Sometimes you just have to let things get messy. If you are like me then you probably suffer from a disease (dis - ease) that if not dealt with will ruin your life. It will turn you older earlier, it will be detrimental to your health and it will ruin relationships. Its a sickness called "control itis" and this virus has swept the world. Everything has to be in place, every "i" dotted and "t" crossed. Now there is nothing wrong with organisation, with knowing the bottom line or keeping account for peoples actions, but there is a line, its not visible as that would make it to easy, but its hidden and only revealed when we find ourselves stressing, straining and sweating to keep order with a feeling of fear on the inside that we are losing control.

The bible says it like this:

Proverbs 14:4 (NLT) An empty stable stays clean, but no income comes from an empty stable

As a youth pastor many years ago most Monday mornings were interrupted by the churches administrator giving me another "chat" about what we had broken over the last weekend at youth. Windows were a regular "chat", doors, T'V's missing (stolen), cars broken into, lights smashed and of course there were the occasional broken bones. But in it all God was on the move touching the lives of hundreds of young people over those years. Now this is no way a cop out for breakages and abuse but in the mess miracles were taking place.
And now as a Pastor of a growing church we face similar disruptions to our "normality" whether its the set up and pack up we encounter each weekend or the battle with council over our building approval or the continual mess that our mid week venue is in during construction and activity. The sink is full of empty coffee cups, used food platters, dirt all through the carpet, toilets dirty. But on Friday we launched our food ministry Storehouse 1 and had 40 families receiving food, local dignitaries were there plus the media, it was a good day. Then there were the volunteers painting all night and others building all day, then of course arriving at youth to pick up my kids there are 2 ambulances to assist in the recovery of one kid who had been knocked out during the night.
I once heard someone say, "You cannot have control and growth."

Sometimes you have to remind yourself that often empty stables look nice produce very little. Don't be afraid every now and then of letting go and letting Christ take control in amongst the chaos.