedback on this possible decision, especially from those who are email subscribers to this blog and receive the near daily tips directly to their in-box.

You would not have to be a Facebook user to view our Facebook page and see our tips.

We will be taking a sabbatical for up to a month while we determine if HOPE Hints should be continued in this blog format. We'd appreciate your feedback in the comments or via an email.

Thank you!

Funny Friday

Source: whatsnotbeingsaid.tumblr.com via Beth on Pinterest

God's No...

Source: bitsotruth.blogspot.com via Beth on Pinterest

Happy Valentine's Day!

We love our readers!

Source: cityofnorthernlights.com via Beth on Pinterest

Pinterest Series: Meal Planner

Time for another Pinterest series! This week we are sharing photos related to the things H.O.P.E. likes to provide related to staying close to God and doing life well, including a little fun.

Here's an interesting and simple way to post your dinner plans.

Source: atypicaltypea.com via Beth on Pinterest

Funny Friday

Source: funnysigns.net via Beth on Pinterest

Magazine Circulation

After circulating business publications among your staff, take the used issue and place it in the break room or even the employee rest room. Leave it there for a week or two before discarding, in case someone has a few spare moments to read.

Interruption Log

Keep an interruption log for a week or so to determine what parts of your  day seem most "interruptable" and why. This can help you make some adjustments.

For example, if you are interrupted for 15 minutes every time the part-time employee comes in for the day and starts to chat, perhaps you can arrange to be making deliveries or copies away from your desk at that time a few times a week. You don't have to be unfriendly but you can sometimes plan around inevitable interruptions.

Keep Files Cleaned Out

You can keep files (electronic and paper) cleaned out by looking through one per day and deciding what you can keep, discard, or move to separate storage such as a jump drive or archives.

Stuff to Keep with You

Keep some duplicated items in your purse, car, or desk at work so that you don't have to think about packing them every day. These include a small First Aid kit, personal items, over the counter medications, snacks, and possibly running shoes and a coat or umbrella.

Friday Funny

Source: travelandleisure.com via Beth on Pinterest

Smartphone Reminders

Smartphone apps are great to use for reminders IF you make sure to check them regularly! If there is a notification option, you may want to select that so that there is a visual reminder on your phone of pending tasks. Otherwise, your notes may be hidden away in the app which does you no good.

Make a habit of checking these lists once a day, perhaps before you go to bed, to  make sure you have transferred the info to a more permanent, visual place (i.e. a list on your desk) or have completed the task. While you are at it, why not listen to and clear out voice mail, review texts and emails and delete them? Start your phone fresh each morning without a lot of information and reminders clogging it.

Lunch Break: Truly

If you must do errands at lunch time, restrict yourself to doing this only one or two times per week. It's important to take a break simply to recharge, not always to get other tasks done.

Record a Note

Use a voice recorder app on your phone to verbally "jot" reminders to yourself as you go through the day and may not be near a task list or calendar. Just be sure to make a habit of checking these notes regularly!

Gift Box

Keep a "gift box" of small but nice items such as bookmarks, candles, unique but inexpensive jewelry or hot beverage packets on hand to enclose in a birthday card or to give as a gift when an occasion pops up. Sometimes you can find cute things on clearance or at a dollar store, or via online retailers.

Friday Funny

Source: imgfave.com via Beth on Pinterest

Paper Goods

Keep a variety of plain or pattered colored paper goods on hand to mix and match for holiday or fun dinners at home. By avoiding holiday specific patterns you can use these for other events throughout the years.

If you prefer not to use paper, keep a collection of plain colored plates that can be mixed and matched to create interesting table settings.

Keep on Hand

Keep certain items stocked on your shelf for last minute company or inviations to parties, etc. These include: 2 liter sodas, frozen desserts or appetizers, dessert mix, chips and salsa, paper goods.

What would you add to the list?

For those small pockets of time...

Keep a "few minutes at a time" stash in your purse or briefcase. Use times when you are waiting to read, brainstorm, make lists, etc. If you carry a smartphone, you can do all this and more.

Keeping Up with Your Reading Plan?

Did you start a "Read Through the Bible in a Year" plan in January, with all good intentions, and have already fallen behind? Perhaps it's time for a different approach.

H.O.P.E. is developing a unique, low-pressure "400 Days in the Bible" plan. Check it out here!

Friday Funny...Have an Awesome Weekend!

Source: bizarresigns.com via Beth on Pinterest

Travel Notes

If you travel frequently, keep some notes on hotels, campgrounds and restaurants you've enjoyed in various locations. Make notes of certain facts about airports or airlines. Save your observations in an application like Evernote. This can help you when planning return visits.

Amazon Reminder!

Don't forget that you can help HOPE continue to offer free content when you shop at Amazon via our link first. Just bookmark this link. Everytime you shop, we get a small portion of your purchase while you don't pay ANY extra money.

Bin There?

Organize your office supply closet with plastic bins (or pretty photo boxes) or similar size and be sure to label their contents. Pictured is a supply room at Southside Fellowship.

Keep E-Mail Organized

Handle business emails like paper correspondence. You needn't print copies, but do create digital folders and keep your emails organized. Purge files regularly to keep them relevant. (GH)

Friday Funny

Source: funnysigns.net via Beth on Pinterest

Respect

Realizing

Everyone

Should

Perceive

Excellent

Consideration from me

Today

Making the Most of a Rainy Day

I'm not sure what the weather is like where you are today, but while I'm writing this, it is a wet, cloudy, warm day in South Carolina. (Remember that I wrote this just before Christmas on a different day than this post appears!) I'm sitting in my favorite coffee shop looking out on one of my favorite places downtown. Despite the dreariness, I see a jogger and people walking, still enjoying being outside. I even noticed some trees staring to bloom...which surprised me since it was December at the time.)

Sometimes I like days like today. I wouldn't want them all the time, but there's something peaceful and even cozy...like the day is giving you permission to stay inside where it's warm, or have a hot cup of coffee, or not have to work in the yard, etc.

So often we complain about the weather, but it is what it is. Why not just embrace it and find something enjoyable about it each day?

Today's photo is one I took that morning.

More on Cleaning Up Email

Yesterday we talked about cleaning up your email. What about that person who tends to forward you stories and email chain letters, you know the ones that try to guilt you into forwarding this to several friends? For awhile, I just deleted those. But I think it is time to send a kind response. Don't know what to say? Try something like this. You may wish to send it to a group of friends (that includes the offending person) if you would rather not single someone out.

Dear Friends,

It's a new (year, month, week) and one my goals is to get a better handle on email since I receive quite a lot. One of the things I'm doing is cutting back on emails that I don't feel I would need to action on.

Because of this, I'd like to kindly ask you to refrain from including me on any group emails that are stories, pictures, jokes, or mass greetings that you may have decided were worth forwarding. Please do continue to email me about personal updates or information for which you need a response.

(optional) Many of these items are inspirational or fun, but there are so many out there that are inaccurate or add a guilt inducing paragraph at the end that I make a point not to forward them to others anymore. I've learned that www.snopes.com is  a great place to go to check accuracy if there is an occasional piece that seems particularly noteworthy to consider sending.

I trust you'll respect me on this, and understand it does not reflect on our personal friendship. If there's anything I can do to be of help to you with this topic, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for understanding!

Clean Out Your Email

This week as you receive email, thoughtfully evaluate whether you need to keep receiving that email. Do you read it regularly or tend to delete it? Can you get the info elsewhere when you are ready for it? Unsubscribe from emails you don't read or need. Consider changing Facebook notification settings so you don't get an email everytime someone comments on your page (unless you want to receive those.) 

Hope Hints on Weekends

For now, HOPE Hints has decided to no longer produce new content for Saturday/Sunday. We encourage you to take a moment to read over our past five hints each week instead. We can all use a pause from "information overload" and this is our way to give ourselves, and our readers, some "white space" in our information output/intake each week. While we may revisit this policy in the future, we expect our readers will appreciate this decision. We thank you for understanding and welcome your feedback.

Friday Funny

Source: globalgrasshopper.com via Beth on Pinterest

But not advanced spelling?

Curious?

Curious about the meanings and origins of phrases, saying, idioms? Find a wealth of this kind of information here.  (GH)

Are You Ready to Evacuate? Part 3

We thank Laurinda Wallace of SimplyLife for her series this week!

We've looked at important papers and personal items to be prepared to take in an evacuation. Let's wrap up with general supplies to have handy.

Supplies

• Bottled water for several days
• Individually packaged snacks
• Deck of cards
• Handheld video games/batteries
• Flashlight
• First Aid kit

If you live in an area prone to hurricanes, floods, wildfires, or other natural disasters it’s well worth the time to take stock of what you need to organize to throw together a Go Bag. Advance preparation is crucial to a safe evacuation. Don’t stick your head in the sand and decide evacuation can’t ever happen. No one is exempt. Being ready and organized will help your family in a high stress and dangerous situation.

The lists shared this week aren’t exhaustive, but they give you the basics of preparation. Other sources are the FEMA (fema.gov) and American Red Cross (redcross.org) websites. Check with your local sheriff’s department or emergency services department for more information unique to your location. 

Are You Ready to Evacuate? Part 2

This week, we are featuring an article http://www.laurindaw.blogspot.comby Laurinda Wallace, blogger at SimplyLife. Thanks Laurinda, for your contribution!

Yesterday, we shared about personal papers to take when evacuating. Today, consider these personal items:

Personal Items

• Prescription medications
• Chargers for electronics
• Cell phones
• Cash
• Toiletries
• Clothes for a few days and an extra pair of shoes
• Pet Food and Equipment
• Laptops/Flash drive

Don’t forget about any pets and their supplies. Crates, food, meds, and leashes are a must if your pets are relegated to a shelter. Keeping a plastic gallon bag of basic toiletry items stashed can help too. A lot of financial records and personal information is stored on home computers. Don’t forget chargers for laptops and I-pads. A flash drive that has your pictures or other records as a backup is a good idea if you’re unable to take computers.

Tomorrow, we'll look at a list of general supplies to keep handy.

We were fortunate to stay with friends while we were evacuated, so we didn’t stay in a shelter like hundreds of others. If a shelter is your only option and you have a few more minutes to prepare the list below will help ease the stress:

A Request...

(We realize this may be a duplicate for those who receive these posts by email. We apologize for the inconvenience but needed to provide a working link. Thanks for understanding.)

If you have subscribed to this blog by email, we would like to invite you to also subscribe to our "Friends of H.O.P.E." list. We send occasional updates about services that may interest you...no more than two in a month, for example, and sometimes not even that. We announce opportunities such as Break Time Bible Studies, resources for organizing/team building/money management, and holiday greetings.

In the past, those subscribed to our blogs were automatically added to that email list as well but now we want to leave that up to you! Please consider joining that list so we can keep you informed without overwhelming your email box!

If the link below does not work (i.e. you received this in email) please use the box at the top of www.hopeunlimitedforyou.com. Thanks!

Thank you!

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