Today, I'm home for the weekend. I'm quite tired and really don't feel like dealing with the issues that must be dealt with at home. But I know that once I get started I'll be glad I did. Maybe starting with a shower would help. It was somewhat of a long week at work and I'm not really ready for more work.
Later: I got inspired to do some work - not really housecleaning, though it will help. I've been wanting to paint the girls' room, since I bought the wrong color of paint for the downstairs bathroom. It's not a good color for that room, but a great color for a girl's room. So I cleaned everything out of their closet and started painting it. Then Jeff is planning on putting shelves in for organization, and I'd like to figure out something for shoes. I know they have those shoe things to go under the bed, but I'm hoping to keep from spending money. I also need to screw in their curtain rod and maybe put the blinds back up.
Even later: So I painted the closet once and while I was doing that, the boys got into the sugar and spread it all over the kitchen and were cutting bread with scissors. So I finished the closet while they were napping. Actually finished painting it once. The trim still needs to be done.
My goal for myself these days is to love my children. There's too much impatience with their naughtiness and I don't believe that is right. Naughtiness and disobedience are unacceptable but when I'm mad because they are disobedient, then I am wrong and not displaying the fruit of the Spirit. Consistency tempered with love is what my kids need. Compassion is missing in my life.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Quiet time
It's somewhat quiet in my house right now, since the little ones are laying down. It would be a great time to get the dishes done and the laundry finished, but I haven't had my devotions yet. Devotions for me have to be at naptime, because I'm usually at work when I get up in the morning.
I'm studying the Sunday School lesson, Beth Moore's "Living Beyond Yourself". It's about the fruit of the Spirit. I'm behind so I'm on Day 4 of the Kindness and Goodness fruit. Ephesians 2:1-10 - We were dead and yet He (God) still chose to make us alive. Amazing! Grace beyond comprehension! We were created and made alive to do good works. And Ephesians 1:5 says it was His pleasure to do so.
2 Timothy 1:14 - Guard the trust that has been entrusted to you with the help of the Holy Spirit.
I enjoyed studying this in Sunday School last week and thinking about the fact that kindness and goodness go together and the goodness part of it has to do with even things like rebuke and correcting a brother. The thing is that it goes with kindness hand-in-hand and needs to be tempered with love. It's one thing to rebuke a brother because you want them to know they are wrong and another completely to do it with kindness because you love them. If the main goal is pointing out faults we haven't tempered our 'goodness' with kindness and then it isn't even goodness at all anymore. But when we seek to build another up and that requires some confrontation, if our main goal is building up a brother, I think then, we are seeing kindness and goodness meshed in a proper way. We aren't doing our brother/sister any favors if we leave things that we see for them to discover on their own. It reminded me about how I feel when someone tells me that I have something in my teeth. Usually I'm embarassed at the thought of walking around for who knows how long with this thing stuck in my teeth. But I'm thankful as well that someone (usually my husband) was brave enough to 'confront' me about this. It takes me a bit longer to get to the thankful part when it's my husband rather than when a friend does it. I'm thankful because now I won't go off talking to more people and embarassing myself further. How many people had I already talked to, who didn't feel like they could say, "Hey, you've got something between your front teeth. "
I'm studying the Sunday School lesson, Beth Moore's "Living Beyond Yourself". It's about the fruit of the Spirit. I'm behind so I'm on Day 4 of the Kindness and Goodness fruit. Ephesians 2:1-10 - We were dead and yet He (God) still chose to make us alive. Amazing! Grace beyond comprehension! We were created and made alive to do good works. And Ephesians 1:5 says it was His pleasure to do so.
2 Timothy 1:14 - Guard the trust that has been entrusted to you with the help of the Holy Spirit.
I enjoyed studying this in Sunday School last week and thinking about the fact that kindness and goodness go together and the goodness part of it has to do with even things like rebuke and correcting a brother. The thing is that it goes with kindness hand-in-hand and needs to be tempered with love. It's one thing to rebuke a brother because you want them to know they are wrong and another completely to do it with kindness because you love them. If the main goal is pointing out faults we haven't tempered our 'goodness' with kindness and then it isn't even goodness at all anymore. But when we seek to build another up and that requires some confrontation, if our main goal is building up a brother, I think then, we are seeing kindness and goodness meshed in a proper way. We aren't doing our brother/sister any favors if we leave things that we see for them to discover on their own. It reminded me about how I feel when someone tells me that I have something in my teeth. Usually I'm embarassed at the thought of walking around for who knows how long with this thing stuck in my teeth. But I'm thankful as well that someone (usually my husband) was brave enough to 'confront' me about this. It takes me a bit longer to get to the thankful part when it's my husband rather than when a friend does it. I'm thankful because now I won't go off talking to more people and embarassing myself further. How many people had I already talked to, who didn't feel like they could say, "Hey, you've got something between your front teeth. "
Monday, April 12, 2010
Things I'm learning
I had a very full weekend this weekend. The best part was that I was able to get almost everything done (my brick walk outside still needs more sand before I can lay the rest of the bricks). But also I learned so much from the studies we had in God's word. I was very excited about that.
Youth group: First, my husband led the youth in a devotional that I loved. It meant a lot to me. He read from 2 Timothy 2. Toward the end Paul tells Timothy that we have a choice about what kind of a vessel we will be. He says that there are vessels of gold, silver, wood or clay. The gold and silver are vessels of honor and the wood and clay are of dishonor. Paul tells Timothy that by choosing to put away striving about words and idle babblings and not straying from the truth we can be vessels of honor. It's a choice that we are given. My favorite part of those verses was that we could be vessels of honor if we put away those things from our lives, "sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. I want to be a vessel useful for the Master.
Sunday School: Our Beth Moore study "Living Beyond Yourself" was very good. It was about patience. God brings irritating people into our lives to help rub off the rough spots in our lives. So when I'm irritated with my children, I can praise Him for the work He is doing in my life. Also it seems from 2 Corinthians 4:10-12 that God can be working death in my life ( that is rubbing off the rough spots) and life in someone else (i.e. a new believer). That was exciting to me, because it's worth it. I will gladly go through the fire, to draw off impurities from my life and to bring life to another.
Church: Hebrews 2:17-18 - Surely I've seen this before, but it's amazing how something can be so new. Actually, it shouldn't be a surprise to us, because God's Word is alive - amazing, yes - a surprise, no. Jesus had to be made like us. Why? (so that) He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest. How? (because) He suffered and is able to aid those who are tempted. It was very exciting to me to see this clearly marked out in Scripture. For some reason it just touched me yesterday.
When we seek Him first, His Word comes alive to us and that is what I've been experiencing this weekend.
Youth group: First, my husband led the youth in a devotional that I loved. It meant a lot to me. He read from 2 Timothy 2. Toward the end Paul tells Timothy that we have a choice about what kind of a vessel we will be. He says that there are vessels of gold, silver, wood or clay. The gold and silver are vessels of honor and the wood and clay are of dishonor. Paul tells Timothy that by choosing to put away striving about words and idle babblings and not straying from the truth we can be vessels of honor. It's a choice that we are given. My favorite part of those verses was that we could be vessels of honor if we put away those things from our lives, "sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. I want to be a vessel useful for the Master.
Sunday School: Our Beth Moore study "Living Beyond Yourself" was very good. It was about patience. God brings irritating people into our lives to help rub off the rough spots in our lives. So when I'm irritated with my children, I can praise Him for the work He is doing in my life. Also it seems from 2 Corinthians 4:10-12 that God can be working death in my life ( that is rubbing off the rough spots) and life in someone else (i.e. a new believer). That was exciting to me, because it's worth it. I will gladly go through the fire, to draw off impurities from my life and to bring life to another.
Church: Hebrews 2:17-18 - Surely I've seen this before, but it's amazing how something can be so new. Actually, it shouldn't be a surprise to us, because God's Word is alive - amazing, yes - a surprise, no. Jesus had to be made like us. Why? (so that) He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest. How? (because) He suffered and is able to aid those who are tempted. It was very exciting to me to see this clearly marked out in Scripture. For some reason it just touched me yesterday.
When we seek Him first, His Word comes alive to us and that is what I've been experiencing this weekend.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Today, the house is actually getting cleaner and I'm whittling away at the laundry. I'm also cutting up cucumbers and squash. I find if I don't do that right away, it ends up going bad.
I would love to work on my baby caterpillar quilt, but doubt I'll have time. There's sanding the garage walls, so we can mud again, moving things out of the basement into the garage, painting the kitchen walls, now that I have a friend's input on the color and what works, and work later this afternoon.
I would love to work on my baby caterpillar quilt, but doubt I'll have time. There's sanding the garage walls, so we can mud again, moving things out of the basement into the garage, painting the kitchen walls, now that I have a friend's input on the color and what works, and work later this afternoon.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Scheduling and school
Well, I've been gone for a long time. Summer kept us busy. I'd like to get back on track again.
The job didn't work out, but now there is a new position, so I'll be looking into that. It's all in God's hands and He knows the best thing for our family.
Now that we're back to school, I find I'm needing a new schedule. It seems we're always tweaking them, but as our life changes we need a schedule that changes too.
So here's ours:
6:00 - devotions for me and planning for the day - I really need this, but find that when the alarm goes off I'm quick to decide that I don't need it. OOPS!!!!
6:30 - breakfast prep - because of the cost we don't do cold cereal in the mornings, so I have a schedule of meals for mornings. I usually don't like to think something up at 6:30 in the morning. :)
7:00 - breakfast
7:30 - family devotions and dishes
8:00 - I start getting the kids loaded up in the van to go to school
8:30 - I usually catch up on something that needs doing at home.
9:00 - Sesame street is on, so I want to use this time to do maintenance at home. Starting with the upstairs and working my way downstairs, I pick up and clean. This is not a strong point for me, thus it's scheduled in.
10:00 - I would like to use this time for preschool, reading and doing some "school" pages
11:00 - lunch prep and yard work
11:30 - lunch and dishes
12:00 - nap
12:30 - paperwork - our personal and dh's business paperwork as well. Questions come to mind like, "Do I really need that or can it wait until we see at the end of the month if we have spare cash?"
1:30 or 2:00 - garden work - lots of produce coming in right now, so this is a must if I'm going to keep up
3:00 - get the little ones ready to pick up the school kids
3:45 - unpack lunch sacks and backpacks and all the things kids need to do when they get home from school
4:00 - start on our strict 15-min schedule to get through piano - the order is piano, computer time, bedroom clean-up, downstairs room clean up. Each of the older kids have a room to clean and they get 15 minutes a day to do that during this rather intense schedule.
6:00 - last of the supper preparations
6:15 - supper
6:45 - dishes
7:00 - homework and baths and bed for the little ones
8:00 - dd1 who's in 1st grade - bedtime
9:00 - ds1-3 - bed time
10:00 - ahh! bedtime
My purpose in life is "to know Him and make Him known". This schedule helps me to do that because I stay on task and keep up with things that I need to do. It also does flex and bend, but when I do that too much and get off track, I can look back at it and then start again.
The job didn't work out, but now there is a new position, so I'll be looking into that. It's all in God's hands and He knows the best thing for our family.
Now that we're back to school, I find I'm needing a new schedule. It seems we're always tweaking them, but as our life changes we need a schedule that changes too.
So here's ours:
6:00 - devotions for me and planning for the day - I really need this, but find that when the alarm goes off I'm quick to decide that I don't need it. OOPS!!!!
6:30 - breakfast prep - because of the cost we don't do cold cereal in the mornings, so I have a schedule of meals for mornings. I usually don't like to think something up at 6:30 in the morning. :)
7:00 - breakfast
7:30 - family devotions and dishes
8:00 - I start getting the kids loaded up in the van to go to school
8:30 - I usually catch up on something that needs doing at home.
9:00 - Sesame street is on, so I want to use this time to do maintenance at home. Starting with the upstairs and working my way downstairs, I pick up and clean. This is not a strong point for me, thus it's scheduled in.
10:00 - I would like to use this time for preschool, reading and doing some "school" pages
11:00 - lunch prep and yard work
11:30 - lunch and dishes
12:00 - nap
12:30 - paperwork - our personal and dh's business paperwork as well. Questions come to mind like, "Do I really need that or can it wait until we see at the end of the month if we have spare cash?"
1:30 or 2:00 - garden work - lots of produce coming in right now, so this is a must if I'm going to keep up
3:00 - get the little ones ready to pick up the school kids
3:45 - unpack lunch sacks and backpacks and all the things kids need to do when they get home from school
4:00 - start on our strict 15-min schedule to get through piano - the order is piano, computer time, bedroom clean-up, downstairs room clean up. Each of the older kids have a room to clean and they get 15 minutes a day to do that during this rather intense schedule.
6:00 - last of the supper preparations
6:15 - supper
6:45 - dishes
7:00 - homework and baths and bed for the little ones
8:00 - dd1 who's in 1st grade - bedtime
9:00 - ds1-3 - bed time
10:00 - ahh! bedtime
My purpose in life is "to know Him and make Him known". This schedule helps me to do that because I stay on task and keep up with things that I need to do. It also does flex and bend, but when I do that too much and get off track, I can look back at it and then start again.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Work and housework??
Today I found out there is a position - fulltime- where I work with the mentally challenged. It would be evenings and mornings and 8 hours a day, but I wouldn't work when dh is working. So that's a plus. Question is, is it worth it to have healthcare and a full-time position to miss seeing my school kids during the week.
I have lots of cleaning to do and laundry to hang up. After the in-laws leave it's usually rushing trying to get ourselves back to the normal chaos and clutter. Yesterday, I went through the younger four's clothes and pitch, pitch, pitched. I think I took out four bags. That will help. I saved conservatively because aunt and g'ma love to shop for clothes. So we may not need all we have even now.
Today it's trying to get the schoolroom back in order. I think we'll be sending our kids to private school next year. So the schoolroom may become the sewing room. Woohoo!!!
I was able to get quite a bit of piecing done this weekend, because of travelling and visiting the zoo. I can hand piece in the car and got quite a bit done. Now I just hope that the quilt shop will be open soon, so I can go and ask some questions. :)
I have lots of cleaning to do and laundry to hang up. After the in-laws leave it's usually rushing trying to get ourselves back to the normal chaos and clutter. Yesterday, I went through the younger four's clothes and pitch, pitch, pitched. I think I took out four bags. That will help. I saved conservatively because aunt and g'ma love to shop for clothes. So we may not need all we have even now.
Today it's trying to get the schoolroom back in order. I think we'll be sending our kids to private school next year. So the schoolroom may become the sewing room. Woohoo!!!
I was able to get quite a bit of piecing done this weekend, because of travelling and visiting the zoo. I can hand piece in the car and got quite a bit done. Now I just hope that the quilt shop will be open soon, so I can go and ask some questions. :)
Monday, May 25, 2009
We got home yesterday from a day-trip to a town 3 hours away, family reunion. Though I didn't want to we cleaned out the van and then took care of everything when we got home. It's so nice to not have to get that cleaned up before family gets here. DH's parents are coming back from there today and his sister is a half hour away. So laundry and vacuuming, sweep & mop and bathroom need to be done before then. Also the babies (2 youngest) seem to be stomach-sick, so I'll be cleaning their beds and their rooms. We'll see if it gets done. I'll have to prioritize. I don't mind doing laundry while they are here so that will be last. The rooms are a must, first thing after the kids wake up, and the bathroom is high priority. Sweeping and mopping will be after that and then vacuuming. The children can help me with the floors easy enough.
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