Please give your opinion

Although this blog is currently inactive, Beth has plans to launch a centralized blog with relevant content for all her readers. If you'd take a moment to answer the following ten questions, that would be helpful as she makes plans to serve you better!

Thank you!

Reader Survey

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)