New things, old favourites by Annie Try

 

This is the week of coming out of chaos into new things. I hope!

I am sitting in my living room which has sofas pulled to the centre of the room and boxes and bags piled behind and between them. The kitchen is over-full with packaged possessions on the floor and the table, which has a small space clear at one end to eat our breakfast tomorrow. Glasses are wrapped in newspaper, trinkets carefully boxed and every bag, basket and specially bought cardboard box filled to overflowing with books, cushions, children’s toys, dog toys, audio tapes, video tapes, CD’s and good old vinyl records! Two old sofas, a large table with a wonky leg and a chest of drawers that is impossible to close have gone to the recycling centre.

I know what you’re thinking, but no we are not moving!

All this disruption and chaos is due to the imminent fitting of carpets in the dining room, hall, stairs and landing. A necessary activity to avoid falls from worn out rugs which slipped on the dining room floor and threadbare carpet on the stairs.

I’d allowed two days to empty furniture which was requested by the carpet fitters when agreeing to move all of the furniture for us. I started two or three weeks ago and we are not there yet. Part of the delay is because of the old favourites that keep being discovered. We have so many books that I found quite a few for my TBR pile (in fact two TBR piles plus two TBR baskets). I found a treasured envelope opener that had been missing for five years, my late mother’s baptismal Bible, four chess sets, Funfair - my children’s favourite board game (to put that in context, my children are in their 40s and 50s now!) and many other treasures. 

Out of this chaos we have a freshly decorated dining room. I had asked our decorator to do a little tidying up of the paintwork but when she pointed out just how much she’d have to do and how patchy it would look, we agreed fresh all over was best. We also have the beginning of repainted bannisters but, alas, the paint I bought thinking it was the same as the old paint is drastically different in colour, so that is abandoned for now.

Meanwhile, one of my latest manuscripts is being edited and I am trying to keep up with my lovely editors very wise remarks and suggestions - I now see the hidden chaos. The other manuscript has had a first reading by a friend - but somehow I had failed to send her pages 70 to 100.

I hope the carpet is fitted and some order regained by Saturday when I have invited anyone interested to come to my house to discuss the formation of a local writers group. I’ve no idea how many will come because I forgot to put R.S.V.P. on the invites which were taken by people to distribute to others they thought may be interested.

It must be that the chaos and muddle around me is contagious; I’m sure I don’t always make this many mistakes. 

Or perhaps I have slipped in applying my favourite Bible verse - calming advice from God himself, in Psalm 46:10

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.”

Yes, it’s time to be still and focus on him. Even when I am busy, I need to prioritise taking time out to be with Him. A precious oasis of stillness.

Annie Try writes novels with a touch of faith and is published by Instant Apostle and Kevin Mayhew. She enjoys running workshops and encouraging other writers. When she has completed her current WiPs she plans to return to a project that marries her profession as a psychologist with that of a Christian writer, focusing on ways to combat anxiety in the Christian life.