31 Days to Clean - End of the week

  With the 31 days to Clean challenge, I cannot say that I completed everything I was supposed to within the timeframe, but I did do most of the tasks. The outside of my kitchen cabinets have been scrubbed. The kitchen curtains are clean and pressed. The refrigerator and freezer are cleaned out. I even organized my spice cabinet (it said pantry, but I am not blessed with a pantry at this time).

Here is what it looks like now:

But for me, the most important tasks are the work that the Lord is doing on my heart. I already loved to clean. There is something about the smell of bleach that spells happiness to my soul.

Side note: Last night as I am getting our toddler washed up in the bath, my face got close to the shower curtain (we have the fabric kind that you wash) and I got a whiff of the bleachy, just-been-washed smell. I just closed my eyes for a half second to enjoy the moment. It smelled so good! I know, I'm weird. :)

Sorry, I got distracted...

So, the Martha tasks are pretty easy, once I find time to fit them in the day. Now the Mary tasks are where I need work. I need to be reminded why I am working in our home, what my priorities are and to take time to enjoy people.

One day, I had to put together a list of priorities. My list was God, my husband, my girls and one-anothers. To save time and space, I have just included my list for my number one Priority; with each, I have included the scripture references to remind myself that God also thinks these things are important.

Priority #1 God

ØSpend time with God
ØTalk with Him
ØLearn about Him
ØSeek Him in everything I do.

ØBe humble and thankful – Remember, the story is about God, not me.

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  Deuteronomy 6:5

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:4-8

I am also currently working on implementing the six list in my life. I am positive this will help me finish that "to do" list each day. The general idea is that before you go to bed (or first thing in the morning which is what works best for me since I am such a morning thinker), you write down a list of the top 6 things that you need to accomplish that day IN ORDER. So you can't move on to #2 before #1 is complete.

Awesome! I am such a list-person - this is right up my alley!

Mine today is:

1. Hang pumpkin lights
2. Determine what Erin should be working on for homeschool.
3. Clean out spice cabinet.
4. Go to Sam's Club
5. Make snacks for small group.
6. Go to the library.

So far so good. :)

Posting Scripture

One thing I really strive to do is keep God at the center of my life - and therefore, the lives of those in our house.

After having foot surgery, I was planted on the couch for a good, long while. I spent a lot of this time listening to sermons, reading my Bible and praying. This was the beginning of a long road of surgeries and recoveries for me. It was like God put a couple of S turns in my life and has turned my life around.

While desperately wanting to be back on my feet, I was reminded that I desperately need God to be a part of the process. He has me on the couch for a reason and I believe that reason was to focus my life on Him.

One way I chose to do this was to put a scripture verse on my wall (where I could see it from the couch) to be reminded that I need to draw on Christ's strength, not my own.

This reminded me, as I sat on our couch, or headed down the hall, that I can do, not one thing, or even some things - but ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13. I can remember just dealing with the pain and swelling in my foot as I painted this on the wall. But I did it - and God gets all the glory!

This is a picture of my darling daughter posing in the hallway where the scripture is written.

I meditate on this verse often. When I am feeling down about something, or choosing to do some negative self-talk, I am reminded that I can do all things because of Christ.

I felt a change. I felt a shift of priorities. This was a good thing.

Now I put scripture and God honoring quotes everywhere. I'm kind of a manic about it, but that's a good thing, right?

I have it all over our refrigerator.

On the window that is above my sink in the kitchen. Yes, that is a fake window, but I see outside in it's reflection (and therefore it helps me keep an eye on the girls as they play on the deck while I am scrubbing dishes).

In our bathroom.

In our living room, real big, right above the big bay window.

And especially in our homeschool room. I have a verse on the wall. We have scripture to follow as our "school rules". And my favorite of all is when my daughter writes scripture on the white board.





Healthy Tuesday - Apples

My family went apple picking (click here for the pictures), so of course, I'm going to blog about the health benefits of apples. We all know (or at least I think we all know) that apples are healthy. They have fiber. They have anti-inflammatory nutrients. They are packed full of vitamin C and antioxidants - and yes, most of that is in the skin, so eat the peel!


I used to worry about the pesticides that may be on the non-organic apples, but according to the WHFoods website, it is better to wash the non-organic apples thoroughly and still eat the peel. It really is that good for you!

When looking at all of the information about apples on the WHFoods website, I was surprised to see that apples help prevent cancer, particularly lung cancer. It doesn't sound like they know the exact reasons why, but there seems to be a significant link between the amount of apples a person eats and the number of people with lung cancer.

I am also surprised to read they have anti-asthmatic benefits as well. Of course, if they are reducing the risk of lung cancer, it should not be a surprise that they reduce asthma symptoms as well.

So my advice is to get to your local orchard and get some apples TODAY! Ok, it's dark right now, so maybe tomorrow.