Posted on by Angela

Blessings of a Cluttered Desk

1 Timothy 6:17 

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 

I sit at my desk this morning with a cat on my left hand. She rubs her head against my hand, causing my hand to type letters I don’t intend. I sigh and backspace to correct the mistakes. I have a notebook on my right entitled “Blog.”  On my left, past the cat, are a couple of journals and a devotional. My husband brought home a novel from work, so it has been added to the stack. I have two monitors. Beneath one is an old shelf- thing with a drawer. I have no idea what its original purpose was, but I loved it when we came across it in a thrift store, so it became my Mother’s Day gift that year. It makes a great monitor riser. It is in serious need of dusting. The other “monitor riser” is another Mother’s Day gift. It has a couple of Bibles and a hymnal and odds and ends some of which I don’t know quite what to do with, so they get stuck there. I also have a large candle holder full of pens, pencils, and highlighters. I have paperweights and stress toys and lotion and sticky notes scattered among the risers. This more or less constitutes my desk, which is a small dining table shoved against a wall.  

My purpose in describing my space is not to bore you or show you my organization skills, or lack of them, but rather to remind myself and you that there is a blessing in a cluttered desk. A while back I posted about identity in the things on the desk. How the things on the desk can reveal things about us. This time I want to look at it a little differently. Maybe there is a blessing in the clutter.  

Most of us tend to hate clutter. It makes us feel claustrophobic and cramped. We cannot relax or think straight until the clutter is gone. In fact, you may have read my listing above and had some anxiety. I admit to some anxiety myself. Yet, as I take a second look and consider the items, I discover how blessed I am.  

The cat wants to be near me because she loves me. She has, since I began typing, moved to lay on the notebook, to sit in front of the keyboard watching my fingers or blinking at me. The risers and novel indicate I have a family and am loved. The notebook reminds me that I need to study and plan content. I have a responsibility to whoever reads this blog. Even the dust reminds me of the fact that I have a home, a roof over my head. The Bibles remind me, if I ever need reminding, there is a God and He loves me and gave Himself for me. He is the reason I do this. He is my Audience of One.  

There is a blessing in the clutter. I am not saying that the clutter doesn’t need to be cleared away. Not at all. But maybe the next time we grumble and complain about the inconvenience of the dust, the dishes, the laundry, the mess, we can take a moment to remind ourselves that these could remind us why we have them in the first place. They could mean we have a family. They could remind us that we are loved. Regarding a pet, the clutter could remind us that an animal depends on us and trusts us. The dirty dishes mean we had food to eat and had something to prepare it in and eat that food from. The laundry indicates that we have clothes to wear. We have been blessed far beyond what we deserve and in truth we can live on far less than what we have.  

So, there is a blessing in the clutter. Whether it is a desk, a corner, or a room, the clutter can be used to remind us we have a blessing and a purpose. Clean it up certainly, but while you do so rejoice in the blessing of a God who gives us all things to enjoy.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Things on the Desk

The desk where I do my writing is actually a small dining table. I have it pushed against a wall. My house has an open floor plan, so I am central to living, kitchen and dining areas. It got me thinking though about the kinds of things we keep on our desk. If you have a desk, take a moment to look at what your desk holds.  

I don’t mean the normal desk things like staplers, pens and pencils, tape dispenser, and the like. Of course, even those things can disclose personality. What I am thinking of is what could a person gather about you with the things on your desk? My home desk looks different from my work desk, but there are similarities. Both have sticky notes on the monitor; things I don’t want to forget or want to have at hand. My home desk has paperweights, an electric pencil sharpener (I use colored pencils for Bible study, and I even have real pencils), I have a large glass candle holder full of pens and pencils and highlighters. There is a Bible and a hymnal. Several journals. I have a few fidget things and stress toys. Right now, I have a menu planner marked for the coming week. It is incomplete. I also have a spiral binder with tabs which contain projects taken from my notebooks or that need to be typed into various folders in my computer. Recipes, writings, etc. There are a few other things crammed in, but this is basically my home workspace. 

My point in this exercise is that who we are is sometimes identified by what we surround ourselves with. By looking at the contents of our desk we can see where our time and energy is focused. It gives us the opportunity to make adjustments to our priorities. If we look at our desk and see an overflow of bills, maybe we need to consider our spending habits or work on budgeting. Sometimes our desk reveals what we enjoy.  An abundance of cards, stamps and pens could reveal you send cards to those you are thinking of or those who are sick or struggling. A desk covered with everything, but desk related items could mean you don’t use a desk at all. It is only a piece of furniture that is now a catch -all for all the clutter you don’t know what to do with.  

What are you surrounding yourself with? When you look at your workspace, home, or work, what stands out as a priority? The Bible tells us the from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks (see Matthew 12:34). I think this is true not only in our speech, which is a big clue to our heart, but also in our workspace. What is important to us is what we keep close. Pictures of family, bible verses, inspirational quotes, things that build us up and those which visit our space reveal what is inside, what is important. Obscene pictures, insulting language, divisive posters, etc. also reveal what is inside. We are talking about a heart issue more than an organizational problem.  

I know you are probably thinking it is only a workspace but take a moment to look at your space either at home or at work. See if what I am saying is true. What does that space reveal about you? What does your desk or workspace say about you? Does it reveal your identity in Christ? Or does it reveal a life lived for the flesh? Maybe somewhere in between?  

I am not here to condemn; that is not my job. I only want you to think about what you identify yourself with and how you want to align your life. We want to be individuals who give our all for one. Who give everything we have to God. This means we are a work in progress, and it involves every aspect of our life from the company we keep to the insignificant little things like what we keep on our desk at work or home. Everything we say or do reflects who we are in Jesus. The changes may be gradual, such as replacing one item that may be inappropriate with something that is encouraging and uplifting. Maybe your whole workspace needs an overhaul. You decide.   

Maybe the time has come for you to decide for Christ. It’s time to follow Him. Put the things of the world behind and accept His gift of salvation. He loves you so much He died on a cross for your sins, and he alone can change you from the inside out. His identity in you is the only way the things on the desk make any difference.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

What I am Working On

This year is off and running. I have a lot going on behind the scenes and others that should be going on. Here are some things I am working on and others I hope to accomplish.  

BLOG 

Writing here in All for One is my priority. I have an appointment every morning at 4:00 to be at my desk working on what I will say to those of you who drop by.  I have kept up with writing here since May posting once or twice a week. I have learned a lot and still have much more to learn. I have a verse on a sticky note posted on my monitor that reminds me that it is ok to be small.  “Do not despise these small beginnings for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” (Zechariah 4:10 NASB) It is one of my key verses for me for writing this blog and for my writing. Yet that doesn’t mean I want to stay there. Even though it is okay to be small, there is always room for growth. I want to grow and reach more. This is where that learning comes in. There is a wealth of information about blogging available. So, my job becomes what is worth my time and what isn’t. Sifting through it all takes time I don’t always have working a full eight hour day.  

BOOK REVIEWS 

You may have noticed more on books this year already. I will be adding more in book reviews. I read digital and paper. I also want to see good books in the hands of readers.  I believe reviews are the way to combine the two. Expect to see more book reviews this year. I hope you will find some books you want to add to your own reading list. There are so many books on the market and not all of them are worth reading. As Christians, we are called to be different. So, immediately some genres are off the table. Erotica and LGBTQ are among them after that you have to judge. For some, horror and true crime are not on their reading lists. I personally don’t read a lot of horror, but I like some true crime. I love mystery and some fantasy. Some of you may not. I used to read romance but now the line is blurry between romance and erotica, so I tend to avoid the genre completely. What I hope to achieve is balance. Some mystery, a little true crime, some history, some thriller, a little fantasy, and a little science fiction. Some Christian fiction. Some Christian nonfiction.  

In my reviews, because we are all about All for One, the books I read are to find the good ones from the bad. So, I hope I will warn you if I come across any that cross the lines. I don’t think a lot of foul language needs to be in a novel, and I will let you know. There are some great indie authors coming up, and I will help you find them.  

SHORT STORIES 

It used to be that if you wanted to break into the writing world you should probably begin by the magazine market through short stories and build a portfolio. I am not sure that is still prevailing wisdom. Have you bought a magazine lately? Wow. They are expensive. Yet, I do think short stories have potential in writing even though the market may be harder to find. Short stories teach writers to write more tightly because there is a smaller word count.  The story must be told quickly, the action rises faster and is resolved sooner. While I haven’t decided if I will post any here, I will be working on a few short stories throughout the year and looking for some markets.  

NOVEL 

Finally, last November I tackled Novel November and began a novel in earnest. I am still working on this though I have hit a block. I will have to figure out how to write my way through it. This is all I will say about the novel right now. I am tackling a dream long held. 

So, there it is. It is February and here is what I hope to achieve in 2026. I have a lot to learn. I always have a lot to learn. I may be in my fifties, but I never want to stop learning. I have some other things in mind that I haven’t shared, but we will keep those on the back burner for now. I hope you will grow with me this year and share some of your own plans for growth. I would love to hear them.  

All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Angela’s Bookshelf: Death on the Doorstep

I read this book as a free download from NetGalley in exchange for a written review. 

Constance Gray and Solomon Silver have just returned home from their Italian honeymoon and almost immediately are confronted with death literally on their doorstep. Two men are found dead on the back door of Constance’s “establishment.” The two men seem to have nothing in common as one is a vagrant who makes his home on the streets and the other is a wealthy man with a good reputation. It takes unraveling plots and clues to sort truth and ill intent in this seventh book in this series by Mary Lancaster. The book contains references to drug use, alcohol, prostitution, and suicide, so the reader should be aware if these are personal triggers.  

I downloaded this book not realizing I was jumping into a well-established series with well-developed characters.  Fortunately, Death on the Doorstep is a wonderful standalone book and the author does a good job of making the reader aware of past events without making them feel as though they have missed much.  

The author weaves this tale with blackmail, threats, secrets, and old relationships resurfacing. The book is about 200 pages long and makes for a good weekend read. I appreciated the fact that there is no foul language and no explicit sex. Bedroom scenes are left in the bedroom. Although the reader should be aware that Constance is the owner of a brothel. She runs her “establishment”, as she calls it, as an opportunity for young women to leave the streets behind and learn a trade and find employable work. If they choose to remain in the oldest profession, they can do so safely, without fear of abuse or exploitation.  

Constance and her husband, Solomon, have established an investigation service and it is through this agency that they investigate the deaths found on the doorstep. 

I enjoyed Death on the Doorstep book and would read another book in this series or other books by this author. I give Death on the Doorstep book 4 out of 5 stars because of the references previously mentioned. I would recommend it to anyone over the age of eighteen.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

A View of August

If you have visited All for One, you know it is a small blog. It is only a couple of months old. I am still learning to blog and finding it is more than just putting thoughts and words on a screen. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes.

I have however, been amazed and humbled how far these words have reached. So, I want to say a very sincere and quick thank you. If you have been watching and reading, thank you. If you have dropped by and lingered long enough to read a post, thank you. I hope you stick around there is more to come. We are just getting started.

August is shaping up with back to school. Parents rejoice and children mourn. There is planning involved in the new school year. Teachers and administrators alike plan events and lessons. Classrooms are decorated and everything is cleaned and ready for the return of the students. Parents and kids hit the malls and stores buying school clothes and supplies. There is an excitement in the air ready for school to begin.

I am getting ready also. I am not going back to school. Those days ended for me a while back. My son is grown so I do not have to fight the crowds for school supplies. But I am working on content. Planning what I want to bring to you in August. Since school is beginning. I thought we would get back to basics. I have been toying with the idea of a theme for each month. August will be the first month I really dig in and try it out.  If it works wonderful. If not, well at least I gave it a try.

So, what do I mean by back to basics? Well in Times Like These, I want to cover some basic Christian doctrines. will try to cover doctrines without my Southern Baptist paradigm, but my Baptist roots run deep. I want to take the view of whatever doctrine we are studying as close to the bible as possible, so we are getting truth and not opinion. In Third Verse Devotions, we will look at some old hymns like Are you Washed in the Blood, At the Cross, and others. If you have a favorite hymn you would like to explore, just let me know and I will be happy to include it in Third Verse Devotions. In Angela’s Bookshelf, I hope to have more material up. Maybe not all reviews but other articles and posts.

So, there it is a quick overview of what I hope for in August, a Back-to-Basics kickoff. You don’t want to miss anything that is coming, so be sure to hit the like and subscribe button.  Also leave me a comment and let me know what you are most looking forward to in August. I’m looking forward to seeing you throughout August as we get Back to Basics.

Angela