Sorry for not being around much...

I have been dealing with the cold and cough that my children have had. Wednesday night my 3 1/2-year-old daughter kept me up with an earache, so I got a little run down. I hope to be able to feel well enough to post on Monday or Tuesday.

All prayers are greatly appreciated!

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

Heather

Homemaker's ABC's (From Tiany's blog)

I did this last week over at HSB (my other blog), if you would like to copy & answer the questions, let me know. I would love to read your answers!


Aprons? Occasionally, when I really need to tackle the home.

Baking-Favorite thing to bake? It's a tie between cookies and bread.

Clothesline -Y/N? Yes, I use it occasionally--depends on my mood, but only in the spring/summer, I am not a cold weather lover.

Donuts-Ever made them? Yes, my philosophy is if I can't buy it, then I will make it!

Everyday-One homemaking thing you do everyday? Dishes, they are neverending!

Freezer-Do you have a separate deep freezer? Yes, we have 2 separate freezers, an upright and a chest.

Garbage Disposal-Y/N? No.

Handbook-What is your favorite Homemaking resource? The good old cookbooks--lots of them, they not only give you recipes and ideas for meals, but the one's from the churches also give you cleaning tips!

Ironing-Love it or Hate it? Hate is such a strong word, let's just say I'll do anything I can to get out of it, but I don't hate it.

Junk Drawer-Where is it? In the Kitchen, it is known as mom's drawer.

Kitchen-Design and decorating? I would have to say country, with a touch of prayerful reminders.

Love-What is your favorite part of homemaking? I would have to say that my favorite part is teaching the children to cook and clean, and having my husband sit back and tell me how good dinner was!

Mop-Y/N? YES I have a mop and NO I don't use it often enough!

Nylons-I don't like nylons, especially not everyday! I will occasionally wear tights on a very cold day or if I didn't shave my legs before church! However, I have to where socks and shoes in the winter and sandals in the summer--my feet can't handle being barefoot all day.

Oven-Do you use the window or open it to check? I would prefer to use the window, but my light is burnt out and we can't figure out how to fix it, sooo I have to open it to check. However, if I know something will take a certain amount of time to bake, I usually won't disturb it until it is ready to come out.

Pizza-What do you put on yours? I like the chicken pizza from Pizza Hut, but when I make it at home--which is almost always--I will put pepperoni, sausage, and ham if I have them all. Otherwise it is pepperoni only, although my daughter likes cheese only pizza, and I have to make a cheeseless meat pizza (sausage or ham) for my other daughter who is allergic to milk. My oldest son usually only likes pepperoni, so now you are talking about a pepperoni pizza, a "meat-lovers" pizza, a cheese pizza, and a cheeseless pizza with sausage or ham!!!

Quiet-What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? Hah! A quiet moment around my house! No, really it does get quiet at times, at those times I like to read my Bible, or get a power-pregnancy-induced nap, or maybe even sew a little!

Recipe Card Box-Y/N? Yes, I used to until it broke! So NO, now I have a collection of recipe cards that "float" around, a recipe book organizer, and several cookbooks. But I have to say that the recipes that are passed down are the best ones!

Style Of House / What style is your house? We live in a 2-story farmhouse that is probably 75+ years old. It has 5 bedrooms, most without closets, and 2 of the largest bathrooms I've ever seen, 2 living spaces downstairs, and 2 dirt cellars. I won't say much about the kitchen since the cabinets are pretty much breaking down. (We rent.)

Tablecloths and napkins-We keep a vinyl tablecloth on our table all the time, as for napkins we use paper napkins most of the time.

Under the sink - Under our kitchen sink we keep our plastics, foil, extra-large serving trays, but very little cleaners, if any, I have too many little ones to protect to put cleaners under there!

Vacuum-How many times a week? I would have to say probably daily, maybe more. Dad often has the children do a quick clean up after dinner and then vacuums all the middles.

Wash - How many loads do you do a week? Do I even want to go there? I would probably say, anywhere from 12-20 loads per week (maybe more). It depends on the seasons, and if there is water or mud anywhere near the children outside!

X's-Do you keep a list of things to do and check them off? I love lists, and yes I use them & check the jobs off when I am done, but I have a tendency of planning to much work to do each day!

Yard-Who does what? I do the flower planting and baskets around the house. I also plant the vegetable garden--this year it is pretty small. My husband does all the mowing and weedeating.

ZZZ-What is your last homemaking task for the day? Usually to run the dishwasher, and fold & put away the laundry. The children are responsible to clean the floors.

There you have it. My home in a nutshell. Or my version of the ABC's of Homemaking!
Thanks, Tiany!

Blessings!
Heather

Running to the Cross...The Reason Behind it.

If you have read my testimony, you will learn a little more about my life and how I finally came to the conclusion that my life really DID belong to Christ. Also, the post What "Running to the Cross" means to me... goes along with this post.

However, I will go back in time and retell some of my "life story"...
I was raised in a "Christian" home. I went to a church that I feel had a "watered down" worship service. It last a maximum of 20 minutes for the actual teaching/sermon part of the service and there was really no challenge or applications to our lives that followed the preaching part of the service.

After I graduated from highschool, I started college...a Christian college. It was at this time that I was actually able to "venture out" and attend other churches. Although, I don't think my venture really began until my senior year in college when I met my "future" husband...he attended a church that was actually 25 minutes from my parent's house. So when we decided to "court in preparation for a possible future marriage" (as we really didn't desire to "date" or have a so-called boyfriend/girlfriend relationship), I desired to attend church where he attended. We seemed to be like-minded anyway, so it just seemed logical for me to go to church with him as well.

This is where I was first introduced to the "idea" of "running to the cross." I must say, the messages preached by the pastor were very different than the ones I had experienced back at my old church. They urged me to look to Christ, to trust in God my Saviour, and to run to the cross. The pastor often finished his message by saying, "Run, run to the cross!" And the phrase stuck with me, and has been with me for more than 12 years now.

Now when I am faced with a challenge or struggle, that phrase, "Run, run to the cross!" echoes in my head and my heart. I don't hesistate to seek the face of God, for I know that He will answer my cry, He will listen to my prayer, and He will lift me up to Him and carry me when the road gets too rough.

I ask God for help with several different things. Funny thing is, when I really need to find something in a rush, and I ask for God's help, within seconds or minutes of praying for His help...He answers. Something as little as trying to find a sticky note that my husband misplaced...He finds it, God finds that little tiny piece of paper! And if God can do this small task, one that seems so simple, then why can't we trust God in the BIG things as well?

Why do we try to rely on our own strength? We need to call upon Him in ALL things! And He will answer in His perfect timing.

Matthew 21:18-22
18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Have a blessed and prayerfilled day!
Heather

The Faith of Abraham

Each time I read through Genesis chapter 22, I am amazed at the faith of Abraham. God called upon Abraham to take his son, Isaac, his only son to the land of Moriah "and offer him there for a burnt offering" (Genesis 22:2). Without hesitation or question, Abraham gathered his wood, and with two of his young men and his son, Isaac, he began his journey to Moriah. Upon arrival, he left his two servants behind. Then Abraham and Isaac continued their journey to the mountain that God chose.

Isaac asked his father about the lamb for the burnt offering, but Abraham reassured him that God would provide the lamb for the burnt offering.

Abraham proceeded to build an alter, lay the wood upon it, and then took his dear son, Isaac, bound him and laid him upon the wood that was on the alter. Just as Abraham raised the knife to slay his son, an angel of the LORD called out to him.

"And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." Genesis 22:12.

God then provided a ram for Abraham to offer up as a burnt offering in the place of his dear son. And God wasn't finished with that! He then blessed Abraham for his faithfulness by multiplying his "seed as the stars of heaven..."(Genesis 22:17).

What a mighty God we serve!
And what a testimony of faith!
I often wonder, could I do what Abraham did?

May you be blessed!
Heather

What "Running to the Cross" means to me...

I am a sinner,
I need Christ in my life,
I need His Strength,
I need His Refuge,
I need His Forgiveness.
I trust in God,
I believe in God,
I believe that God sent His Son,
I believe that Christ,
being without sin,
died for our sins.
He is my Saviour,
He is my Strength,
He is my Refuge,
and He Forgives...
He forgives me every time I sin
and ask for His forgiveness.
He forgives me EVERY TIME!
He lifts me up to Himself,
and He calls me His child.
I am a child of God!
Me, little ole' me!
A child of the KING OF KINGS!
A child of the LORD OF LORDS!
A child of the Most High God!
The sinner that I am,
a child of God!
I will, therefore,
RUN, RUN to the cross!
I will not walk,
and I will not crawl,
but I will RUN!
Christ died for me!
He shed HIS blood, for me!
Walking is not good enough.
Neither is crawling.
He is my KING!
I will RUN to the cross.
Though it just be in my mind,
I will RUN!
What's better than that?
He didn't just die for me!
He died for you, too!
Will you walk or run?
Our lives are too short to walk to the cross,
we must RUN!
Christ shed HIS blood for our sins!
Every single one of us!
Blessed be the name of the LORD!
Jesus is my LORD of LORDS!
Are you His child?

John 3:16-21
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

In Christ Alone,
Heather

Different Approaches to Deep Cleaning and Decluttering the Home

There are many different ways to approach cleaning and decluttering your home. But first things first, while doing your spring cleaning you must "keep up" with the daily tasks. These daily tasks include keeping the dishes clean, keeping on top of the laundry, and planning your meals so you know what's ahead.

Routines:
Establishing routines is a good start. Routines such as:

1. Getting dressed to your shoes when you first get up in the morning.
2. Making your bed.
3. Swishing and swiping your sink and toilet.

Flylady uses these routines as well as Candy over at Keeping the Home, and another good place to go is Large Family Logistics. Kim over at Large Family Logistics organizes her cleaning by days. I have not listed all of the routines, just a few. But establishing these routines, will help you to be more efficient and productive throughout the day.

In order to remember your routines, you should write them down and tape them where you will see them. For example, if you have written your morning routine down, tape it to your bathroom mirror. Your afternoon routine can be taped to the refrigerator, and the evening routine can be placed on the refrigerator also. Once you have your routines written down, you can also place them in a Home Management Binder.

What's Next?
You may have all the cleaning included in your routines, but you may not. Your routines may just get you through the basic daily tasks that I mentioned before: keeping the dishes clean, keeping the laundry caught up, and planning the weekly menu--which includes cooking the meals. If this is the case, then you need to find a method that works for you.

Deep Cleaning Styles and Methods:
You may be thinking: How do I tackle all the jobs that need to be done? Every room needs a deep cleaning, how do I go about that?

You can break down your deep cleaning jobs room by room OR by jobs. That simply means that you can go about your cleaning by focusing on one room at a time or one job at a time.

One room at a time would simply mean that you go through every room and closet in the home, one room or closet each day. One job at at time means you would clean by category: all floors that need swept and mopped, all floors that need to be vacuumed, cleaning off and wiping down all appliances in the house (refrigerator, microwave, coffee pot, stove top and oven, standing mixer, toaster oven, TV, printer & computer monitor, stereo equipment, washer and dryer), all shelving wiped and cleared of clutter, all cobwebs in corners, all window sills, washing windows and blinds, etc.

The important thing is that you make a list, whether you approach one room at a time or one job at a time. Flylady has an excellent list for cleaning room by room. Candy breaks her days down task by task (or job by job). However, you need to find something that works for you and stay with it.

Accountability:
Having someone keep you accountable may be just the motivation you need. You could have a friend from church or an online friend help to keep you accountable. You could also join Flylady's group or the Large Family Logistics group and they will send you reminders via email everyday. When you have completed the task, you delete the email. No list needed, because they send you your list via email!

What do you do when you have deep cleaned the entire house?
Now the possibility of you doing this depends on your abilities and your responsibilities. How many children do you have to teach and train? What does your schedule look like? Are you outside the home more than you are inside it? Are you healthy? Are you nursing or pregnant?

You have to factor all of these things in when you are scheduling your work and they all attribute to how fast your house will be clean. But the key here is maintenance. Once you get your house clean, you must maintain it by continuing to do the same jobs over and over again. Daily repetition will also create habits, and habits create a clean and comfortable home.

So, what about the children's daily jobs?
When you are doing your daily deep cleaning and daily tasks the children should be right there with you. However, that doesn't mean they are getting in the way, but they are working right along side you. Training them to do this isn't easy, but it is necessary. With proper training and encouragement they will eventually develop the skills they need to clean up a room. They will also be able to help you to train their younger siblings.

Currently my children are responsible for these jobs listed:
~Unloading the dishwasher (my oldest is also able to load the dishwasher on his own when asked).
~Cleaning the living room and kid's room floors.
~Cleaning the kitchen floor, and sweeping the floor.
~Cleaning their bedrooms.
~Making their beds and our bed if we ask.
~When the occasion arises, they are able to sort the laundry in the bathroom, and clean the vanity and sinks--which I call their "Bathroom Magic".
~Sometimes they like to help me fold the laundry and put it away.

As a young mother with many small children, I still struggle to keep up with all of my deep cleaning duties, but I am striving to become more organized and to get rid of things that I no longer need. Less is more, as the saying goes. The less you have to pick up, the more time you have to spend time with the family that God has blessed you with.

Remember, take one day at a time, don't overwhelm yourself with too much to do in one day, and SMILE. You are doing this for your LORD, your husband, your family, and yourself. Also find a friend who will joyfully keep you accountable, it is not only encouraging but motivating.

Blessing!
Heather

???Spring Resolution???

WELCOME SPRING!!!

Springtime is here!!! Soon, flowers will be blooming (if they aren't already), the grass will turn a lovely brilliant green, and in the farming regions you will see new baby animals. The weather is soon to turn warmer, the days are growing longer, and the air is filled with the sweet songs of the birds. I get such a feeling of exhilaration when spring is in the air! I absolutely LOVE spring, the sweet smells, the lovely sounds, and the warm breezes. I also look forward to gardening, and spring cleaning!

This year I am going to try something different...A Spring Resolution. Now many of us make New Year's Resolutions, we try to lose weight, spend more time in the Bible, keep on a better schedule, and so on...BUT, sometimes our resolutions get tossed aside and forgotten. I even find, for myself, that I am more on top of things when the weather is warm, the flowers are blooming, and I am itching to get OUTSIDE! So, I am going to try to create some new habits for my Spring Resolution.

Creating New Habits
If you have been over at Flylady's website you can check out how she manages to create new habits each month. She begins each new year with the same challenges, and reinforces them throughout the month. I encourage you to check out her site, she starts with "baby steps" and builds upon them. If you don't know where to start, you might try the "Flylady" method.

I have already posted some of my goals for March on the right hand side of my blog. They are:

1. Purge house of excess clothing.
2. Clean kitchen floor with magic eraser.
3. Keep up on laundry.
4. Plant lettuce & spinach.

I have planted my lettuce and spinach...then it snowed over top...but I think it will be okay. I have been storing the clothing that I intend to take to goodwill in the guest bedroom...so that goal is in progress. My wonderful husband helped me clean the kitchen floor, but it could still use a good scrubbing with the magic eraser. The laundry is always a mountainous task, but I am working on it!

There are a few things I have learned so far with creating new habits. PACE YOURSELF!!! You must not overwhelm yourself with too many tasks at one time. I posted last Wednesday's goals and I was determined to accomplish them. I was successful, BUT I paid for it physically for the rest of the week. On Thursday and Friday, I was very tired, I had sore muscles, and due to my pregnancy I had "round ligament" pains. (If you haven't had them your are blessed, they are muscle spasms and cramps in the round ligaments in your abdomen, usually on the right and left side of your enlarging belly. The "spasms" can be brought on by laughing, sneezing, twisting and bending, working too hard, or simply moving too quickly.)

On Saturday, I went to a funeral and ended up with a migraine! UGH! Nature's reminder that I did TOO much on Wednesday.

Here are my cleaning habits that I will be working on for my (March-April) Spring Resolution:

1. Keep up with my laundry (that is, 2-4 loads/day).
2. Keep up with my dishes (my children like to help with loading the dishwasher)--that is, keeping the cookies sheets & bread pans washed, & running dishwasher once daily.
   
3. Keep homeschoolers on task.
4. Stay on a weekly menu.

Edited: Thanks Mercy...I do need to be more specific!

I am keeping it simple. I refuse to plan too much, if I have the ability to do more then I will, but that will be on a separate WISH "TO DO" LIST not a must do list. Also my children are responsible to help with other tasks. Here is a list of their responsibilites:

1. Clean living room & kid's living/play room after homeschool.
2. Unload the dishwasher.
3. Cleaning up bedrooms (their own).
4. Clearing their own plates after a meal.
   
5. Sometimes my oldest son get the responsibility of sweeping the kitchen floor.
   

They are responsible to complete these tasks daily. They are not allowed any privileges until they are done with their Afternoon Chore Time. Privileges being going outside to play, playing with legos inside, and so on.

Remember, PACE YOURSELF, I realized one very important thing when I reflected on last Wednesday's goals...that is, I am not superwoman!!! I am not able to do as much as I once did, I must pace myself, rest when needed, and trust that God will help me to accomplish the tasks that I desire to accomplish.

My goal is to create a happy, comfortable home for my family. This can be done by preparing planned homecooked meals, keeping things comfortably clean--not perfectly clean, and making sure that everybody has clean clothes to wear and a clean place to eat. Afterall, we live here! We are home all the time!!! So there will be times when the house will be a little "lived in" and we will need to tidy up. Remember, it's comfortable NOT perfect!

What are your Spring (Cleaning) Resolutions?

Have a blessed day! and HAPPY SPRING!!!
God bless!
Heather