***Disclaimer***This post does not directly relate to our book club.
So my house cleaning experience goes back to my days in college when I would go to Stax gas station and get a 64 oz Dr. Pepper and a hot dog around 9 or 10 am on Saturday. I would then go back to my apartment (all 400 sq ft of it) and spend the day cleaning each room from head to toe while Lifetime tv movies played in the background. By afternoon I would be completely finished with an entirely clean house and could then go about my studying etc. Well, flash forward to now...three kids, more square footage and knowledge that my diet then was terrible. I am realizing that it is not possible to clean my house in one day...the demands of motherhood just won't allow it. I am trying to develop a new system (one that doesn't include a lifetime's worth of soda in one day). I have broken down all of the chores into daily, weekly, monthly, bimonthly, etc. and am making a schedule with a few tasks to complete each day so that over time everything will be clean (albeit not all on the same day, which I am learning is okay:). The reason for this post is to ask all of you what your routine is...how do you keep up with it all? Do you do it all in one day or split it up, if so, how do you split it up and most importantly are you able to keep it up? I would love to hear your insight into this. I really wish I enjoyed the process of cleaning as much as I enjoy a clean house. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Chapter Six
I must start off by apologizing for it taking me so long to post. There is really nothing monumental that has kept me from the blog. The past few weeks have been a big challenge with my #2 child. He is nearly 3yrs old and we have been experiencing a battle of wills. I won't go into all of the details except to say that I have felt everything from complete sadness to extreme frustration. One afternoon after putting him back in bed continuously for over an hour during naptime I was crying in my room, pouring my heart out to God....."God, please give me patience, how am I to handle all of this, I am exhausted, I don't deserve to be spit on, kicked, hit, yelled at, please help me." I felt this overwhelming sense of peace and knew that God was saying...."I know how you feel...I was yelled at, spit on, beaten beyond anything you will ever know...all because I love you. Don't give up. Come to me, I will give you rest." Our God is so powerful, so awesome and yet He is so gentle and tender. He knows us and wants us to experience His peace. The past three days my #2 has gone to bed at naptime, stayed in his bed and rested. He is happier and so am I.
Now for my thoughts from chapter six...I especially identified with her discussion of thoughts, what we think. Lately at night I will watch some television (I rarely have it on during the day or evening) after the kids have gone to bed and I am just too tired for anymore decluttering, unpacking boxes etc. But with watching the news programs filled with politics, energy crisis, climate crisis, food crisis, gas crisis, teenagers attacking each other, etc. etc. I find that I have a tendency to worry, fear for my children and the future. I will think about these things during the day and worry some more. I am realizing that I am not setting my mind on Christ and am allowing my thoughts to be on circumstances. Not to say that there aren't practical things I can do in light of our world's crises....but where is my hope, where is my treasure?
In the "something to try" on page 118 Sally mentions using music to teach your children. As a family, we love music and love to make worship mixes to listen to for our drive to school. I put a "Hide 'em in your heart Bible Memory melodies" in each of the kid's easter baskets this year. (in the resource list at the end of the book). We are all enjoying listening to them too.
Well, the end of my rambling, disjointed post has arrived. I hope you are all enjoying and learning from this book. I would love to hear from you either by post, comment or email. And congratulations to Jennifer on the birth of her son!
Now for my thoughts from chapter six...I especially identified with her discussion of thoughts, what we think. Lately at night I will watch some television (I rarely have it on during the day or evening) after the kids have gone to bed and I am just too tired for anymore decluttering, unpacking boxes etc. But with watching the news programs filled with politics, energy crisis, climate crisis, food crisis, gas crisis, teenagers attacking each other, etc. etc. I find that I have a tendency to worry, fear for my children and the future. I will think about these things during the day and worry some more. I am realizing that I am not setting my mind on Christ and am allowing my thoughts to be on circumstances. Not to say that there aren't practical things I can do in light of our world's crises....but where is my hope, where is my treasure?
In the "something to try" on page 118 Sally mentions using music to teach your children. As a family, we love music and love to make worship mixes to listen to for our drive to school. I put a "Hide 'em in your heart Bible Memory melodies" in each of the kid's easter baskets this year. (in the resource list at the end of the book). We are all enjoying listening to them too.
Well, the end of my rambling, disjointed post has arrived. I hope you are all enjoying and learning from this book. I would love to hear from you either by post, comment or email. And congratulations to Jennifer on the birth of her son!
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