Admitting Our Difficulties

This was inspired by the radio program I talked about, based on advice for women in the ministry. Nancy Leigh Demoss hosted the program, which included various women speakers. I think the topics covered really apply for all women, though they are quite important for women who do ministry. The one idea I think really especially is great advice for those who choose to do a ministry online.

It is so easy to get a mistaken idea
of people when you don't know them in a real-life situation. Over the internet, well-meant words can seem to convey an image of a flawless life. I recognized this personally when a commenter on a recent post of mine wrote that I really have it all together. I started to laugh, until I realized that it might actually seem like that, especially considering my latest series. I started the Keep It Simple series to share what I was doing in my own life- not what I had done or accomplished, but am doing right now in this season. For the record, I don't have it even partially together most days!

On those rare days when I actually feel like things are going smoothly, I am not the one who made it happen. Firstly, I have to remember to keep my priorities straight. My efforts mean nothing when I do not stick to God's plan for me. The other important consideration is that I have so much help- mainly from Mr. Shelley who is always willing to help me. Even after a long day at work, he watches the kids for me. And, not just so that I can do regular housework- nope, he gives me time to enjoy myself (including here, blogging!) and even run weekly errands like grocery shopping.

In the radio program, one of the ladies spoke about making sure to not put out a representation that your situation is perfect. Whether you are intentionally leaving things out, or just not being careful to admit problems- both result in people getting a wrong idea. By letting your issues and concerns be out in the open, you present a unique opportunity. Others in the same situation can be blessed by knowing they are not alone, and just having this realization can help them more than sage advice from someone. Also, you will also be better knowing you don't have to seem perfect and that you too can commiserate with someone else. Remember, only one is perfect: the Creator. We don't have to try to seem perfect, because we aren't. What we should do is honor God by hoping to help others acknowledge Him and His work in our lives through our issues, difficulties and imperfections. And we can't do this if we're afraid to admit these things to anyone.

I intend to use this as a reminder to share my own difficulties and issues, in the hope to give people a place where they are not alone.

I am happy to share this at Works For Me Wednesday.

No Internet!

I apologize for being absent all week, we have had no internet connection and so I have been unable to post. I hope to have this fixed over this weekend. Look back next week for the posts on faith and praying with your spouse, as well as the newest Keep It Simple post on Simplifying Your Kitchen, including cooking tips! Thanks so much!

Montessori Education

I have been considering homeschooling my children for some time now- after years of saying that I would never ever want to do that. I went to public school, so I always figured that my kids would too. After watching them grow, and absorb so much of the world around them, I realized that I probably don't want them absorbing much of what's in our society today.

I started researching homeschooling, and came across something I had read about years before becoming pregnant: Montessori. For those who aren't really aware of this concept, here is a great primer. Basically, Montessori is a educational philosophy based on the methods founded by Dr. Maria Montessori. Dr Montessori was an Italian physician who introduced a method of education fo children which allows them to learn the information by their own work, through activities.

Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing more detailed information, and links. To start, this site has lots of great information and free text of some books.

Thanksgiving Thursdays- 6/17/10

Welcome to another Thanksgiving Thursday (TT) here at Make A Home Mom! Again, I want to take today to give thanks for all that God has given to me, and I would love for you to share too.

Just post a comment with a link to a post you've written which deals with being thankful. Then, in that post, I just ask that you link back to this post so everyone can find their way around. If you don't have a blog, just share what you're giving thanks for in the comments.

In a few weeks, I will have a linky for this, but for now I will just add the comments in a list manually. Thanks for coming and sharing!

 

This week I am grateful for the unexpected gifts that God gives. Today was a long day, spent driving hours away to look for a farm to buy some real meat from, only to not be able to find it. My mother went with me, and she was then late for a meeting. I was feeling rather irritated an understatement! and rather upset. However, due to a great radio program and a beautiful drive, my heart was opened to another view. I realized that through these "problem" times God is showing me my plans are not His, and reminding me that to keep the focus on Him. This was a wake up that when things aren't seeming to be going well, that I should be grateful. I took this time to enjoy the gorgeous drive, and let my heart open to staying in a good mood instead of letting a moment turn my whole day negative. Again, I received a chance to remember what I should be doing.

I am grateful that God is continuing to make me a more grateful person. From my post last week, I see that He has answered my prayers to continue making myself more focused on thankfulness, and I am so glad for this. A weakness of mine has always been letting a small downfall in my day turn into a "catastrophe" and I am happy that God has chosen to work on this in me.

 

Now it's your turn! Please share your links in the comments, and I will post them below. Grab my button from the box in my sidebar if you wish.

For these first few weeks I will keep the comments open throughout the weekend, so that word can get out.

Format: Please post in the comments, at the least, Name @ Your Site (Name of Post) i.e. Shelley @ MAHM (Thanksgiving Thursdays)

1. 1
   
2. 2
   
3. 3
   
4. 4
   
5. 5
   

 

Come back tomorrow for the post introducing a Montessori education, and Saturday for a post on the uplifting and inspiring broadcast that helped change my mood- hosted by Nancy Leigh DeMoss from Revive our Hearts: topics I loved on praying together with your spouse and admitting your weaknesses.

Simplified Household Schedules

This post is adapted from two posts which ran on 10/2/09 and 10/7/09. I have updated them to reflect my new simplified schedules.

 

My schedules in my home binder are broken down into the following: (adapted in part from Flylady)

 

Daily (AM/PM) schedule

Weekly schedule

Monthly schedule

 

Making A WEEKLY SCHEDULE

 

Create a blank weekly schedule. Make a graph set-up, with the days of the week listed across side, and then write in any things that are always done the same day. For example, if you go to class on Mondays and yoga is Thursday night, write it in. Now, you can start adding tasks. I set my schedule up so that each day I had a different room, i.e. Monday- upstairs bedroom, Tuesday- living room, and so on. I worked this around my other permanent duties. Mondays I always organized my coupons. At the time, our only computer was upstairs, so thus I made Monday the day I cleaned upstairs. Tuesday I run errands, and our living room is easy to clean, so since I don't like running errands, Tuesday is a simple housekeeping day. Set up a schedule that works for you.

 

UPDATE: I have since simplified the weekly schedule by reducing the amount of housekeeping- instead of dusting and cleaning in the specific room each day, I only pick up in those rooms. Now, dusting is Tuesdays only, and floors are cleaned on Thursdays. Likewise, I have two set laundry days.

 

After housekeeping responsibilities, I think it's very important to add in what I call "special times." Family day, couple day or date night, and personal time all fall in here. Life can be hectic, and if you don't schedule these things, they might never happen. I have a few little blocks of personal time for things I love doing throughout the week. UPDATE- I now include personal time every day in my daily schedule. Also, try to include time to spend with friends- especially important for at home parents. UPDATE- I have enforced these, simplicity means getting back to what's really important.

 

As I've said, I am not organized by nature. If you fit in this category with me, my suggestion to you is to simple: try to make a schedule that includes everything you will be doing. Otherwise, the recycling will build up, the sheets won't get washed, and your windows will be so dirty you'll start to think they just came with fingerprints imprinted on them originally. Every schedule is, and should be, different- customized for you, created around however your household is best run. The thing I hear the most is that people just can't actually do it- get up and get started with their duties every day. This is why the daily schedule is the basis, the blueprint, for your day.

 

DAILY SCHEDULE

 

This schedule is set up as an hourly schedule. It might seem too complicated, but it can actually provide a great way to stay on track. I set up a schedule with set "work times" at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. and it kept me working, instead of getting sidetracked or just plain giving up! I put in even the most basic, everyday tasks, such as meals and cleaning the kitchen afterwards. I leave about a half-hour to an hour for each main task, as to allow flexibility. Something will always come up, so don't make your schedule too tight or tasks will run into each other. UPDATE- I have included a daily reading/ devotion time in the morning, I notice the difference when I don't start off my day this way. I encourage you to take this time every day!

 

I have two "work" times, one in the morning (during baby's nap/rest time and William's snack time) and in the afternoon (naptime for both.) I find myself doing more complicated/detailed tasks in the morning, when I am more alert (such as filing or schoolwork.) Afternoon naptime is for easy tasks like cleaning. I also make some of this time for my personal time, when I might read or work on this blog. UPDATE- I also include specific playtime for the kids- this will soon evolve into an "educational" time. Come back next week for more on my upcoming series on homeschooling and Montessori.

 

Rember- simplicity is primarily about making things easiest for you and finding the best way for your home. Also, check your priorities.

I am happy to share this at Finer Things Friday.

Thanksgiving Thursdays- 6/10/10

Welcome to another Thanksgiving Thursday (TT) here at Make A Home Mom! Again, I want to take today to give thanks for all that God has given to me, and I would love for you to share too.

Just post a comment with a link to a post you've written which deals with being thankful. Then, in that post, I just ask that you link back to this post so everyone can find their way around. If you don't have a blog, just share what you're giving thanks for in the comments.

In a few weeks, I will have a linky for this, but for now I will just add the comments in a list manually. Thanks for coming and sharing!

 

This week I am grateful the ways in which God is helping me become grateful. This has been a tricky week for me to find something to write about. Although I took times most days to give thanks, it was also filled with days of complete lack of gratitude. I spent one day feeling miserable because I found aphids on my lettuce. Another day was spent feeling like I had too much to do, and no chance of it getting done. (if only I had taken this time to listen to my own advice!) There was also problems with our telephone, and computer, leading to much frustration. Luckily for me, God does not give up as easily as I do! He keeps working on me, even when I take forever to learn something (and then promptly forget it again!)

This week I have been reminded of God's patience and understanding. Through difficulties, He is working on me, and reminding me that it is easy to be calm, loving and patient when things are going well for me. My work begins when I need to make an effort- when things aren't so great. At these times I need to remember that, firstly, my situation is still better than many and this is still a time to be grateful for everything we do have. Next, this is an opportunity for me to work on myself, and model proper actions (especially for my kids.) Finally, I might need to take a "time out" and let go of some things. This is a good time to take an assessment of what I am doing, and make sure it is in line with what I should be doing.

I am grateful that God uses these times to make me into a more patient and thankful person. I hope that over time, this will become more natural for me- and know that I am so blessed that God watches me more patiently than I watch my children. I hope to continue working on myself in this way.

 

Now it's your turn! Please share your links in the comments, and I will post them below. Grab my button from the box in my sidebar if you wish.

For these first few weeks I will keep the comments open throughout the weekend, so that word can get out.

Format: Please post in the comments, at the least, Name @ Your Site (Name of Post) i.e. Shelley @ MAHM (Thanksgiving Thursdays)

1. 1
   
2. 2
   
3. 3
   
4. 4
   
5. 5
   

 

Come back tomorrow for the postponed Simplified Schedule, and a bit of information on an upcoming series on Montessori education.

Simplifying Home Binder

This post originally ran on September 28, 2009. I am re-running it as part of my Keep It Simple series with updates.

 

This post is timely for me this week. It always seems that just when you think you're actually caught up with housework, something throws a wrench in the plans. For me, these unexpected events are why having a plan for your household is so important. Even the best of plans are useless, however, if you can't find your weekly schedule, or remember what need to buy to make dinner tomorrow night. UPDATE- One of the reasons I'm re-running this post this week is because again, my life has been in a season of challenge and too many things in not enough time. I have been simplifying my home binder as a concrete action of rearranging my priorities.

 

Basically, a household binder is a to-go place, an area to keep all of the lists, schedules, etc. that you need to keep your home running smoothly. See Flylady's control journal for more information on exactly what you could be adding to your binder. Everyone has different things in theirs, here is an index of mine:

• Planning
  
• Home Management
  
• Meals/ Menus
  
• Family Info
  
• Travel/ Activities
  
• Finances
  

Under planning I have my daily, weekly, and monthly schedules and lists, my calendar, detailed systems list, goal lists. Home management has mostly party/ holiday notes, including menu ideas/ notes, and gift ideas. UPDATE- This is also where I keep all of my past gift lists, so I know who got what and when, and also (with my homemade gifts) who liked what best. Meals and menus includes our family's favorite meals, and a list of easy meals, which I can turn to when making my weekly menu plans. I also have information on nutrition here, and clippings of recipes I want to try. I keep the clippings in plastic sheet covers that are in the back of each section. UPDATE- I now keep recipe ideas and clippings or printout in a section of my home cookbook. This will be the simplifying real food post at Authentic Homemade for tomorrow. They just go right in the binder rings, and are a great place to keep loose papers (for instance, in the Home Management section I put upcoming birthday and holiday cards that are signed and ready, so I don't lose them!) Family info has such things as a master phone number list, and sections for my work and schooling (when the kids start school in a few years, this section will be larger as I add in their things here.) UPDATE- I am now starting to keep things for the kids in here I am planning on starting a separate binder for them, as I am thinking about home-schooling. Travel and activities has a master packing list for when we go on vacations, and directions to places we travel to alot, like my sister's. Finally, finances holds our budgets, and information for rebates. In the sheet covers for this section I sometimes keep my coupons until they go into my containers.

 

Our next posts will feature in-depth details for how to start creating, and fleshing out, your schedules and to-do lists. Right now might be a good time to start a binder if you don't have one, though, because you'll need somewhere to put these papers once you make them. A note: although I am not one of them, many people like to have everything electronic. If you prefer this, I would suggest you try to create your binder on your computer (but please don't ask me for help, I barely just get along with technology and like to see everything in front of me in hard copy!) Here are some ideas to get you started on your own binder:

1. Go over any papers, schedules, to-do lists, etc. you have currently. This will give you some idea of what sections you will need in your binder.
   
2. Just start it- taking more action is a goal here- one end result of your binder is that it will allow you to work on auto-pilot. You won't spend all your time wondering what to do next, so let's try to stop that right now. Just find an old binder, or even a blank notebook to start.
   
3. Begin with the sections, what topics are most important for your household? Work on these first. Try to keep them fairly general, if you make them to distinct you'll have 25 different sections.
   
4. Work on putting any notes, papers etc. that you already have into your binder before making new ones. You might be surprised how much you have, and you won't be creating unnecessary duplicates (otherwise known as clutter!)
   

I hope this helps you to think about starting your own household binder. Over the next week I'll be sharing details on how to set up your schedules and task lists, and work them into your life. If you have any tips to share, please comment, and let me know if I can link to your information. UPDATE- I will be posting these next two weeks on the new simplified schedules- please come back and check them out. I have greatly decreased my stress and increased my daily well-being by planning and setting my day by my new 'Keep it Simple' schedules, and I hope they can be a blessing to you also.

 

I am happy to share this at Homemaker Mondays, be sure to stop by for great tips and posts.

 

Don't forget- only two more days to enter Real Food on a Real Budget giveaway! Today starts the Real Food In Season Giveaway here at MakeAHomeMom! Come back Wednesday for more Keep it Simple- Schedules and on Thursday for Thanksgiving Thursdays.

 

Like this? Please share.

Real Food In Season Giveaway!

This week I am gifting another giveaway of my new cookbook, Real Food In Season! Starting June 7^th, and running through Friday June 11^th, enter to win your copy of Real Food In Season. Entries for each of the following:

1. Comment below and tell me why you would like this cookbook
   
2. Subscribe to AH
   
3. Follow me on twitter
   
4. Share this on twitter
   
5. Blog about this giveaway and comment with the link, or share it via email/ facebook if you don't have a blog
   

   
    

There will be giveaways on other blogs this month, I will be posting a list on Saturday when I announce the winner. Make sure to leave your entries in the comments- one comment for each entry please, it is easier for me to enter them into a random selector that way. Thanks and best of luck!

 

Friday, come back for the Real Food Made Real Simple series- this week is on Simplifying Your Home Cookbook.

I am happy to share this at Fight Back Friday.

Success, and giveaways!

Disclaimer: If you do not care about toilet training, and are just looking for a chance to get the free loot- visit Authentic Homemade for:

Real Food on a Real Budget giveaway and Real Food In Season Giveaway

 

However, if hearing about I how finally achieved success with potty training might interest you:

Yea! After months of on-again, off-again; trying to get my toddler to spend more than one or two time a week out of the diaper; desperation ahem, I mean patiently letting him know that whenever he wants to go is fine by me without it bothering me I have hit upon success! The method (as I'm sure many of you know, since everyone told me to do this) just take the diapers off and put him in underwear. Today was the true marker of achievement: he actually told me he needed to go before he went! Yesterday there was no 'leaks' but letting me know without me having to take him to the bathroom every hour to check is a sure sign that the work is almost to the end of the right track we've been on!

I am happy to share this at Finer Things Friday- and I think all the moms know why it is finer (especially with another younger one!)

Thanksgiving Thursday 6/3

Welcome to the second Thanksgiving Thursday (TT) here at Make A Home Mom! I started TT so I would have a place to give thanks for all that God has given to me. I would love for you to share all that you're grateful for each week.

Just post a comment with a link to a post you've written which deals with being thankful. Then, in that post, I just ask that you link back to this post so everyone can find their way around. If you don't have a blog, just share what you're giving thanks for in the comments.

In a few weeks, I will have a linky for this, but for now I will just add the comments in a list manually. Thanks for coming and sharing!

 

This week I am especially grateful for Mr. Shelley. He is a wonderful man, who always forgives me for my mistakes. He stands by me when I least deserve it, and supports my wishes and whims. This week he got a full dump truck load of dirt for my new gardening beds, and dug up half the yard for me so the grass and weeds wouldn't be in my bed. All this- after coming home from work! And when it rained in the middle of his job, he came inside- and then went back out to finish (after dinner, in the late evening!)

He is always willing to watch the kids for me when he comes home from work- taking them for mile-long wagon rides so that I can get work done. And every week he watches them at home while I go to the grocery store, or comes with us and waits while I go in. He is always willing to help me, even when he is tired from his own work. He supports me, in my quest for healthy eating, and will tell Big Boy that a certain food in an ad is "yucky" because it's something I don't want him eating. I know that he appreciates my time in the kitchen cooking, and he will always complement my food (even when it's less than worthy!)

I am so grateful that God saw fit to give me this man to spend my life with. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have this man for my own- a man who loves me and supports me even when I don't deserve it.

 

Now it's your turn! Please share your links in the comments, and I will post them below. Grab my button from the box in my sidebar if you wish.

For these first few weeks I will add links through the weekend so that word can get out.

Format: Please post in the comments, at the least, Name @ Your Site (Name of Post) i.e. Shelley @ MAHM (Thanksgiving Thursdays)

1. 1
   
2. 2
   
3. 3
   
4. 4
   
5. 5