Day 14 - Pray

 

Almost every day now, it seems that I hear of someone being faced with incredible struggles; struggles of sickness, death, divorce, or miscarriage.  These are not just stories on the news.  They are real people that I speak with face to face.  Life can really hit hard sometimes and we don’t understand why.  

“Life is battle and the weak and the weary have this weapon: The Joy of the Lord is my Strength.  The joy of the Lord is not mere sentiment; the joy of the Lord is the muscle that keeps you standing.” – Ann Voskamp  

Ephesisans 6:13-18 reminds us:

“13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

This is a passage that many of us know well and have heard since Sunday School, but do we really mean it?  Do we really spend time in His Word, the only weapon of offense we have in this battle of life?  Do we do as the last verse says and pray in the Spirit on ALL occasions with ALL kinds of prayers and requests?  I don’t.

As I’m reading the book What Happens When Women Pray by Evelyn Christenson, I have become more and more convicted to pray.  Churches are struggling, marriages are hurting, and children are wandering farther and farther from the truth.  What can we do?  Pray.  

Day 13 - A Wall of Daily Do's

 

Being a recovering perfectionist, organization is an area that I am instantly attracted to.   The Container Store, purses with lots of pockets, and organization boards on Pinterest are just a few of my weaknesses.   For months now, I’ve been wanting to put together a wall of frames and pictures that will encompass our family’s daily do’s.  Some call it their family command center, and I’m sure there are other names for it as well.  But, despite buying frames, an adorable letter “M,” and printing schedules and such, I have yet to put our wall together.  So instead of putting it off until I have ours completed, I am going to post some the inspirational ideas that have helped me to one day put ours together.

The transitional Pottery Barn look…

Southern Living’s take on the Family Command Center:  Done in a day!

The newest Pottery Barn system

Black & white wall full of organizational bliss

10 tips/ideas from the TipJunkie

I'm hoping to finish our wall this week in an effort to help our daily schedule run smoother.  I'll try to post a picture when it's completed.

Day 12 - Road Trippin'

 

In our first year of marriage, we were blessed to be able to travel quite a bit.  Our camping trips were always an adventure (taking an 8 mile hike that we thought was only going to be 4 miles, jumping over a snake, & freezing to smithereens, to name a few).  We traveled to New York and Japan twice (northern island in the snow & Okinawa in the summer).  Those were special days…  Now traveling has taken on an entirely different meaning.  

We’ve tried camping with our older two, which is why we only camp in the backyard now.  When it takes a day to load up the van, three hours to set up camp, and then you’re unexpectantly rained upon (I should say, stormed upon) at 2 am, you immediately decide that the backyard is a perfect campground for the future.  Traveling with children can be quite challenging!  But it can also be a lot of fun if you plan well and let go of expectations.  

This is an area that I am always looking for new ideas and strategies to make traveling easier and more enjoyable for the whole family.  A few ideas that I have gleaned from other mothers include:

 o   Lists, lots of lists!! (If I don’t write it down to pack, then chances are, I’ll probably forget it.)

 o   Plenty to do for the kids (books, clipboards with “The License Plate” game, Adventures in Odyssey & other books on tape, Leapsters)

 o   DVD player (Can I hear an Amen?!)  We try to go for at least an hour into our trips before we allow a movie, but honestly, having a DVD player has saved our sanity more than once on road trips.

 o   Snacks & drinks (I would much rather have snacks on hand than have to stop and pick up something.  We love crackers from Trader Joes, raisins, apples, grapes, etc.  We mainly stick with water in the car, but will splurge on juice boxes here and there.)

 o   Sing!  (Even on Wednesday nights on our way home from church, singing has been a lifesaver when little ones start to whine and need to be distracted from their own exhaustion.)

There are so many wonderful ideas out there, so please share any that have been helpful to you as a mom or something that you remember as a child while traveling.

Day 11 - Showing our children the love of Christ

Too true!

I’m one – third of the way there and I have to confess that this has not been easy.  I have struggled as a writer (since I’m not one).  I’ve struggled emotionally with some of the posts.  I’ve struggled to not become more insane by doing this than I already was.  But thank goodness, this really isn’t about me.  I have been so encouraged over the past day or two by other women who have written me and stated that they have similar struggles, that we are not alone. 

Motherhood is a season, that will pass much too quickly.  One of my greatest desires as a mother is to show my girls the love of Christ through my life.  But this can’t happen if I’m too busy running around, cleaning up clutter, and worried about what everyone is doing that I’m not.  This morning was one of those mornings I’ll savor for a while. 

Instead of rushing through breakfast and cleaning dishes while they eat, I enjoyed my cup of coffee and just listened to my girls.  After listening to the Daily Audio Bible, we discussed the importance of living a quiet life, my two big girls giving their own versions of what they heard.  We talked about what they’ve been learning in Sunday School, of Abraham and the promise.  Then, Sophie (my two year old) led us in a spontaneous song of “This Little Light of Mine” which always makes me smile.  Most mornings are not like this.  There is often a lot of whining, quick prayers, and little time in His Word.  But there is always grace, and there is always tomorrow.  Let us not stop encouraging one another through this journey, and pray daily that we might show our little ones the love of Christ through our lives.  

Day 10 - Getting out the door!

When I decided to take on this challenge last month, my topics evolved from my day to day struggles and areas that I found to be the most stressful.  My list grew quickly…  But I did not have today’s topic written down yet, which is very surprising since it’s something that I struggle with almost daily:  Getting out the door!!  

Before children, I was quite punctual, rarely late, and very dependable.  (I think?)  But with each child I have, I seem to get later and later.  While I know that the more people you have to get ready, the more time it should take, I can hardly put the entire blame on them.  My sweet husband says that I plan too much into too little time.  This is true.  This morning is a perfect example.  

Our goal was to meet family at the park at 11.  So, I needed to leave by 10:30 to get there on time, but then realized I needed to run by the store on the way, moving my start time to 10:15.  Before I could leave, I had planned in my mind to get all our school work accomplished (Kindergarten & 3rd grade), wash the dishes, have the girls empty the dishwasher, start a load of laundry, take a shower & look somewhat presentable, and fix a picnic lunch.  What I didn’t plan on was my spontaneous potty trainer deciding to give it a try this morning, the changing of clothes for my older two (again & again), and the clock moving way too fast!!  Needless to say, we did not leave by 10:15 or even 10:30, which caused me to skip the store trip and arrive to the park fashionably late with my hair in braids (because that’s the only hair-do I can accomplish at stop lights.)  My sweet family didn’t care that I was late, but I did.  The lateness wasn’t the issue.  It was heart behind being late.  I hate having to hurry my children out the door.  Half the time it really isn’t their fault that we are running late.  I know the routine.  I should know how to plan accordingly.  

One of my favorite books a few years ago is by Elizabeth George, A Woman After God’s Own Heart.  In her chapter called “A heart that creates order from chaos,” she encourages women to begin the night before.  

She lists:

- Plan the next day

- Plan the next day’s meals

- Select, lay out, and prepare clothes

- Clean up the kitchen

- Run the dishwasher

- Set the table for the next meal

- Tidy up the house

- Put things you need to take with you by the door

If only I would do this!!  I finally made a list for Monday’s called Monday Morning Musts.  I was getting myself in such a tizzy trying to get to our homeschool group, but after using this list for the past few weeks I’m actually getting there on time (not early yet), but more importantly, my girls have a calmer mother on the ride there rather than Cruella Deville.  

Any more suggestions?  I would gladly welcome them.

Day 9 - Gratitude

Instead of another area of homemaking, I really am burdened to touch on the area of gratitude today.   I know that this is an area in which I am lacking.  But as the air becomes cooler and Thanksgiving approaches, my desire to choose gratitude over the apathetic ungratefulness that so often consumes me becomes stronger.  When Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts, hit the press, I was among one of the first to buy it for I loved her style of writing, her humility, and her example.  After reading it for the second time, I became even more impressed that choosing to live a life of gratitude is the only way to live.  But do I choose that daily?  Not nearly enough…  

My gratitude journal has been poured over, lost, collected dust, and rebirthed several times over the past two and half years.  But it has been during the times when tears mixed with joy (and sometimes sorrow), that my journal has come alive and stress has dimmed to a minimum.  For as Ann says, “When stress mounts, I pray to dismount it with gratitude.  My stress management plan will be intervention with verbal thanks.  I can only feel one feeling at a time, and I choose to give thanks at all times.  Fight feeling with feeling!”  How I long to do this!  But I can’t… not alone.  It is only with the strength of my Lord.  For as Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

1575.  decorated for fall

1576.  a wagon walk with my girls

1577.  reading late while fixing hair

1578.  rollerblading girls

1579.  my little garden, still hanging in there

1580.  my husband's love for our Lord

Link to Ann's blog for some great printables to assist in this journey of gratitude.  

Day 8 - Meal Planning

Today is the perfect day for a nap.  Cold and rainy with an afternoon at home breeds the perfect recipe for a sweatshirt, blanket, and couch combo.  But that was yesterday’s agenda, so this afternoon I am instead stretched out in my recliner with my brown mug of coffee and Pandora playing softly beside me.  Almost as good as a nap...  I was planning on touching on a different topic today, but I wasn’t ready yet.  So I skipped to my next topic… meal planning.

One of the most stressful parts of the day can be deciding what to what fix for supper.  My husband’s solution to this is to simply go out to eat.  In order to avoid our budget going out the roof, a monthly meal plan is essential!  I have done weekly meal planning for years.  I used to gather all my cookbooks, spend an hour or two pouring over them, and make a meal plan and grocery list for the upcoming week.  This worked well in the past, but then I discovered making two meal plans for the year and rotating the meals through a month at time.  This is a meal plan… meaning it doesn’t always happen, but without a plan it is sure to never happen.  

Here is a glimpse of our fall menu (vegetarian/pescatarian) :

Breakfast:

Monday- Cereal or muffins, fruit

Tuesday- Eggs, toast or grits, fruit 

Wednesday – Green smoothie,  muffin or bread

Thursday – Eggs, toast or grits, fruit

Friday – Green Smoothie, muffin or bread

Saturday - Pancakes or French toast, fruit

Sunday – Muffins or waffles (frozen)

Lunch:

- Sandwiches, fruit, veggies

- Yogurt with berries

- Quesadillas or crack wraps

- Mac N Cheese

- Fun Nuggets

Supper:

Mondays – Italian/Ethnic

1. Baked Spaghetti

2. Pesto Lasagna

3. Stir Fry w/rice & veggies or Fried Rice

4. Spinach Spaghetti

Tuesdays – Main Dish Salads/Legumes

1. Quinoa Salad, Tilapia, & Spinach Bake

2. Taco Salad

3. Savory Fall Stew

4. Tempeh Chili & Cornbread

Wednesdays – Sandwiches

1. Cheese & Bean Quesadillas 

2. BBQ Tuna Sandwiches

3. Tuna Cheesies

4. Eat at church

Thursdays – Soups

1. Wild Rice Soup

2. Broccoli & Cheese Soup

3. Mexican Corn Soup

4. Cream of Tomato Basil Soup

Fridays – Special Dinner Night

1. Homemade (or delivery) Pizza (twice a month)

2. Hamburgers, baked beans, cole slaw

3. Date Night

Saturdays & Sundays

- Leftovers 

- Nachos 

- Baked Potatoes 

- Breakfast or Waffles

- Cheesy Wild Rice Casserole

- Stuffed Peppers

Meals for others…

- Creamy Chicken and Noodles, green bean casserole

- Minestrone Soup

- Piggies in a blanket, oven fries, coleslaw

- Broccoli Casserole & Corn Bake

How this works for our family:

At the beginning of each month, I take out a blank calendar and literally fill in the month with these meals.  By having themes for each day, it helps me to be deliberate in making sure we get in enough protein each week.  This may seem boring, but as a home school mom of three, routine is essential in keeping my sanity, the budget down, and well-rounded meals on the table as much as possible.  Another goal is to produce a main monthly grocery list from these meals.  (This is still a goal in the works.)  In my homemaking binder, I have all the recipes that go along with my menu for the season, so I’m not having to waste time looking through cookbooks or Pinterest to find the right recipe.  I really hope that this will help spend more meals at home and less time wondering what to fix for supper.  

Here are a few more resources:

o Keeper of the Home (her seasonal plan)

o Resources & recipes for meal planning

o Passionate Homemaking (her winter meal plan)