CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOG LAYOUTS, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

A "Peaceful" house



http://raisinghomemakers.com/2010/peace/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+RaisingHomemakers+(Raising+Homemakers)&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail
(I hope you will take the time to read what Rhonda has written so eloquently. My post will make much more sense if you do!)

I received this post in my email inbox this morning. Let me assure you, it was just what I needed to hear!! Isn't it amazing how God does that? I've been working so hard at getting my house in "perfect" working order that I've lost sight of many things in the past few weeks. Now don't get me wrong, God appreciates that I want to be organized and clean, but NOT if it interferes with my time with Him or my children (which He has entrusted to me). This post was almost a relief to read! I just needed someone to remind me that "perfect" isn't what God wants. He wants our BEST, but that doesn't always mean "perfect." God is a gracious, loving & forgiving God. But, if we continually put Him on the back-burner to get our life in order, we will lose sight of what's important VERY quickly!!
Our life has been very hectic & crazy these past few weeks. Let me explain briefly (as briefly as I can anyway...). At Thanksgiving I made some fudge for our family gathering. Everyone commented on how good it was (which shocked me, cause it was my first time making it & fudge can be finicky). Some even told me I should sell it. I just laughed and kept going. Then, I took some to our small group get together & they said the same thing. That's when I thought, maybe God is trying to tell me something. You see, I have been praying for a LONG time that God would show me something I could do at home to bring in some extra money. So, I started spreading the word by mouth. My mom got orders from work & some family friends ordered. All in all, I got about 30 orders in a matter of 2 weeks time! I was thrilled!!! Then, life happened! Just when I had planned out when I would make each batch & fill the orders - LIFE HAPPENED!! My grandparents (who have been in relatively good health) were both given stress tests & arteriograms (within a week of each other). THEN, my mom was admitted into the hospital with left arm pain and severe nausea. They did a stress test on her (I've never in my life known of so many people getting stress tests!), but thankfully nothing was found so she was released the next day. BUT, those activities took a toll on my housekeeping, chores, organizing (which was my main goal this month), candy-making schedule and overall family time. I was NOT at peace when I came home. My house was in a complete disarray and I felt like my life was spinning out of control - because I couldn't get done what I thought needed to be done. These past few days my husband and I have both been ill. (Not fun with 3 young kids in the house.) I realized that maybe I wasn't getting things done because I needed to rest in God and I wasn't. So this post really hit home for me this morning. I realized that I'm not called to be the "perfect mom" or the "perfect wife" or even the "perfect housekeeper." I'm called to be a Mom and wife, but I'm also called to REST in Him - daily!!!!

So, today (and everyday from now on) I'm going to ask for God to "give [me] His perfect peace, regardless of what the day holds because whatever He has in store for [me] is His perfect plan and if [I] rest in that~[I] will have a peace that passes all understanding."

Friday, December 3, 2010

A homemaking revelation

7am - get up, shower, get dressed
7:30a - kids up & in your face ready for FOOD!
8am - baby up & ready to be fed
8:15a - kids running around releasing ALL the energy they built up overnight
8:30a - diaper changes, get kids cleaned up & dressed
8:40a - chase child around to get a diaper on them & clothes too!!
8:45a - caught child & restrained to get diaper & clothes on
9a - watch Sesame Street (this is a daily ritual with a baby & toddler - and a lifesaver too)
9:15a - get first load of laundry in, check emails, facebook, etc.
9:45a - move wash to dryer & start another wash
10a - lay babies down for morning naps
10:15a - try to start school work
10:16a - realize the house needs cleaning first or someone may die from falling over toys
10:45a - oldest son asks for lunch! (Already?? You JUST ate!)
11a - feed baby
11:15a - start lunch & get toddler up from nap
11:30a - diaper changes & clean up from lunch
Noon - Mom's lunch (sometimes...)

And on and on!! Does this look like your day? This is most often what my day looks like. Add in a few more diaper changes, unexpected clean-ups, chasing kids in circles, play time with kiddos and you've got the picture! The afternoon isn't much calmer either! In fact, in some ways its busier!! I couldn't do it without a schedule!! A few posts ago I shared with you some of the schedules I use. Well, I must confess...I don't always get my planning done. And when I don't - WATCH OUT!!!! It's a crazy day! I feel like I can't see straight and I get completely overwhelmed with life. I end up frustrated and worn out. So, today my revelation was this. Try to plan 2 weeks out this time and then each week plan for 2 weeks from then. Did that confuse anyone else? Okay, so today I will plan meals for this week & next. Then, next Wed (the goal day of planning) I will plan for 2 weeks from then. That way I am always ahead by 1 week!! Then, if life gets crazy (as it did this week w/ family emergencies) I still have a plan and I won't be so overwhelmed! Sounds easy enough, right? Well, I'm pretty sure the hard part is putting it into practice!! I did have 6 weeks of school planned, so I am good there, but its the other little things of life that creep in and bog you down.

Matthew 6:25 - “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing?"

If we plan ahead, we will not be consumed with worry!! Oh how nice that would be! I know this verse tends to speak to those worrying about "BIG" things, but God is concerned with even the trivial things in our life. He cares so much for us and wants us to rest in Him completely - daily.Life is busy enough without having to worry about what to eat for lunch & then stressing over dinner. Moral of the story: PLAN - PLAN - PLAN!!! If you plan ahead, you will be more able to make room for those unexpected things in life!

Happy Planning!!!

FREE homeschool planner...



This is a GREAT deal!!!!! All my homeschooling friends (soon-to-be & current) should check this out!!! This is a very neat and informative site too. Check it out!!!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Special-Announcement-from-TOS-Magazine.html?soid=1101381905269&aid=VuGgVtu53GU

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Enter to win this scarf

You could win this beautiful, handmade scarf. Visit the link below and find out how!!!! But, you'll have to enter several times to beat me!!! ;) Who doesn't love a new scarf in the winter?! Plus, all you OU fans can wear it proudly (esp. after this weekend)!!!! Good luck and BOOMER SOONER!!!!

http://www.createdforhome.net/2010/12/01/baby-its-getting-cold-outside-so-lets-hold-a-giveaway/#comment-220