My Golden Spiritual Birthday

I don't normally try to toot my own horn, especially for a birthday. But today is special, not because I have done anything special, but because the Lord has. It has been 25 years ago today that the Lord saved me. A whole quarter of a century!

It was a stormy, Thursday night on August 25, 1983 and I had brought my dad to see my Pastor, Clayton Doss. I knew some of what the Bible said about being born again, enough to explain to my dad it was what he needed. But, it was me the Lord was working on that night. The more I sat and waited for my dad to finish talking with Pastor, the more despair I felt for my own soul. How could I know for sure? How could anyone know for certain they were going to heaven? Wasn't that presumptuous?

Ah...but the story goes back further than that, back to college days when a friend of mine asked me a very abrupt question, "Where would you go if you were to die tonight?" "Errr....heaven," I said, but my heart had no peace about that answer. In fact, that answer haunted me as I tried to justify my reasons for it. Well, that was the beginning of my journey to Bible salvation.

The next several months were a time of rededicating my life to religion. I faithfully went to church every morning, joined a Bible study and faith enrichment class and tried to read my Bible. Frustration soon set in as my religious busyness still did not alleviate my fear concerning my eternal destiny. Questions were not being answered satisfactorily even though I was seeking desperately for them.

An old friend invited me to attend church - a Bible believing Baptist church in Crookston, MN. Much to my shame now, I stared out the window for most of the service and tried hard not to listen. The preacher preached on sin - my sin and how if you weren't right with God, you were condemned to eternity in hell. Not something I wanted to hear! I even made a vow not to come back!

Several more months passed, the things I had heard at that church began to sink in, especially as I attended my own church and saw contradictions to the Bible. I began searching for answers again, this time from the Bible. Soon I found myself back at that Bible church again...somewhat enjoying it - my questions were being answered. Months passed, I quit college, met new friends, and even mustered up a viable salvation testimony and was baptized. I was soon discovering, though, just because you believe in Bible things, go to church, get baptized and join the church doesn't mean you are a Christian. It's not something you 'grow into'. I still had no peace and the fear of not making it to heaven was something that consumed my thoughts. On the outside I was a Christian, I conformed to what I thought Christians should be like and I did a good job at it. No one suspected I wasn't a true Christian. On the inside, I was miserable. No peace, lots of fear, and still chained to sin, I would sit through sermon after sermon, under a load of guilt that only pride could dismiss.

Finally, that stormy Thursday night in August, I admitted to God I was lost and needed Him. I couldn't wish myself into heaven, I couldn't work myself into heaven...there was nothing I could do. It was time to leave self and put Christ on the throne of my life. That night in tears and shame, I humbly turned from my sin, my self, my ways and my effort to the Saviour and He gloriously saved me!

Yes, this is a wonderful day to me, not because of my doing, but because He did it all! Those last words Jesus spoke when He died for my sins, "It is finished", say done! No more working, wishing, trying...to get to heaven. He has furnished the way. Simple faith and repentance (turning from sin to the Saviour) does what none of us can. It gives us a home in heaven. Thank you Lord!

Have a blessed day,

Lori

My Favorite Salvation Verse: Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast."

How to Read Your Music (pt 2)

The dictionary describes music as the "art of putting sounds together in beautiful, pleasing, or interesting arrangements". Yesterday, we saw how God, our Great Composer, is busy creating a perfect piece of music for us. If we follow what is written, all the notations, markings, and notes of our lives will correctly reflect His views, feelings and ideas, blending in perfect harmony with the One who created us. This is very important, especially if we are the instruments working off the 'Grand Staff' as in marriage with both a treble clef and a bass clef. Following Our Composer's written desires kept for us in the Bible, we may be assured we will play our piece with dexterity, thought and correct expression.

Much music is written in chords, which are three notes played together in harmony - what a picture of the husband and wife who put the Lord first in their marriage ("a three-fold chord is not quickly broken" - Ecclesiastes 4:12b). There will be many major chords played and even a few minor ones. Major chords sound out strong: the things a marriage is based on; the Word of God, salvation, a good New Testament Church to serve in. There may be a home to keep and children to bring up, happiness, joy, and blessings! Occasionally, there will be minor chords as well; times of sickness, pain, death and heartaches. But remember, these chords are triads - three notes played together at the same time. The Lord is with us all the way.

Sometimes in marriage we can hit a dissonant note causing our perfect melody line to become disturbing to those around us. Disagreements and arguments, while they may occur, need to come to a 'resolution' quickly ("let not the sun go down upon your wrath" - Ephesians 4:26b). A dissonant chord occurs when two notes are too close - competing for the melody line. A wise wife knows when to take a 'step down' in order to make things harmonious once again. Accidentals may occur occasionally in a piece of music as well. These are sharps and flats, those changes in pitch that are not a part of the key the music is written in. Sometimes we may get on the sharp side - not keeping our tongues under control. Or sometimes we take on a flat disposition - moving down half a step with a negative, critical spirit. The solution? Get back to God's original key signature with a 'natural' sign - which means we are not changed in pitch by a sharp or flat!

Rhythm is the pulse of the composition - the under girding. Our marriages need the stability that the Lord provides in His Word so we don't run ahead of His plan or lag too far behind the tempo he has set for our lives. Occasionally, we may feel life is a bit on the allegro side and long for a nice slow down - andante style. Remember, He knows just what we need in order to be a great piece of music.

Scales need to be practiced - how fun! Up and down, up and down. Will we ever get it right? There are things in marriage that we seem to go over and over again, hitting clunkers on the way up and again on the way down. Irritations, hurt feelings, angry words, can be overcome by relying on God's power to change us and not our spouse. Don't give up! Eventually, the clinkers will disappear, we'll gain speed and dexterity and the ups and downs of life's scales will seem much easier.

While sight-reading is important in the playing of music, it is "faith reading" that is important in the Christian life. We are not to walk by sight but by faith. Without faith it is impossible to please Him as the Bible says. That may occasionally require us to follow on even though we've lost sight of the melody line in our lives.

God sometimes does a bit of transposing, changing from one key to the next, and sometimes there may be an inversion in the melody, where it is turned upside down. Sometimes we may feel stretched as he throws in a few augmented chords or sometimes we may be humbled and reduced in size as he adds a diminished chord here and there. And just as composers do when writing a beautiful sonata, the theme is just introduced at the beginning of our new lives together. As the years go on, the development phase takes place in which the harmony is unfolded and our love for each other deepens, further on the recapitulation stage occurs. That's the original theme repeated and broadened until the ending or the coda one day occurs. The music that the Lord has composed just for us will have been played expressly and beautifully, loudly and softly, lightly or vigorously, just as He had planned. The original melody line will be hummed by our children and others; that true "Melody of Love!"

Have a blessed day,

Lori

Beautiful Music Together!

Music is all around us: we hum a tune, whistle while we work, tap our feet as the parade goes by, and sing lullabies to our children. Music makes an exciting story even more thrilling, a sad one more somber and a happy one more exuberant! Without music, our world would seem very strange.

God has made our world full of musical sounds; birds, babbling brooks, rain, wind, and waves at the seashore all contribute to His symphony. Of course, not all we hear is music, a lot is just plain noise! Both music and noise are made up of sounds. But there is a difference. Sounds by themselves are not music. Someone has to pick and choose certain sounds to give us a pleasing tune to listen to. This composer, as he is called, is telling us his feelings by the melodies he chooses. He does this with the different counts he picks and by differing rhythms or playing fast or slow, loud or soft, in big rich sounds or in thin far away sounds. He is as a painter using his melodies as objects and scenes on a canvas. We learn to follow the melody as it grows from a simple tune to a great song or symphony.

What is the difference between music and noise? Music has meaning and reflects the composer's ideas and feelings. Music has melody, a string of notes that follow each other to make pleasing sounds. The first melody of a song may lead to another melody, or to the same melody played by a different instrument, faster or slower, louder or softer, perhaps even with new notes added to it. Music also has rhythm. There are many kinds of rhythms. But they are all regular and steady. They can be counted on.

Music is a composition of sounds that have regular vibrations, put together so they have rhythm, melody and meaning. In making music out of sounds, the composer plans them the way an architect plans a building so the finished work will be both strong and beautiful. He shapes his sounds together the way a sculptor shapes a statue. He fits them to each other the way a cabinetmaker fits the parts of a fine table. The composer arranges his sounds in a kind of order, the way a storyteller arranges his story, so that one part leads to the next and there will be a beginning, middle and an end. When the composer has done all these things to make sounds into a finished piece of music, we call it a composition!

There are many kinds of music. Some is written for soloists, some for instruments, some for duets and trios. In all these forms of music the composer chooses the sounds he thinks will best express his idea. Often he picks a theme or tune or melody and makes several variations of it.

The idea of music was spawned in the mind of God! Is it any wonder then, we can find many correlations to life and His idea of marriage as well? He is the Great Composer wishing to express His feelings, His ideas in and through a special composition. Not a duet written for two, for God's music is written for three. A Christian marriage is arranged around God and His desires for that couple. To have "perfect harmony" we must learn to trust Our Composer and reflect His feelings, the story He wants to tell through our lives. He has the Program Music already written, it is now just a matter of following the score. Some music is written for Treble Clef instruments (the high sounding ones) and some for Bass Clef instruments (the low sounding ones), but together in marriage they comprise the Grand Staff (both clefs written together) and are capable of putting forth a great amount of music - even an orchestra full!

Written music often has many markings and notations along with many complicated combinations of notes. We don't need to be overwhelmed with all these, though, because just as piano keyboards are divided into black and white keys to make it easier for the pianist to identify the right key for the desired sound - we have the Bible to make black and white sense out of all these different markings and notations so the desired sounds and melodies of our lives will be played as God desires. Tomorrow, we'll take a look at how to read our music.

Until then...

Have a blessed day,

Lori

Special Features Needed

Not too long ago I was looking for a replacement for my tired worn out sewing machine. I diligently read the listed features of each one I was interested in, noticing their strengths and weaknesses. Some had many different features on them: zigzag stitches, decorative stitches, stretch stitches, buttonholes and fancy embroidery stitches. Some could sew from one fabric to another without changing a thing and some seemed they could do anything from simple mending to practically cleaning my home! Each one had been specifically programmed to perform the functions the designer intended for them. I had a lot of thinking to do - what did I actually intend to do with my machine? What jobs would I require of it? What special features did I need?...What was I doing? I was checking out the qualities or features of the different machines, weighing their strengths and weaknesses. Each one had a particular strength or way it was to be used for best performance.

Hmmmm....Those of us who have children know perfectly well that they arrive programmed, if you will, toward doing wrong. They have a sinful nature. But the Lord intends to use each one with their own characteristics and features to do a particular, unique job that only they will be able to accomplish. It is our job to train them, to bring them up, and to encourage them. What will the Lord want them to do? Will they be prepared and ready or will they lack the 'special features' needed for His particular use?

Here's a list of some 'special features' I want to be sure my children obtain: attentiveness, obedience, diligence, contentment, neatness, reverence, forgiveness, gratefulness, faith, truthfulness, a sense of security, meekness, cautiousness and patience to name a few. These 'special features' will enable them to have good relationships with us as their parents, their teachers, and any employers they will one day be working for. They are vital for success in marriage and are the foundations upon which the maturing person will add another thirty or so important character traits later in life. Character provides the foundation a child needs in order to develop and maintain a good personal relationship with the Lord after salvation.

To develop character in our children, we need to know what we want to achieve. Then we can figure out how to accomplish those goals. Anyone can do it who keeps the goal in mind and follows through on a day-to-day basis. (That day-to-day thing is the hard part.)

The goal is to produce a disciplined life for the child ...do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, with the right attitude even when he or she doesn't want to. Children have to be taught to do what is right - and made to do it.

Perhaps, you see some character lacking in your own life as I have in mine. Raising children is a great way to improve our own missing or insufficient character traits.

Have a blessed day,

Lori

Priority Checkpoint

Discovering what is best for our own family is the way to keeping our home life on an even keel. Our parenting and homemaking goals will vary as widely as the paths we’ll need to take to reach those goals, but one way to get a sense of direction is to make a list. If...I’ve learned anything from my husband it is this little golden nugget: if it needs to be done, write it down! Early in this series I mentioned making a list of goals, those things we deem important in running our households. Sometimes it is helpful to get the big picture in view. Is your main objective to have a clean house or to raise children? Is it to be able to contact Martha Stewart for a spot on her show or is it to have a reasonably clean, welcoming atmosphere for your family. When you have a clear big picture, then you can get down to the nitty-gritty details. Ask yourself first what matters to you regarding your everyday expectations and make a second list in addition to your goal list.

This is a priority checkpoint. Be honest with yourself as you prioritize your activities. A meticulously clean floor may have to take a back seat to your child’s paper mache volcano project. If I write down each day’s events (that list thing again), I am assured of at least attempting to get first things done first. Sometimes we struggle unnecessarily so and spend our days in frustration and chaos instead of peace, harmony and satisfaction, knowing we did what was most needful. Help is only a prayer away, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (doesn’t hold back); and it shall be given him.” And one of my all time favorite verses in the Bible, Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Being a mom could be so much easier …if we’d only ask for help.

Here’s an excerpt from the book Celebrate Home written by Angie Peters, that I thought I’d share with you today:

Housework isn’t really that important…Oh, yes it is – to an extent! Chances are that domestic order somehow figured into the picture if not at the top, at least in your “top 10” goals penned earlier. Why is it so important?

You may want to make you home a clear contrast to the hectic, messy, and disorganized world beyond your driveway. You want clean floors (if for no other reason than because your toddler would just as soon eat off the floor as off of china plates.) And although your walls may sport a cute plaque with a homey rhyme about excusing messes while you rock your baby, you wonder how comfortable your guests would really feel if they were to crunch crumbs from last night’s dinner as they walked across the kitchen floor.

In addition, you may find it difficult to imagine that the ideal woman, whose portrait is painted in Proverbs and whose standard we strive toward, had a basin full of dirty pottery, overflowing garbage baskets, or less-than-fresh straw in her family’s bedding.

Although we do need to clean our homes, we need more urgently to rock our kids while they’re still rock-able, to tell stories to our kids while they want to listen, and to embrace the story of Martha and Mary: We must know that to forego enjoying the blessings of the Lord’s presence in our living rooms (in our case, enjoying His presence in the hearts of our beautiful kids, in the pleasures of our home, and in the lifestyle we’ve been called to lead) to wash dishes would be to settle for second best!

Key Verse to remember: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” - Matthew 6:33. Priority number one!

Have a blessed day,

Lori

Cleaning with Kids

In the early days, my kids were very eager to help with cleaning and household chores. I’m no fool, I put them to work! While they may not be ready to take on complete responsibility for household chores, your children might surprise you by their willingness to at least ‘help’. But, you’ll have to train them. The first course of action is to break down the job into bite-sized pieces. “Clean your room” is an overwhelming command when the room looks like an active junkyard. Make your bed, pick up the toys, put away books, pick up clothes, straighten dresser, dust and vacuum seem far less daunting. Small tasks are completed rather quickly and soon add up to that greater accomplishment – a clean room! Inch by inch it’s a cinch!

Communication gaps normally occurred in the command stage in our family. Somehow there was a great distinction between Mom Clean and Kid Clean. By listing each specific job (in the early days I did it by pictures), I eliminated a lot of confusion and frustration for me. Here’s the steps to Mom Clean in our house:
1. Clearly Define the Job.
2. Show them how to do it.
3. When the next cleaning day comes around let them help.
4. The third time, they do the job with supervision. I have to hold myself back on this one. This is the time for praise and not scrutiny. You don’t want discouragement at this level or you’ll create a dislike for the job, or the perception they can’t do anything right. Asking them questions like, “How do you think your room looks?” or “What do you think you could do to make your shelf look neater?” are far better than, “That looks awful!”
5. The fourth time is Independence Day! That’s when your child is left to do the work on their own. If you’ve agreed on what is an acceptable level of clean, junior will know when the job’s been done right. A word of caution, though, be sure to inspect what you expect. Kid Clean will be closer to Mom Clean if they know you’ll be back to check.

I used to have a chart system called Choreganizers that worked extremely well when my kids were small. Pictures of chores were used and hung on a name chart for a particular child. When that chore was done, they took the card and placed it in a pouch. Mom Money or Dad Dollars were given out for a job well done. The store was open at the end of the week for them to cash in or save for a larger prize the following week (prizes were small like a pencil, eraser, or new crayon and big prize was an ice cream cone or something like that.) When they had outgrown the chore chart, we went to a list of chores that needed to be done in each room. Some chores needed to be done daily and some weekly or monthly. Those were listed under their headings. That list was slipped into a vinyl sleeve protector and posted on the back of the door in that room with a dry erase marker mounted nearby. Each child was assigned a room for the week. They then checked off what they had done during our cleaning time, very similar to Zone Cleaning today. Now, with time constraints, busy schedules and busy teens, we do the 15 Minute Power Clean! That’s what my middle son came up with. We set the timer for 15 minutes and everyone runs to their assigned location and works like mad to get it all done. It’s amazing what we can accomplish in only 15 minutes! This is a great emergency plan and works well when surprise company is coming, an activity is moved in doors, or you’ve been busy and created a huge mess and it’s time to clean it up!

What if you have a child who doesn’t do it the way you do? That used to really irritate me and I viewed it as disobedience for a long time. But, really it’s okay …IF…they have learned it the way you’ve shown them, can do it that way and have met your acceptable standard. Allowing them the freedom to devise ways of doing the job more efficiently will keep their interest levels high and even initiate creativity. And that’s great inspiration for growth! You might even get an inventor out of the deal. Hmmmm, I wonder if some kid had an overwhelming job and that’s why the vacuum cleaner was invented?

Have a blessed day,

Lori

PS. You can still get Choreganizers and Zone Cleaning now has a Zone Cleaning for Kids Clean and Flip Chart that looks like a great way to motivate kids to clean. If you know of any other great options, let us know by leaving a post below. Thanks.

The Weekday Challenge

Getting all your activities into a routine can really be a challenge. But Monday doesn't have to be a day you dread. When it comes to running a household, the main thing I've found to be helpful is a plan - a workable plan. Here's what a fairly recent survey of Moms revealed. These responses are strikingly similar when it comes to planning our weeks:
Mondays: Most moms stay at home to make some sense out the havoc wreaked by the weekends comings and goings. The kids usually had a big time over the weekend and are quite content to putter around their rooms, play with their toys, and settle back into their weekday routines. Specific chores included picking up and putting away things, laundry, ironing, and making phone calls to set up appointments or arrange outings with friends for later in the week.
Tuesdays: More housework! The BIG cleaning (floors, furniture, and bathrooms).
Wednesday: Get out of the house day, especially if you haven't been out yet this week. If you don't have any appointments or play dates, run a few errands, visit a friend, or go to the park.
Thursday: Do something you didn't have time to do earlier in the week; special cleaning(a drawer or closet, baseboards and ceiling fans, windows or mini-blinds), a craft project, mending, watering/repotting plants, wrapping a birthday gift, writing a letter, packing away outgrown clothes, etc...
Friday: Get ready for the weekend days. Reload diaper bag for infants and pack "go" bags for older kids stocked with crayons and a coloring book, travel games, a sucker or two to help pass time waiting at a siblings ballgame or while waiting at a restaurant. Anticipate what you will be wearing, especially for church, so you can make sure everything is clean and ironed (I've had too many of those last-minute 'nothing to wear' moments, so this is a must for me). Fridays were also mentioned as a great day to do grocery shopping and run a load of towels and underwear, so you aren't caught short over the weekend.

Now, if you do things differently - great! If what you do works for you - even better. Keep at it. We all have differing schedules and unique families. This is just a typical list of what moms do. I know for me, I also need to add visiting church members, Bible studies, ministry, homeschool schedules and music lessons for the kids to my plan. You'll have other things. The key is creating a workable plan for you. Having a plan helps me keep stress at bay and happiness, calmness and peace in the forefront. Sometimes the plan will need to change. I often change mine seasonally. Flexibility is needed to adjust to figure out what works best for you. Trying to copy someone else's life plan perfectly will frustrate you, so prayerfully consider and think about your family when laying out your daily, weekly and monthly plans. This may take a few trial runs - go ahead and give it your best shot, fine-tuning along the way.

Verse: I Corinthians 14:40 "Let all things be done decently and in order".

Have a blessed day,

Lori

Organization 101

Back several years ago, we purchased a major renovation project. A home that had so much clutter that several two-ton truck loads were needed to haul it away. That was a real eyeopener and a very graphic illustration as to what can happen when life gets overrun with s-t-u-f-f!! I guess you could say, that was a turning point for me. I am really not a naturally organized person, you might call me an organizing wannabe - I have to work at it! In my quest for order and organization I have discovered it is much easier to manage a small quantity of items than a large quantity. So...get rid of as much clutter as possible! Easier said (or is it easier read) than done! My bookshelves are lined with books on how to declutter, organize and manage my home. But, here's my favorite "way":

Starting at the door of each room, I work my way around the outside edge, checking in all the nooks and crannies along the way. As I move through each room, I take with me three boxes: a give away box, a put away box and a throw away box. Ahhh...make that four - add a don't know box. When I find things that are too good to throw out, into the give-away box they go. I do have some words of caution concerning this box: don't take anything out of the give away box once you've put it in and don't wait for the perfect time or the perfect person to give it to. Get rid of it right away. You'll be glad you shared!

Procrastination will take many forms when it comes to this job of decluttering, so I cover all the bases with my don't know box. Those items I just can't part with right now, or I'm not sure where they go, are deposited directly into this box. Honestly, I drop them in there and don't give them another thought, or I'll be found wandering through the house aimlessly looking for a place to put them. Lengthy decisions and affectionately caressing each item makes it far more painful to part with - trust me, this box speeds up the entire process.

I go through my entire house using this system of parting with all unnecessary, space cluttering things I don't need any more. Out goes the stack of magazines I was saving for a good look one day, the old outdated vitamins and over the counter medications, and the old clothes I was dreaming of getting back into some ...hey, when I get down to that size, I'll deserve new ones! No sentiment here...I have to remind myself I don't need to save things to save my memories (not easy for someone who still has mementos from grade school). I have to admit some times parting with things hurts, but it is only temporary compared to the exhilarating feeling of freedom from clutter!

Clutter is a like a parasite - it receives food and shelter at our expense! We humans have been known to build on extra space to house it - garages are a prime example (how often are just cars found in a garage?). Clutter multiplies faster than fruit flies on a ripe banana. Did you know clutter ranks near the top in chief causes of stress? We ought to take it seriously, it is at the root of many problems.

When reorganizing the things you've decided to keep, check your space and budget limitations. I've had to invest in shelves and storage containers (which really go on sale after Christmas I've noticed). Then I decide what will be kept in each room I'm working in. For example, "The bedroom closet shelf will only be used for blankets, bed linens and personal items. The family room will be used for toys and games, and the shelves for school books." Having these guidelines will help you in the sorting process. When I know the function of an area, it enables me to make quicker and more accurate decisions regarding what goes and what stays.

Set a time limit. Putting a date when I plan to be finished really helps me accomplish my goals. Be realistic, though, if you haven't done this before or it's been a while, this will take some time. Make a plan and begin right away, whether you think you are ready or not. Excuses will abound: I don't have enough time. My energy level is too low. I don't feel like doing this. My house is too small. My house is too large. My family is too messy! Don't give in to these excuses or let them discourage you. You are the only one who can make it happen. A poem by Edgar A. Guest called "It Couldn't Be Done" really says it all:

Somebody said that it couldn't be done
But he with a chuckle replied,
That "maybe it couldn't" but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

That's determination! "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." - Philippians 4:13. And that will ensure success!

Have a blessed day,
Lori

Change, Commitment and Control

Someone said, "Keeping the house clean while children are growing is like shoveling snow while it's still snowing!" The fact that I am home all day with my children, (who are quite efficient mess factories on occasion), can sometimes frustrate even my most valiant efforts to keep my home clean. Couple that with the ads for cleaning services I get in the mail and its not long before visions of... neatly made beds, toys all in a row and a couch one can actually sit on, begin wandering through my head. Of course this is possible!! Hire it out! Then I could spend all those extra valuable hours in quality time with the kids! My bubble is soon burst with one quick phone call..."You want how much? To just do the basics? Like dusting and vacuuming? (That's the easy part!) Extra for dishes, bathrooms and...you don't do windows!"

Most likely, you're like me, hiring a cleaning lady just isn't in your budget. And honestly I couldn't quite justify it. There has got to be a way to...are you ready? A way to keep a clean house with...with...kids at home! True, this is a very hard saying, as the thought of it might conjure up ideas of Super Mom - able to handle 10 kids with a single leap, homeschool them all in a single bound, and with one quick sweep - her house sparkles! Well, take heart, there is no such creature. We all have our flaws and shortcomings! But...it is possible to keep our homes reasonably clean - even with children dwelling there, especially if we learn to: organize, create a workable plan and delegate.

If you don't know where you are going, there's no need to start! She who aims at nothing is likely to hit it! We need to set some goals, realistic goals. What are you trying to accomplish? A clean house in which you can eat off the floor or a reasonably, comfy, orderly, inviting retreat for all who enter? Do you want spotless windows, clean desktops,and dust free piano or do you envision a peaceful, calm space with your family moving about happily and unhurried with you in control of your environment. How about that extra free time that seems to flit elusively away each day? Wouldn't it be wonderful to know you are growing and developing spiritually because you now have the time and energy for the things of the Spirit?

Write down what you envision your home to be and then jot down some ways to meet those goals. The hard part is keeping our goals in view when the going gets tough and we see no end in sight. So take time to write it down. In order to meet these goals I had to welcome these three things into my life: Change,Commitment and Control.

Change begins in our minds. I am often quite content, mind you, with the way things are. It's familiar ground. Change means C-H-A-N-G-E! I do have to remind myself though, God is a God of order, and if I'm honest I'm not really happy when things are chaotic and in disarray in my life. God has given us dominion over our world, that includes our homes...it is our responsibility to rule it competently and well.

Commitment involves dedication to a project. If home is important to you...dedicate yourself to cleaning it up. Make it a priority.

Control. Sometimes we get ourselves in trouble by over-committing to, yes, very worthwhile activities and projects, but our first responsibility is our home, not for the sake of the house, but for the sake of our families and our selves. Home is the base from which we reach out into the world. As we get our home base in order, then we may be able to add more to our lives. In the mean time, it may mean learning to say a very hard to say, short word beginning with N and ending in O! "No, I'm sorry I won't be able to help you with that." We only have a limited amount of time and energy. Spend it wisely, where it will help most to accomplish our goal - an orderly on purpose life lived for our Lord.

Home-ly Attitudes

As a young girl, I perched over Mom's shoulders as she carefully transformed an old outfit of hers into a fresh new skating outfit for me. Her sewing machine hummed along with ease and her careful cutting and pinning paid off as I quickly modeled it as a "perfect fit". As a young girl, I enjoyed listening to the drone of the vacuum cleaner as I drifted off to sleep at night and arose the next morning to a spotless house. As a young girl, I eagerly waited to scrape the bowls for that last bit of chocolate chip cookie dough or a chance to lick the frosting from the beaters. The mechanics of such homemaking skills never entered my mind. I never thought to take notes - homemaking was something moms did! Cleaning house? - moms did that, too. Too bad I didn't follow Mom around with a notebook and pen in hand. I wasn't exactly ready when I began my "Mothering Career". School hadn't prepared me for diaper bags, grocery lists and mop buckets! Over the last 23 plus years I've had to deal with some attitudes about housework and home management. These attitudes have not been pretty to say the least. In fact, let's just call them "Home-ly Attitudes" - bad attitudes about running a home! These attitudes can defeat our walk as Christian women and unfortunately affect our children's attitudes about work as well. Well, here goes (this is one of those 'closet' moments I mentioned in my welcome page):
"Okay, I'll clean the house, but I'm not going to enjoy it!!" And you're going to know it! Wham, goes the cabinet door (clean cabinet door that is!) Where's the vacuum cleaner?! Ooooh, this thing is soooo heavy. Can't anybody pick anything up around here? Wait a minute! Whoa! I've seen this attitude before -a few good verses just popped into my mind! Colossians 3:23, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." Hmmmmmmm....I guess it doesn't say whatsoever I do that I like to do. Next, "God loveth a cheerful giver" are we not as moms givers? Giving our time, our energy, our love, our talents for the good of our families? "Do all things without murmurings and disputings", OUCH!! Why do we try so hard to teach our young ones to do unpleasant tasks cheerfully when we are often the ones who teach them to gripe?

While 'mothering' is a noble calling and carries wonderful merits on its own, housework doesn't seem to glow quite so brightly! There are days I'd like to sweep scrubbing shower stalls, cleaning toilets, washing endless loads of laundry and ironing right out of my job description. Okay, time for another attitude check. Am I exhibiting a servant's heart or just my own selfish human nature? Am I imitating Christ who said, "I am among you as he that serveth." I guess an attitude adjustment ought to be on my agenda today!

At one point early on in my endeavors as a homemaker, I had the attitude, "If I can't do it right, I won't do it at all!" Well, the Bible does say, 'Let all things be done decently and in order", but it doesn't say, "Let all things be done spotlessly and meticulously." We are to simply do what it takes to make our households run smoothly. To do this we should have a system of keeping up with our daily responsibilities. Now, individual housekeeping standards and styles will vary. The idea is to develop a set of realistic goals that makes me and my family comfortable. These goals may need an occasional adjustment based on present activities and circumstances. Things like homeschooling, illnesses, church events or even a recent move may cause us to reevaluate our existing goals. Check back this week as we look at a few ways to get organized and keep our house clean...even with kids!!

Lori

Knitting

My daughter Annie excitedly showed me her latest knitting project last night; a cable-stitched square with an intricate cross over pattern on it. She is a literal knitting machine. My living room is overrun with brightly colored yarn balls and needles!

Some of my most treasured items are lovingly handcrafted heirlooms. I have great Grandma's crochet samples and patterns, her pioneer apron, and a few other very difficult to crochet doilies. I have some items that my Grandma lovingly made as well. I can still remember her sitting in her chair with the click-click- clicking of her knitting needles as she diligently made each of us warm mittens, scarves and slippers. They weren't all her nimble fingers at that time crafted. There were countless afghans as well. Each one was specifically made for someone in the family, a daughter or son, or one of her ten grandchildren. Colors were carefully chosen and put together with much thought. Many were the times as children that we went to the store with Grandma to pick out skeins of yarn for just such a project. Back at home the work began. We were given the job of taking each skein of yarn and unwinding it to remake into a tightly wound ball of yarn. Not always an easy job for small hands, but Grandma didn't seem to mind that they weren't perfectly wound.

We were always interested in how fast she could knit one, purl one, knit one, purl one. Before we knew it she would have one strip made and then another. We never did actually see her put the whole thing together. She did that at night when we were all asleep. Sometimes we only got in on the selection of colors for one of her creations and then we would have to go back home, our little vacation was over. The next time we would see Grandma would be Christmastime. And she almost always brought a new finished product with her.

Knitting is an age-old craft. Items that are knitted are warm and durable. They are not easily pulled apart. It's amazing that a piece of yarn and two needles mastered by nimble fingers can create such a unique woven material. To knit something means to join closely and firmly together. It comes from an Old-English word meaning knot. When we tie something in a knot, it does not easily come apart does it? It holds fast.

Did you know God has some knitting projects of his own? He's got some things He wants joined together. Those projects involve His children. That's us if we have been born into His family (John 3:3). He, too, does some 'knitting' for our comfort, for our well-being. Colossians 2:2 tells us His desire is "that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ". God wants us to be knit together in love with each other. We are to be knotted so we don't come apart. We are to be so close you can't tell we're not one unit. Where can we get that kind of unity? Only in a local New Testament Church! We are to be so close as believers serving Christ together with one purpose that we can't hardly function without each other. Colossians 2:19 illustrates it this way, "holding the Head (Jesus Christ), from which all the body (that's the local church) by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God." I still remember some of my Grandma's knitting instructions that said increase one. That meant you were to create an extra stitch on the needle to make your item larger. Well, God increases His projects too! Psalm 115:14 gives us a prayer, "The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children." I want to grow, don't you? We should never be satisfied with our current state. I don't recall my Grandma's yarn yelling back at her when she worked on her project. Neither do I remember it complaining the whole time as she pulled out more yarn and increased the stitches on her needle. The yarn would just gently roll off the wound ball and compliantly allow itself to be stretched and pulled to whatever specifications my dear Grandmother desired. Let's allow the Lord to work on His projects and make us into whatever He desires for His honour and glory, without complaining and murmuring, submitting to His will - yielding to His wishes that we may be made into a desirable, useful, artful creation of His choice!

Dream Home

Our homes - our families are constantly under construction - spiritual construction. The Lord is continually building each member, putting us together as a tight family unit. Each building block is carefully chosen and placed with much thought. Each new addition is deliberately planned. Love is the mortar that holds it all in place. Proverbs 14:1 says, "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." With God's help as the masterbuilder, we can construct a magnificent home - a dream home.

Perhaps, you've been guilty like me, though, of taking the tools out of the Lord's hands and building your own way. We may even tear down what he has constructed, leaving a pile of rubble instead. Often times, we'll start with our own marriages, forgetting the Lord Himself told us "what God hath joined together let no man put asunder." We are told not to tear it apart, not to leave it in a pile of pieces, yet, divorces occur in well over half of all marriages today. It is far easier to tear something down and no real complicated tools are necessary, only a wrecking ball and a good swing!

Though many of us would never dream of divorce, we are guilty of weakening the home we are building to the point of crumbling. We get out our own tool belt and toolbox and begin dismantling our very own homes - turning them into run-down shacks. Often times, we can be guilty of getting out our hammers during every conversation with our husbands, hoping to hammer home some point we've been trying to prove. We'll get out the saw with its sharp teeth and start sawing away with our words. Discouraging and hurtful remarks are often exchanged. Biting and devouring one another as stated in Galations 5:15. We'll react with predictable comments, such as, "I knew you'd say that!" or "That's what I expected you to do". "Sorry", is not in our vocabulary. We'll use our screwdriver to put the screws to our hubby by constantly questioning his every move and motive. We will gripe and complain about his schedule or lack of one. We may get out the clamps and start tightening by buying things on credit and spending freely our husband's hard earned money. Financial decisions may be made without consulting our husband and his plans, while all the time we are building tension for the number one cause of disagreement between spouses- finances!

If we continue on in this manner, our carpentry will not hold up. In fact, we will be guilty of plucking down our home with our own hands. We'll tear it down with a pull here, a tug there. We'll destroy it a little bit at a time by nit-picking and foolishly jerking things out of their God-given place, forgetting His plan and order for our homes as found in Ephesians chapter 5. "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife." This is the first building block upon our foundation - the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we will build our homes in the proper order doing first things first, following every detail of the blueprint, the Bible says we will be wise women indeed! Following a master plan that is already tried and true will guarantee us of success. The Bible has the answer to every question, the antidote to every problem that can and will arise. No electricity? Perhaps bitterness and anger have tripped the breakers. No problem, fix it with Ephesians 4:31 and 32, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Is it a little cold? or too hot? Perhaps the heating and cooling system isn't installed. Put it in by turning to I Corinthians 13:4-8, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth."

The Lord always has the proper tools ready for our use, all charged and ready to go. We don't need to panic - the materials to build our homes are always available, there is never a shortage or out of stock item. With tried and true home building plans and lasting building materials found in the Bible, we'll have no problem building the home of our dreams.