Mondays at My House

I love Mondays.  Yes, I do!  But, I love every other day of the week for it's various assigned things to do as well.  Mondays are like "let's start fresh" and I love it.

My Mondays are days when I exercise again because I don't purposely exercise over the weekend.  My plans and things look different over the weekend, so it makes sense to just start my day with exercise while everyone is still sleeping.

I love getting back to school with my youngest, getting back in to the groove of schooling and routine.

I plan on Sundays for my week, not heavily, but just getting my brain wrapped around what I need to get done.  Since we finished class days at our homeschool group this past Friday, my days are going to look a little different now.  I'll be spending my Fridays differently, but still planning for next 17-18 school year when classes start again.

Mondays are our "clean up from the weekend" days.  Wrappers that have been forgotten, stray papers, cups, that everyone has forgotten and a host of other things are cleaned up, put away, and things generally tidied up.  As much as I try to clean up after myself when I get up from where I'm sitting, everyone else doesn't follow suit and it gets old reminding everyone of everything.  So, we just clean up Monday mornings.  It works!

Mondays are also days when I "start fresh" with cleaning up the bathroom that is ours.  Why not all the bathrooms?  Well, each of my young adults have their own bathrooms to tend to.  At this time we're getting things together to get the poolhouse bathroom pulled together.  Although there isn't a lot to do, there's still things to purchase to pull it together.  When it is, it will be assigned to one of my young adults.  👍🙌

I need to also set aside time to plan menus.  Strangely enough, having been a person who has planned meals up to 3 months in advance, I have not planned ahead for  meals for quite a while.  I would love to do that, but with the crazy schedules we've been having between my daughter and husband working strange hours and my sons doing Civil Air Patrol things, it makes planning quite challenging.  Then add to that someone who just doesn't feel like eating what we're having, so they go out and buy their own meal.  While that meal may be Ramen noodles and only costs $1, it pretty much makes me feel rather defeated at the time.  I've made preparations and etc for healthy food, so they should eat it right?  Well, I have to choose my battles.  Come to find out, they come out to the refrigerator late at night to get something to eat and invariably reheat what we had for dinner, so it eventually gets eatten!  I still struggle with this, though.

Having young adults in the house is challenging.  I feel like I have to walk a fine line between being a drill sergeant and someone who gives them authorship of their chores and when they need to get done.  There are issues there as well with mental health issues, ADHD issues, medication affects on some, so the juggling is challenging.

So, this Monday, I'm doing what I can do to ensure that the area I'm in charge of is clean, neat, and tidy.  I am in charge of the whole house, yes, but my own chores are in the area of my office/sitting room, our bathroom, bedroom and hallway.  If those are not clean, it is my fault.  I need to be the one setting an example to those under my roof of routine, diligence, and getting things done.  Yes, they are young adults and the expectation is for them to get their things done.  Unfortunately, reminders need to be given.  One day reminders will not need to be given.  One day this entire house will fall on my shoulders to clean daily.  When that happens my routine will change, but until then, this is how things are.

One day they will each have their own homes, by the grace of God.  They will be in charge of getting everything cleaned up without our prompting.  Hopefully, they will each see the need to keep things neat and tidy, eventually.  For now, they are a work in progress, just like me.

Have a Blessed Monday!

Covenant Marriage By Gary Chapman

If you look along the left side bar, under the topic of "Marriage" you will find the book Covenant Marriage by Gary Chapman.  A few years ago I purposed to read a couple books a year in each category you see on the left for a couple reasons.  Firstly, admittedly, I don't know everything.  I am one of the biggest sinners on the face of the earth who is in need of the saving grace of Jesus Christ my Lord.  I need Him daily.  I can't do for myself what only He can do for me, so why not accept it and rest in that knowledge.



I had grown up in a traditional worldview mentality of marriage where if it is broke, just throw it away and try again.  People were looking out for themselves and not communicating with one another.  There were lots of hurt feelings, selfish accusations, and willingness to throw love away and move on to the next one.  Although it wasn't spoken, many of my relatives--grandparents during WW2, to my aunt who had many children-each with different fathers, to my own parents who between the 2 of them have been married 5 times.  Myself, I've been married twice.  With all the hurt and manipulation of my first marriage, I knew when I got married again that I wanted it to be for life.

I wanted marriage to last, but how when I didn't have the examples of what that looked like?  Where do I look?  There was only one problem--Where do I start and what is it called?  When I started looking around, in the past 17+ years, I'd found all kinds of books on 5 Love Languages, Venus and Mars, being a Powerful Praying Wife, Courtship, Respect and Love and the list continued.  While I had read all of those books, I just did not know or understand what it was that I had been seeking.  I was looking for something that was higher and greater than the traditional worldview of marriage--something more connecting, and spiritual.

When I started reading Covenant Marriage, I figured I would read a little bit each night and be done with it in a couple of weeks.  That was not the case.  There were times when I was just upset with my husband, not fully wanting to read, in a bad mood, had a stressful day and the excuses continued.  It wasn't until the past couple of weeks that life pretty much forced me to take a book with me to these appointments that I had to wait for an incredible amount of time for them to be completed, so I brought my books and my knitting.  I knitted until my carpal tunnel issues bothered me and stopped to read.  I found myself needing more with every chapter I read.  I was soaking up not just communication, but how I have not been so aware about myself before trying to communicate how I was feeling or what my own needs were.  This caused quite a few misunderstandings which could have been circumvented if I had just taken the time to read that book sooner.  Regardless, it was time to get moving on it.

Now I am on chapter 10 and I fully anticipate being completely through it by the end of this month, if not sooner.  I will update when I finish.  I promise.

Have you read this book?  Please share your thoughts on it!

God Bless,

In the Kitchen

This week, according to my calendar, is the week we deep clean the kitchen.  Yesterday was Monday, so it was dusting day.

This morning already, I've taken care of the kitchen windows on the inside.  You see, I'm the detail person.  It is my job to take care of each detail in the house.  What about the every day things?  Well, the children have been trained to vacuum, sweep, mop, do the dishes, unload the dishwasher, dry and put away dishes, wipe the counters and table, wash, dry & fold and put away laundry as well as hanging it out on the line.  So if my kids can do all of this, why do I do anything at all?  Well, as it goes with children, they don't see the details most of the time.  This is where I come in.  

The above schedule helps me to remember which room we're in for the week.  Yes, I need reminding.  I write things down so I don't have to remember it.  With all the appointments, classes and responsibilities I need to take care of, the less I need to remember the better!  This reminder is wonderful!  

I take care of myself better when I know things are done and cared for.  While "everything" isn't done at the end of the day, I know that I can see progress.  I've learned that this is better than not seeing progress, or heaven forbid, things get worse.  I don't kick myself in the pants for not doing xyz because I know it is going to be done on the above rotational schedule. So there is no guilt.  

Does my house resemble "tornado" status at times?  Yes!  But, the wonderful thing is that with one hour of steady work from 10 hands, things are much better!  

Throughout the month I take note of areas that need my attention and when that time comes up, I take care of it then.  This goes for the kitchen as well, unless there is a cupboard full of ants going after that ONE drop of honey that may have spilled.  (Ask Me How I Know!!!!)  Yes, there are times when you absolutely have to take care of those details that are right in front of your face.  It is a wonderful reminder for this Momma to remind children  who use the honey to make sure the bottle is wiped well before placing it back on the shelf.  We don't want any more ants!  Whew!  

Now, I'm sure there is another question running through your mind right now, "Why not just clean the whole kitchen instead of small bits and pieces at a time?"  I'm glad you asked!  I have many many hats that I wear throughout the day that need my attention (call my name, demanding at times...) so in order to maintain my own sanity by making sure those attention grabbers are tended to, I try to make sure the 15 minutes it takes me to tend to details in the room of the week after the necessary people needs are cared for.  Yesterday I wiped down walls.  It took me a little longer than 15 minutes, but I was the only person here at home.  After I was done I hung sheets out to dry and rotated the calendar above to the next 5-6 weeks.  Hurrying in the shower, I shuffled off to get the kids from berry picking, bring them home, push the oldest along to the shower to get ready for an appointment almost 2 hours away.  You see, the details were done in the morning.  This morning it was the windows.

Tomorrow the calendar says "declutter."  The refrigerator needs cleaned out and wiped down.  I need to go through my drawers to see if there is anything I can put in the yard sale we're having over the 4th of July.  I also have a junk drawer that needs some attention.

Thursday it says to "detail the floors."  I'll have my daughter sweep the floors really good this afternoon, then I'll scrub everything after taking them to work in the morning.

What about my husband's days off?  I try to spend as much time as I can with him when he's home.  But, when he's in the garage, I try to get my own work done.  Sometimes it happens.  Other times there are other things that pull at me.  The important thing is that I look at the calendar and make plans to do the work the Lord has given me and plan accordingly when I know I'll be busy.  Thursday I plan to do my Friday work in the afternoon so that I don't have to worry about it when I'm spending time with my hubby.  

Will this system work for you?  I don't know.  You can use it, but feel free to tweak it to your own family, home and needs.  Just pray about it and ask God for His direction.  That's what I did!  

Have a Blessed Day! 

Washing Away the Hurt and Pain

Ephesians 4:17-19  "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,  (18)  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:  (19)  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." [emphasis mine]

This was highlighted in my husband's Bible the day he went to talk with our pastor.  His Bible was laying open in the living room, on top of his laptop which was perched on top of the little office trash can, much like a mini-desk type pedestal.

Later that afternoon, over his soup, after having been confronted by our pastor about his salvation--he is "without excuse" (Romans 1:20)--he dropped to his knees in the middle of the living room and gave his life over to Jesus Christ and asked Him into his heart.

Thus began the washing away of the old man and the new man began to emerge.  

With everything in life, we need to face the consequences of our actions, even if those actions are "pre" salvation.

With the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ, forgiveness and love has been granted, the road to recovery begun...although it will be a long and arduous road at times I'm sure.  Trust has begun the rebuilding process and a new life and heart and a different and lovely peacefulness has emerged.  Smiles have replaced most of the sadness.  Contentment and joy have settled in.  

The hurt and the pain are still there.  The scars from those years of things happening take time to heal.  Thankfully, the hurt and the pain are gradually, bit-by-bit, being washed away and hearts are being re-knit together in a new and different way.

Tonight we begin our path toward our Christian walk "together"---NOT  UNequally Yoked.  Our pastor suggested we do a study together called Classic Christianity by Bob George [it's on my book reading list].  Right now we've taken a look at the book and the study guide together to figure out the best method of approaching this study.  This particular study is different from every other study I've undertaken personally.  Usually I've looked at the study guide, looked at the book and jumped right in reading the book--entire chapters at a time--before doing the study guide.  Then if I needed to look back at the book I could.  That method doesn't seem to fit any longer.  Now it seems more that we cover sections of each chapter, go over the questions relating to that section, and discuss.  We would not cover chapters each night, not breezing through the book in record time, but savoring it, slowly methodically, together.  All of this while we build our relationship's spiritual qualities, together, like we'd never done before.

What a blessing!

1 Peter 3:8-17  

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:  (9)  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.  (10)  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:  (11)  Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.  (12)  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.  (13)  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?  (14)  But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;  (15)  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:  (16)  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.  (17)  For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.