Being on the receiving end for a while

I was so excited to stumble on Our Simple Country Life a few weeks ago... and more excited to learn that she would be doing a series on Intentional Homemaking.  Ahhh...

Let me tell you... with baby number 4 coming, normal busy-ness, and a desire to be intentional myself... I'm going to let Our Simple Country Life feed this Suzy Homemaker meets Proverbs 31 for a while.  I'll probably insert a Suzy meets P31 post of my own here and there as I'm led, but in the mean time, join us over at Our Simple Country Life on Wednesdays for inspiration and challenges in being an Intentional Homemaker!

I'll be there!

Labels: Home Making, Keeping My Home, Life Lessons for Mommy, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 11:39 AM 0 Comments

Part 3... in which I am harsh

This is where I'd like to blend this "part 2" post about depression with my Suzy meets Proverbs 31 post.  And why?  Because the message is the same.

Stop being lazy, get up, and do your job!

Harsh?  Maybe.  But it's as much to myself as it is to you.

Why are our houses, children and lives a mess?  Because we're not doing our jobs.

Have you ever thought about what life would be like if our husbands did their work the way we do ours?  They'd surely be fired and we'd be without income, food, and possibly even home.  Imagine.

If you were back out in the work force, chances are your employer wouldn't care that your kids are sick (or you for that matter), the work still needs to be done.  We are so blessed to be working for our husbands, but how often do we take their love and patience with us for granted?  Too often.

Your home, your children, all the meals, etc... those are your job.  And the only way to feel the satisfaction in your work is for you to do them.  If you do well, will you not be accepted?

Leaving these undone, or even leaving them for someone else to do will eventually lead to depression... if not marital problems!  And this just compounds itself with each new day of laziness.

Now, don't let this put you further into depression and despair.  It would be easy to do, I know.  I've pointed out failure.  You feel it (I often do).  And it's all your fault.  These things may be true, but the answer is not to let it go on.  The answer is to do something about it.  But you certainly will not be able to do something about it on your own.  You must first seek Him!  Worship.  Find a piece of paper or your journal and make a list of everything you have to be thankful for.

Now, with the little bit of energy that gives you, get up!  Make that bed, fold up the blanket on the couch.  Fluff pillows.  And don't sit back down.  Push through.  Recite that list of thankful things if you need to.  Ask God for every step you must take... literally!

Then start small.  Go clear off the kitchen table.  Move all those dishes from the last couple days to the sink (or counter around it if it's full).  It seems like a big job, but just moving dishes isn't so bad.  You can do it. Find a clean wash cloth and get it wet.  Wipe off that cleared table.  Get it cleared all the way!  Is there clutter piled up there too???  I love this method of clearing a space!!!  (Her methods of cleaning are great in general!... I'll be reading over them again myself.)

Now you have a cleared table.  Just look at it.  Let the absence of visual clutter energize you a little bit.  Don't give up.  It's so easy to sit back down and read another blog post now, but it will trap you again.  Move to that kitchen sink.  You don't have to wash them right now.  Tell yourself that.  You're just going to organize them for later.  Rinse them and sort into piles on the counter.  I find that once dishes are all organized, they never look as bad as they did.  Do you have a dishwasher???  Put them right in there instead of stacking on the counter.  Then the job is done!  Fill it once and stack the rest, but empty that sink!

Now... you don't have to do this next part right away (but sometimes I find that I can just use the momentum I've already created and go for it), but start with some of the dishes.  Don't fill the sink with soapy water if that's seems too big a job.  Just put some soap on the brush or cloth and tackle one stack of bowls or plates or flatware.  Just one.  Move them to the other side of the sink.  When that stack is done, rinse and set in the dish drainer.  Can you do just one more stack?  A few cups?  That one pan?  Just keep doing them as long as you can.   Anything you can do will be better!  And then look at all you've accomplished.  YOU accomplished.  YOU did it!  YOURSELF!  Thank God for the ability to do something today.  This was your first step!

But what if kids are all over the place and you can't stop to do so much?  Wait till nap time, set up something for them to color on that newly cleared table, or ask that person (grandma, friend, husband, etc.) who has been helping you because you just couldn't do it alone if they will play with the kids for a while so you can tackle this job.  Don't let them do the job for you... you have to do the cleaning.  It's important that it be your work that brings order.

Keep picking at those dishes until they are gone.  If you stop to rest because you just can't do more now, set a timer and rest for 15 minutes.  Read a book to the kids, watch them perform tricks on the floor, close your eyes, read your Bible or another book, or work on that list of thankful things.  Include on that list that you cleared the table!!!  That you pushed through and did your job!  How exciting!!!

Monday I intend to have a next step for you if you still struggle to know how to break through this depression to conquer your home.  If it's all just too overwhelming!

But what will I do all weekend?  It's just going to fall apart again!

No, it won't.  Your job over the weekend is to keep picking at those dishes and to keep up with them.  Don't let meals get you down, or laundry, or messes other places.  Spend your time in the kitchen if you need to.  Just work on keeping up with what you've started.  Do those dishes right after meals!  Now that the room is in some bit of order, include the kids in clearing the table.  Even a 2 year old can clear their own cup to the sink or counter.  Make it your goal to start Monday morning with all the dishes washed.

And I wonder what else you may be able to tackle once all those dishes are clean and put away.  Perhaps you'll be surprised by the energy to wipe down the counter, or the stove.  Or to declutter the counter top the way you did the table.  But you don't have to... this weekend, just keep those dishes clean and that table cleared between meals and use.  It's not that much... and if you fall behind, start again the way you did today.  You can do it!!

I'm praying for you!!!!


Part 4: The Next Step

Labels: Depression, Keeping My Home, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 7:16 AM 0 Comments

Harder to Re-start

Do you find that true???  That it's harder to re-start than to start something new?  I sure do.  Setting goals and jumping in with both feet is what I'm all about!  Unfortunately I'm also all about falling off the bike and leaving it laying in the street while I go off and do something else.  Where is dad standing there over our shoulders reminding us to "get back on the bike"?

Okay... sorry. No more metaphors.  Probably.

Still, it's harder for me to get back up and re-start something.  It's lost it's glory.  It's no longer fun.  I did it already.  (The starting I mean.)

Little example, if I may...

We were married January 9th, 2005.  Yes, that's just one week more til our 7th anniversary! :)  We got married, had a wonderful week long (give or take) honeymoon in southern California, and flew here to PA to begin our lives together.  Storybook, right?  Or something.

Regardless, it was wonderful.

My Beloved had rented this little place.  Perfect!  At my request, he'd moved all his belongings into the middle of the living room and left them there.  I really wanted to be part of setting up house. 

We arrived home, got things moved around, settled as much as possible, went to work acquiring a bed, couch, etc.  Everything was, of course, perfect.  Nothing lacked.  Our first company came that first Sunday after church when we hosted another couple.  Lunch was tortilla chips and cheese eaten straight off of the aluminum foil we cooked them on as we all gathered around the ironing board we had set up as a make shift coffee table in the living room.  (Our stuff was still to come.)  Who  doesn't love these memories???

Then My Beloved went back to work for the first time in our married life.  Life... real life... together had begun.  There are so many things I could say about those next months, but they are not in the scope of this post.  What I will say is that I jumped in with both feet!  I became a thriving Fly Baby.  I learned how to shine my sink, create a routine.  Oh, and I was excited enough about finally being a wife, that I actually followed it!  I dusted the top of my refrigerator and my ceiling fans every. week.  Seriously.  I even remember judging other women when we'd be in their homes.  Isn't that horrid!?!  (Oh please be merciful to me if you are ever in my home now!)

Fast forward to September of that same year.  In order to pay down the last of my school loans, we decided I would take a job teaching high school English in a Christian school for the year (another story that is far beyond the scope of this post!)  Having never taught before, nor ever been trained to teach before, this was quite an experience.  The next month or so I spent most of my time either teaching, planning or grading (not to mention that My Beloved would help with some of the grading too).  Suffice it to say that I lost hold of my homemaking in that time.  My Beloved did at least 95% of everything.  And helped me!  Even when I got smart and stopped bringing so much work home, we still divided much of the housework.

Come the end of January, 2006, I'd resigned my position (long story) and finished the semester.  I was home again.  And thrilled.  Truly this is where I always wanted to be.  But I was having a hard time getting started again.  I tried all the old ways, but they felt stale.  It just wasn't as much fun this time around.  I struggled for weeks to get back into a routine after being out of one for so long. 

Then, before I'd ever found my groove, I was pregnant.  And oh was I sick!  If I wasn't sitting or laying (and better than that distracted by something), I was running down the hall for the bathroom.  And I was sick like this for 8 months!  I did a lot of reading (this is when I discovered blogs), and even dabbled the beginnings of blogging toward the end of this time.  Suffice it to say, My Beloved still did most of the work.

Then December brought our little Tornado.  And as most of you know, learning to keep a home after that first baby comes is hard anyway... let alone when you didn't have it all figured out before!  Then there were the feeding issues, the months of pumping, and another pregnancy (and the morning sickness it would bring) just 6 months later!

It would be several years before I would ever feel like I had things pulled together.

See... it's harder to restart.  (Wooo... long story.)

Then last year we had this whole Suzy series going, and things were looking up!  And then I fell away! And now, here we are... it's harder to re-start.

But I'm pushing through.  I'm determined to do my husband good.  Determined to glorify my Lord through my dailies!  Determined to put off laziness and look well to the ways of my home!  Determined to choose that good part!

And what's better than doing it right at the start of the year?  I'm not big on new year's resolutions... but why not?  It's here.  It's now.  Let's make this THAT kind of year!

Labels: Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 9:06 AM 0 Comments

Suzy's Back...

{singing} Christmas is over... this goose is getting fat. {singing}

Um.  Ah.

Okay, so I hope that's all because of this babe growing within.  But no guarantee.  Sorry.


The Christmas is over part is true though.  Everyone sigh with me now.  Ahhhhh.

Anyone else feel the need to do that this year?  The sewing, crocheting, gift giving, singing a special, and sick kids in those days right before left me more unraveled than raveled.  At least it feels that way sometimes.  Don't get me wrong.  The celebrating and worship are wonderful.  But I'm glad we can be back to the daily celebrating. 

Still, in those days and weeks before as I sat crocheting, and crocheting, and crocheting (a lot of hats!) I had time for thinking, reflecting and praying.  Time for listening.  Time for talking with My Beloved (sometimes).  And a few things are moving in my heart.  Some are new.  Some aren't.  My heart is heavy.  My heart is stirred.  My heart is excited at the potential!  In large part for my own needs.  In large part for the needs of others.

My point?  I need to bring Suzy back!

Remember her? 

Last Spring I started a series called Suzy Homemaker meets Proverbs 31.  I had big plans... and then I sputtered a bit.  Took some time off (apparently).  Then I got limes.  Got pregnant.  And as you know the rest [of the year] is history!

But that doesn't mean I'm not still in dire need of working on this.  It doesn't mean I didn't completely backslide just about everything we already talked about.  Oh yeah.  Especially when I spent the month of June on my couch being cared for by other people only to start getting my energy back and loose it again to early pregnancy exhaustion and back to back vacations.  Yeah.

I did finally get my energy back in September sometime.  And I did start trying to pick up the pieces.  But still, I flail!

Oh, and I know I'm not the only one.  I know there's at least one of you out there who started with me who needs this as much as I do (Right?  I'm not alone in this right?)

Well, I'm working up some newly inspiring (hopefully) posts to help us pick ourselves up by our boot straps (eh, Mary Janes?)

Are you with me???  I spent some time tonight reading through last year's Suzy Meets P31 posts and now I'm ready to go... tomorrow even!  Won't you come with me???  Do you have some extra time this week between holidays??? I'd encourage you to read through some of them and jump back on the band wagon!

Labels: Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 11:02 AM 0 Comments

Be all there

I believe it was Jim Elliot who said, "Wherever you are, be all there." I happened upon this quote the other day and it has stuck with me.

"Wherever you are...."

Most of the time I'm here. Home. I really don't go anywhere... and when I do, I'm never alone. But mostly... I'm home.

But am I "all there"? No. Sad to say, I'm not often "all [here]". 1 Timothy 5:13 mentions widows, young widowed women, who become idlers (obviously a bad thing), "going about from house to house...." I certainly don't have the time, inclination or energy to be going about from "house to house." Forget about the fact that we have only one car.

I do however have [ahem] time to sit at my computer and read blog after blog. And as they say, the internet is the new way to be "going about from house to house." Another way to do this is on the phone, but I knew of this one early on and (most of the time) make a point of limiting phone talking. But computer time is tricky. You can sit down quick to check email or look up a recipe for dinner and before you know it you're just looking at one (more) quick thing and an hour has passed by.

And so many days I'd rather dwell in someone else's beautiful "blog-life" (that is the little part of their life that they let us see) than to live in the messy one here.

I'm certain I'm not the only one to ever feel this way.

And the ironic part is that it is all so much messier when I'm sitting there at that computer. The house remains uncleaned. Children play, left to themselves to bicker or be wild. Mommy loses her patience because what she is doing is being interrupted. And children are being put off with a "wait" or "not right now, mommy's finishing this" or "in a minute."

I've been thinking of Jesus these past few days, as it relates to His ministry and this quote by Jim Elliot. "Wherever you are, be all there." Story after story in Scripture shows us that Jesus was never too busy, never too distracted. Wherever he was, he was all there.

This is so easy to talk about. So easy to decide we need to change. Actually being "all here", all day -- every day... that's harder.

But this is my heart. Day 2 of the 31 Days to Clean challenges me to add life to my home. Day 3 gives me a list of 10 things that could do that. But for me, breathing fresh life into my home needs to begin with me... being. all. here.


Find other "31 Days" thoughts from this week here to learn why I want to clean!


Linking up...

Labels: Keeping My Home, Raising Children, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 2:53 PM 1 Comments

Why do I want a clean home???

That is the question Sarah Mae has asked us on day one of these 31 Days to Clean. And I'm so glad she asked. I'm so thankful for this whole challenge in the first place! It's just the perfect next step for Suzy meets Proverbs 31! It pushes me into the getting my house clean steps while still letting me focus on being diligent to my daily tasks and putting off laziness! She's doing the thinking for me... while leading me to do some heart work on these topics too.

Day 1... I had to ask myself, why do I want a clean home? Really.

There could be so many reasons.

So I sit here thinking. Health, for one. Apparently this hasn't been enough for me (apparently none of the following reasons have been) or I would be better at it. But, oh how I want it to be! How it should be! Especially since my Tornado has allergies to both dust and mold, among other things. So in motivation's simplest form, I should clean for the health of it.

But what else? Clean is comfortable! Rather I could say not clean is not comfortable! Tripping over toys is not a comfortable way tot live. Crumbs and dirt stuck to the bottom of your feet and socks is not comfortable. Sitting on or having to push over laundry before sitting down is not comfortable! And just imagine how much more comfortable a bed would be if it were properly aired out and covers straightened daily... laundered regularly!

Clean is also restful... relaxing! Doesn't matter who you are. If things are dirty, messy, cluttered and/or unorganized, it is not restful or relaxing. I may be able to ignore it all and live with it like this, but there is still a constant inner nagging about what still needs to be done. And I'm in this house all day everyday. Now imagine my sweet husband who works all day for us and comes home to this unorganized mess. I want him to want to come home. And once he's here I want him to find rest... refuge. As his eyes travel around the room I want him to feel peace. To smile. Not to feel like he really should get up and help me by doing this or that which has gone undone yet again.

Clean is safe too. This is true especially in food safety, but also with toys or projects that are left strewn about. Toys can be tripped over. Spills, puddled on the floor, can be slipped in. Knives or scissors left out grabbed up by mistake... cutting. Plus so many other hazards awaiting.

Then there is this... clean is pleasing! Pleasing to the eye as you walk into a room or look around. Pleasing to smell instead of whatever that smell is we can never seem to figure out. Pleasing to the touch. Instead of gritty or coarse, it could be smooth and... well... clean!

I want my home to be clean for all these reasons for me. But how much more do I want my home to be all these things for my sweet husband and my precious children!


So there you go. Now... how to put it in a succinct little paragraph of a "mission statement"???

Clean is healthy. Clean is comfortable. Clean is restful. Clean is safe. Clean is pleasing.

It's my hope that one day "home" will be all these things too.

And before I "sign off", it's occurring to me that "clean" is at least one more thing (I hate to limit what else I might have missed). Clean is also love! It's certainly not the only way I show it, but it most certainly is one of the big ones!



Have you purchased your copy of 31 Days to Clean (I don't get anything out of it... really! I'm just excited to step into this next part of Suzy meets P31!)... there's still time to join in!

Labels: Keeping My Home, Life Lessons for Mommy, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 7:57 PM 2 Comments

Stuck???

Do we seem stuck in a rut here?

Why haven't we taken that next step in this series?

Well, I mentioned some struggles I've been working through. That has slowed me down some. But really, the main reason we haven't taken the next steps here is that I haven't taken the next step *here*... in real life.

So why not??? What's the problem?

Truly, the main problem comes down to the original problem. Laziness.

I'm lazy.

I hate it... but I am. I've not yet been able to put off this sin. It's a tricky one to put off too... and you know why? Because I have to put off laziness in order to put off laziness.

That's right. I have to get up.

Then I have to stay up.

I have to "do it enyway!"


Sitting back down to read one more blog is easier than getting everything out to mop the floor.

Thumbing through a catalog is way more fun than washing toilets.

Searching online for encouragement in housework is less work than actually doing it.

Seeking out other's suggestions for child raising and spiritual growth takes way less faith (and sometimes time) than sitting quietly before the throne of the one who knows the answers and seeking them for ourselves!


A couple articles I've happened upon in the last day or so have helped me see this and I wanted to pass them on for your own edification!

Rising to the Challenge
Lara's Dos and Don'ts (I'd read through these soon... she's fazing out her blog and has already deleted much of her archives.)


My goal this week... my number one focus... isn't on keeping my schedule (though that would be great!) and isn't getting everything done. This week my focus is on getting back up... working hard... and not eating the bread of idleness!!!


Linking to...

Labels: Life Lessons for Mommy, Passing it On, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 7:34 AM 1 Comments

Grabbing the ropes again!

I know I'm not the only one. Sometimes we all just need a little re-boot! We rarely (never!) plan on things falling apart. Sure, we may know it's about to happen... we may even have a contingency plan, but we never say, ok... now are going to loose control of everything.

Um... no.

Sometimes, something else is just more important! And there were some of those things last week that just needed to be more important than blogging about how badly I'm keeping my schedule! Suzy had to wait!

Of course, with that lack of focus here, came a lack of focus overall. It was a bit of a stressful week for me. Emotional. Rough. Growing.

But good. We need to reach the bottom to see how far we've come. How low we are.

It's always funny (not haha funny) to me that we can't tell we've let go of the rope until we are free-falling toward the hard rocky ground.

It amazes me how bad things can get inside us before we realize something isn't quite right.

The summer of 2002 I lived in Bolivia... far from the city in a mountain village of Villagrande. I was there as part of a missionary training program for back country/ pioneer missions. I was part missionary that summer, and part trainee. We served, ministered and learned. It was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.

We (me and two others I'd never met before this trip) took Spanish, immersion style, from a woman who knew no English and couldn't even tell how the Spanish text book was to be used. We served in a church, learned to slaughter chickens, took long weekend trips to more remote villages where bathing was something done in the creek and you walked until to couldn't see people anymore before you "used that bathroom" behind a big rock.

I lived with an elderly couple that knew no English and took my meals with deaf Bolivian girls in the "dorm" across the street". At least there I could communicate as their language is very similar to ASL.

During that summer, I knew I needed a rope to get through... rather, I should say I needed the one who held the rope! And I clung to it.

I knew I wouldn't make it day by day without first having my time with God. I knew going in that I needed to make it a priority. I spent every morning reading God's Word and talking with him. I chose a big chunk of Scripture and worked on committing it to memory. I was holding on tight with both hands. And these times weren't just done to cross off my list... they were part of me... and I them.

And what an awesome summer of growth and communion with my Lord!

But doesn't it always happen this way... that when we return to what we know, we loosen that hold. Maybe only hold on with one hand. Or, worse... let go all together. We can do it ourselves after all!


It occurred to me this past weekend that I've been missing something in this journey through motherhood. I live each day like the rest. I wake up, go about my tasks. Sometimes things go well, sometimes they don't. I struggle to do a good job. I spend weeks at a time "disciplined in my quiet times", only to fail in them for longer between.

It has never occurred to me before now that I'm in the thick, now, of the hardest thing I've ever had to do... and I need to hold on tight with both hands!

Being a godly woman, a submissive and respectful wife and consistent, loving mother are the hardest thing I've ever had to do. And I'm doing them with only one hand on the rope... sometimes letting go altogether.

I truly need God's help to do this thing right... to make it through each day... to raise these children right!



To be continued...

Labels: Gratitude, Life Lessons for Mommy, Raising Children, Reflections, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 3:22 PM 0 Comments

My Dailies: A Work in Progress

We talked last week about why it's important to have a schedule for our daily tasks around the house. Truly, it doesn't work for me to fly by the seat of my pants in this area (does it really work for any of us to live like that all the time?) I may start out fine, but by the end of the day, I may have started a hundred tasks, but none of them are finished (including dinner) and the house is still in disarray!

Sigh.

But I'm not a schedule person!

It's true. I'm not. I am no good at routine because it gets so old. When I need to do the same thing the same way everyday I start to go crazy.

At least, that's the way I feel. Come to think of it, I tend to give up (for that reason) before too many days are accomplished.

Like it or not ladies... we need to do this routine thing... follow these schedules we set for ourselves. If you don't like it... aren't a schedule person... then just "do it enyway"! Do it, get it over with, and move on to the rest of your day!

That is my goal!

So I started with a schedule. I'm really good at this part. I love making schedules and lists and such. I'm a planner!

What I'm not is a follow-througher. Not at all!

But I'm determined... so I made myself up a new schedule of "dailies". I followed Copperswife's example for now... and I'm tweaking it as needed to fit our family. I just liked the way hers worked. It's pretty detailed... and I like that. I need that if anything is ever going to get clean around here.

So here it is... not for you to copy down, but to show you how I'm doing it. Hopefully to encourage you to make your own. (Note: * means that this is Tornado's job [he's 4], ** means this is Sweet Pea's job [she just turned 3]... not that they always do them without help or that I even make them do it everyday. It's a work in progress... training!)

(Oh, and the green things are the "kitchen duty" part of the day... it helps me see what needs to be done in there after breakfast!)

• Dress, Hair, Shoes

• Swish and Swipe Bathroom

• Pull back bed covers to air bedding

• Start Laundry and Recycle throughout day (Washer to dryer, dryer to folding, folding to put away and ironing)

• Put away Dishes/Wipe Counters

• Make Breakfast

• Clear breakfast dishes *,**

• Shake out bibs into trash and fold *

• Wash dishes **

• Wipe Table *

• Scour and/or wash kitchen sink

• Spray and Wipe kitchen counters, moving things aside to wipe underneath *

• Spray and Wipe stove top

• Wipe oven front **

• Wipe upper cupboard doors

• Wipe lower cupboard doors **

• Grind flour (if necessary)

• Sweep Floor **

• Hang up dish clothes and towels neatly *

• Check dinner menu and defrost any frozen ingredients

• Make beds (everyone makes own bed and mom checks)

• Tidy bedrooms (laundry and toys, surfaces, dusting, etc)

• Tidy living room *,**

• Vacuum living room *

• 5 Minute de-clutter (of some cluttered space)
  

• Scheduled cleaning (more on this later)
  

• Fold and put away laundry *, **

• Make lunch

• Clear lunch dishes *,**

• Shake out bibs into trash and fold or take to wash *

• Wash dishes **

• Wipe table and counters *

• Hang/straighten towels and dish clothes **

• Iron (anything from the day's laundry)

• Make diner

• Tidy for Daddy *, **

• Clear table *,**

• Shake out bibs into trash and fold or take to wash *

• Wash dishes **

• Wipe table and counters*

• Clean stove

• Clean sink

• Hang/straighten towels and dish clothes or take to wash **

• Review day and make notes for tomorrow

So... I imagine this looks like a lot. It did to me at first too. But really, once I'm in a routine of doing it, it shouldn't take too long at all. In addition to that... I'm really working to change my mindset about work. (I love this post by the way... and it's becoming my inspiration for a whole [in progress] philosophy of child raising... not to mention life!)


So here it is "in living color". It lives above my sink (and often my drying dishes) so that I can see it and check it often. One day, when I feel like I won't be changing it for a while, I'll laminate it so that sink spray and food splatter don't get it all messed up!


Have you put together your schedule??? I'll be sharing how this week goes with the schedule at the end! I hope you'll share too!

By the way... Those first three things rarely happen in the first part of the day... if ever. It's all a goal... remember!


Joining in...

Labels: Home Making, Keeping My Home, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 3:04 PM 6 Comments

Homekeeping Schedule: Why it's important! (Part 2)

Monday I talked... floundered... through some of why it's important to have a schedule to keep your home. Monica did a better job, I think. Basically, it's just hard to go the extra mile when we're tripping over clutter and discouraged by mess.

Then there are the extra times we have to say no to the requests of our littles...
Can't play/work at the table because it hasn't been wiped down yet. Can't play under the table because it hasn't been swept. Can't spread out something messy on the floor because it needs to be vacuumed. Really... the list can go on!

And what about "Mommy, can you play with me?" "No honey... I have to do something about this house."

Ugh!

Well... there is another important reason for keeping a home keeping schedule... one I was all too aware of yesterday when I got the call.

Funny, because a few weeks ago, I read this post by Copperswife, which you simply must read! Now that my husband is a practicing EMT volunteering with our local station on Tuesday evenings, it hit me even harder! Coupled with the occasional comment from My Beloved that we could sometimes be considered one of "those houses" the EMTs would be required to report should they be called into our home... ouch.

Offended? Yes. For a minute. Then I remembered that he loves me (really loves me) and never says anything to hurt or attack or make me feel bad. I thought about what he said. Thought about this story from Copperswife. And I realized how much dishonor I bring (or would bring if anyone happened upon us in our messiest times) to my husband.

What's that verse again??? "She brings him Good, not harm all the days of her life." (Proverbs 31:12) Dishonor sounds like harm to me!

Back to yesterday's phone call. Sometime around 2:30, My Beloved called, "Have you heard from my mom?"

I knew then that something was wrong. Not that Mom doesn't call, but for him to be asking meant something. And I hadn't. Usually this means something is wrong with a brother or sister in law, a grandparent, or something. But usually it's his dad that's calling... and occasionally about Mom.

Dad was in the hospital... confused. Possible stroke. And we didn't know anything else. His brother had called.

I hung up the phone after an "I love you" and "I'll pray" and I looked at my sweet baby (sitting and laughing with me before the phone rang) and knew what I needed to do.

We didn't know what the next report would be. Didn't know how serious it was. But I did know that if it was serious, we'd be leaving. I'd have packing to do. Preparations to trek our 3 littles the 8 hours to Michigan. And I knew... I just knew... I couldn't leave our house like this.

One thing after another had kept me from folding laundry and washing dishes all day. The carpet is in dire need of being vacuumed. The floors need to be swept. The bathroom... yeah.

I settled (thankfully) contented baby into his play chair and set out to get those dishes done as fast as possible, all the while realizing that there would be so little to do if I had just followed my schedule that morning... let alone lived a schedule every day.

Imagine. If I followed my homekeeping schedule every day (or at least most days), I could have pulled my entire house to "company ready" in 10-15 minutes. But no. When My Beloved got home early at 3:30 I was just starting with my second load of folding. From there I worked on tackling other little projects. Granted, it was nice to have something to occupy my hands while we waited, but if we'd needed to pack up and leave in an hours time, none of that would have been done.

No big deal right? Priorities... right? Who cares when faced with family emergencies.

Now imagine if our home were broken into or our landlord needed to let himself in while we were gone. What would they see? What would they find? Perhaps if it's just a matter of myself being embarrassed, that's one thing. But am I willing for it to embarrass... dishonor my sweet husband.

No... I am not.

And so you see why I've determined that it is so very important for us to schedule... and then follow that schedule... our home keeping duties!

(Note: Seems to be that My DFIL is ok. I know you were all going to ask. No stroke. No tumor. Confusion and forgetfulness passed. Praise God!)


Did you look through and think through your own possible schedule this week? There is still time. We're going to spend this next week on this topic too. I just didn't feel like I was done with the importance of doing it part.


So, tell me... anyone have an embarrassing "someone saw my mess" story? I know we'd all love to hear it. Leave a comment or a link to your own post!

Labels: Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 7:48 PM 4 Comments

Seeking Out a Schedule: Why it's important

Here we are... another Monday of another week.

All too often Monday is "catch up day" in our home and today is no exception. Somehow the weekend always seems to take over, leaving in it's wake piles of laundry, dishes and projects. And I do mean piles!

But weekends, or even catch up days, are not what I want to talk about today. Today I want to talk about the everyday. Ann does such a great job reminding us how special the everyday is... but I have to admit to you. I struggle with celebrating today. I struggle with making today special.

I know that I can make each day sacred by remembering. Acknowledging. But how can I make each day special for my children when I'm so far behind, the house is so cluttered, and I don't have a handle on my priorities... my schedule... my duties.

Why is it that I feel the need to turn down a little ones request to read a story when I've just spent a heap of time sitting at the computer? Oh, but I need to finish those dishes. Fold that laundry. Organize that shelf. Start dinner.

On the days I determine to make a difference, I may not turn on the computer, but I walk around in circles. Accomplishing bits of this and that... but not really making a dent. I struggle with bringing out a fun activity or planning and extra special this or that for my kids when the house is in such disarray. Yet it's all so overwhelming. How do I conquer this towering mountain of duty so that I can enjoy a nice hike in the foothills with my children? (And so that my sweet husband can come home to a welcoming refuge at the end of his work day instead of a house of chores that still need to be done?) Is there hope?

I think there is. And, no... I'm not there yet. But, oh how I want to be there! How about you?

I've already started (I have to work ahead a little so I can have my thoughts about me for posting!) and I'm already starting to see a little progress... however slight! :)

I believe I mentioned that I wouldn't be sharing too much new info in this Suzy Series. It has everything to do with the fact that I've not arrived yet. I'm still searching. Experimenting. Learning! I do have a few links to share with you though... on the subject of creating a daily schedule.

We're doing this in baby steps, remember? Please don't be overwhelmed with how each of these ladies do things. I don't want you to grab one system and force it upon yourself, and certainly don't combine them all and expect yourself to be able to thrive at it. This week I just want you to read through some of them... and others you may find (share with us if you know of others!) Take a look... make some notes. Perhaps try your hand at making your own schedule of "dailies" (using these as inspiration). Start trying to follow some sort of routine/schedule if you have the nerve. But don't get discouraged. Whatever you come up with this week is only a first (of many) draft! I have a working copy, that I'll share with you Friday, hanging above my kitchen sink. I've already made several changes from the original as I learn how it needs to be tweaked to fit my family. And most of all... I've never yet, in the two weeks since I've started working on it, done everything on my list!

Remember... when starting a new routine, it's a goal you are working toward. Don't give it all up because it's not working after a week. Just keep picking at it.

We'll talk more about that at the end of the week or so. For now... happy reading!

Scheduled Homemaking ~ The Dailies
Daily House Cleaning for Homes with Small Children
Daily Tasks for a Clean Kitchen
Some Tricks of the Trade

I know there are more all over the internet... let me know if you find any!


Wanna start at the beginning??? Follow this link:

Labels: Keeping My Home, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 2:23 PM 2 Comments

Accountability: Time with God

Just checking in briefly to report:

I didn't do as well this week as I had hoped, but I did way better than I have been!

Several times I took the opportunity to sit with the kids and do "Bible Time" and was so glad for it!

Yesterday in particular, we were behind on morning chores (which is to say that it was later than I'd hoped when we were finally wrapping up the kitchen clean up) when I finally announced for everyone to grab their "Bibles" and head to the couch. I didn't read long (so many distractions this particular morning), but did deliberately take time to pray... both before and after Sweet Pea needed to go potty ("right now"). I felt the difference in my attitude and outlook after taking that time to really talk with God! When I was done I took special time to pray with the kids... slowly and talked through it all. It was a great time with them!

Today I didn't get/take the time to sit and do Bible Time, but I made a point of walking in thanksgiving as I went about my tasks. It was such a blessing. My heart swelled with love for my littles and desire to be around them. That, in and of itself, was a real encouragement today! But the joy to be washing those dishes, tidying those messes, etc. was more than I could have expected!

I may not have been as faithful as I would have liked, but I know I grew in grace this week... and I'm excited to grow even more in the days to come!

How did you do?

Labels: Gratitude, Life Lessons for Mommy, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 11:26 PM 0 Comments

My Strengths... not something I'd put on an application

My sister-in-law said something in an email this morning that caught me off guard:

"I also have been really enjoying your blog, a lot of my weeknesses are your strengths...."

She said a few more things, but since I didn't ask her if I could post it... nor tell her I was going to (surprise!), I'll keep it to myself.


Thanks for your email A... I'm thrilled you are enjoying my blog and that my... ehem... strengths are an encouragement to you.


Just in case others of you don't know about them, I decided to dedicate an entire post to my strengths. Toot my own horn, if you will.

Here they are... in no particular order:

I'm excellent at surfing! I can blog hop with the best of them... wasting hours upon hours in front of my computer.

I'm no slouch at wasting time in general. Coupled with the computer thing... I can dilly dally at just about anything to avoid actually doing what I should be doing.

I'm well practiced at loosing my temper and displaying anger to and directed at my children on a regular basis.

I'm the best complainer in our house... even better than the children I'm pretty sure. But just to be fair... I've had longer to practice.

I tend to have a critical spirit.

I'm lazy! More than happy to take the easy way out. This applies to cooking, cleaning, exercise... you name it!

I'm inconsistent... especially with disciplining my children.

I'm exceptional at letting my emotions and thoughts run away with me.

I'm obsessive! Nope... can't get me to let something go once I've decided to let it bother me.

I'm (ehem) "assertive"... (read: loud, forceful, pushy, obnoxious. You know... opposite of meek and gentle)

I'm selfish! You don't have to watch long (from your hidden perch that is) to see me putting myself before my husband and children. And I do it all the time too.

I'm neglectful of my husbands desires and preferences! I let our house remain cluttered and don't clean it very often even though I know what a blessing it would be for him to live in a clean and tidy home.


Oh golly... I could go on, but I'm feeling a little full of myself.

So let's see... just to balance things out, I'll share what I'm working on too.

All. of. the. above!


Just in case I've lost a few of you. I'm calling these things my "strengths" because they are the ones I'm good at... that I don't even have to think about to do them. Not because they are good things!

Perhaps you've gotten the idea that I'm doing this "Suzy Homemaker meets Proverbs 31" series because I've arrived. Quite the contrary... I'm doing it for me. Not for you. (Ok, I'm sharing it here for you too.) And for the record... I didn't brush my hair today. And maybe not yesterday either. So much for my first challenge!

As far as wife and mother, homemaker, woman, servant, follower, disciple (etc... you get the idea) goes... I'm a giant failure!

This is why I am so grateful for grace!

Without God's grace, I'd be lost in a sea of hopelessness! But because of grace, I am rejoicing! Learning to give thanks in every trial, disappointment, failure. Because when I am weak, He is strong! Thank God for grace... that he can still use me in my weakness... that he chooses to do so!

So don't strive to emulate my example... my family... my skills. Walk with me as we strive together to learn what it means to keep our homes for the Lord, to serve one another in love, and ultimately to be more like Him!

Labels: Keeping My Home, Raising Children, Reflections, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 9:47 PM 0 Comments

Priorities: The Good Part

We've met Suzy, and talked about Whom we do it all for, what a homemaker really is all about, and determined to do our husbands good, not harm!... but where is the real stuff? Where is the practical... the how to? When are we going to talk about what we really need to talk about to find change?

I have two answers for that. First, we already are. If we jump right in to cooking lessons (still to come) and the "how tos" of cleaning the toilet (among other things) without first finding our true motivation, we're eventually going to leave that toilet brush in it's holder. Who wants to touch that yuck after all? So go back and read (or re-read... I've done it and I wrote them!) those early posts... it'll do you a world of good to get things started on the right foot!

My second answer... soon! In fact, I had every intention of kicking off the home management and cleaning portions of "Suzy meets P31" this week... today. But, it's occurred to me that "one [post] is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:42 KJV)

Have you met Martha? Mary? They were followers of Jesus... friends. They loved him dearly, followed him, ministered to him. On at least one occasion, they welcomed Jesus into their home. Actually, it says that "a woman named Martha opened her home to him." (Luke 10:38) First of all... can you imagine??? What an honor! The Lord of heaven and earth a guest in her home. What must that have been like? I can only imagine she wanted everything to be perfect, wouldn't you? (Rabbit trail: are you aware that Jesus tells us that "whatever [we do] for one of the least of these... [we do] for him"? [Matthew 25:40] Remember that the next time... every time... you have the opportunity to serve your sweet family in some way!)

But before long, the joy of serving Jesus became a burden of making everything just right. She began to grumble in her heart (it doesn't actually say that, but don't we usually grumble in our hearts before we ever utter a complaint aloud?) Scripture says "Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made". She actually complained to Jesus that her sister, who was sitting at His feet listening to Him, wasn't helping her. And Jesus answered her, "“Martha, Martha... you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Aren't we so often a Martha in our own homes? (If we're going to be either of them that is.) I struggle enough with discipline in this area, but add to that trying to build a routine and get a grip on my household... forget it!

If I succeed in becoming Suzy Homemaker, yet don't grab that Proverbs 31 part... one thing will be needful!

If I master routines, discipline myself in the art of homemaking, become a gourmet chef, yet fail to spend daily time in the presence of my King, I've missed "that good part." (KJV)

But ugh! It's so hard! I have three littles, 4 years old and younger... with at least one early riser. I'm trying to get to bed earlier, but still... it's hard! So here's what I do (when I do it... I'm still working on this one)...

On the mornings/days I don't make it up or take the time to be with my Lord before the kids are up, we simply take time together. This morning, for instance (since I actually did it today... woo hoo), after the breakfast dishes were done and the kitchen was looking ok, I announced it was "Bible time" and everyone was to get their Bibles so Mommy could read hers. We've done this before, so it wasn't completely foreign... though it's been a while. I reminded them that they needed to look at their "Bibles" (Bible storybooks) while I read mine and pray. Then when I am done, we'd read together. It takes lots of reminders (with my newly 3 year old especially), but hopefully they'll eventually get it. It gives me time to spend in the Word, demonstrates my time in the Word and prayer to my children, and starts them in a time of their own. It works for me!


Now... your turn! This week, take a look at the time you spend (or don't spend) in the presence of the King, reading His Word, in prayer. Does something need to change? Do you need to/can you get up a little earlier? Is there a nap time (theirs, not yours) that would work? Or can you build in a family "quiet" time to get "alone" with your Savior? Maybe you don't have kids yet and just need to discipline yourself to stop, stop "...[worrying] and [being] upset about many things" and simply "...[choose] that good part".

We'll touch base Friday where I'll share how I did this week... and you'll have a chance to report in too!

I'm joining in with...

Labels: From God's Word, Home Making, Life Lessons for Mommy, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 9:22 PM 4 Comments

Good... not harm!

These verses just don't get enough attention!

They don't. Think about it... when you think about the Proverbs 31 woman, you think about sewing, planting, selling, working hard, buying and preparing food... and doing it all by candle light either early in the morning or late into the night. We know that these things are bringing our husbands good (at least they would if we were doing them all), but do we really think about this specifically?

My hearts desire all these long years has been to be that Proverbs 31 woman for my husband... for my Lord. And really, isn't that why we are here now... talking about these things? But now I'm wondering. Do I want to be a Proverbs 31 woman for God? For my sweet husband? Or for me?

Yep... here it is again. AGAIN.

Pride.

And this is news to me ladies! I sat down to type something completely different tonight. Or, maybe I didn't know what to type, but I had to start anyway. I didn't even realize that my desire to be a P31 was anything but purely motivated. And I'm shocked and astonished.

Or not.

Oh, I'm surprised by this new realization. I'm just not so surprised to see one more area of my life where pride has control.

Perhaps this is why it's easier to make lists and schedules and routines than it is to actually do them. Perhaps that's why it's easier to read books and posts and testimonial on this topic of being a homemaker/helpmeet/etc. than it is to actually work at it. Perhaps it's the reason I can spend all afternoon decorating a print out of verse 31:27 instead of actually applying it.

So what if my motives were changed?

Labels: Life Lessons for Mommy, Prince Charming, Suzy meets P31

posted by ~Babychaser~ @ 10:11 PM 0 Comments