A good reminder for myself ...

{I had to repost this because I needed to be reminded ...at one point this WORKED FOR ME! ..it still does I just had to remember!}

I love organization! 

It makes me giddy to experience order, especially in my own home. Because of that, I get really frustrated when I cant achieve some level of order in my home. Just having had a baby 6 weeks ago, I am feeling that urge to order and reorder the world of crazy chaos around me :) ..three boys under 6 will do that to a gal.

I keep hearing one of my favorite order mentor, FlyLady saying ..."anyone can find 15 minutes in a day."  Now, not to disagree with her (like I said, I love her concepts and use them regularly) but 15 minutes all at one time is often IMPOSSIBLE to find in my crazy days. 

Part of the problem is if I do get 15 minutes at one time when I am not needed by a new baby, a potty training toddler, a learning to read 5 year old,  a wonderful daddy, a busy household ..I have 1000000 things to get done in that 15 minutes.

I have learned to settle for asking less (much less) of myself, and trying not to let that idea that "anyone can find 15 minutes" throw me off.  Somedays, 2 minutes to accomplish anything is all I have. 

But, I am working on a mental list of things to do that I can get done in 5 or less minutes ..here is what I have come up with so far ...

*Make my bed ..JUST make my bed, not put clothes away or dust the dresser, JUST make the bed

*Switch the laundry 

*Fold some of the laundry ..maybe not all, but if I knock out half then its that much less that I have to do later

* Fill the dishwasher ..again, maybe not all but its okay

* Swish the toilet bowl

* Wipe off the bathroom sink

* Take the stuff on the stairs upstairs, or downstairs depending on where it goes

* Take the meat out for dinner

* Consider dinner 

* Clip this week's coupons ..not all, perhaps ..

Having a few things in mind before hand,  I can get straight to it in that quiet time between putting the kids in the bath and them start yelling about their sibling splashing them, or while the baby is happy between feedings and needing a nap, or that wonderful first 5 minutes that a cartoon is keeping their attention.

Short spurts of time can make a big difference if I have a plan, AND be okay with not getting something completed. Sometimes, it may take several short little productive bursts to complete that load of laundry but when its done, YAY! 

Hip Homeschool Moms

You know that if you are a homeschooling mom that this time of year, as your kids are wrapping up this school year YOU are already thinking ahead to NEXT year!

I am not different ..I am very excited for what we have plans for, but need to move out some of this curriculum we are done with (or will be very soon!). Getting rid of that will relieve stress because we are "getting rid of it!" and because now we have some pennies to put towards those great plans! :)

I have my materials listed with a great community I found called Hip Homeschool Moms ..since I (of course) consider myself one such mom ;) I love to visit them on Facebook and their blog.

They have a great Homeschool Classified community I am utilizing ...here is my listing if you are interested in purchasing my used Beyond Little Hearts to His Glory deluxe set :)

Creating Peace in Others ..or Taking it Away

I love considering how we can encouraging each other to a peaceful balance of utilizing our resources and blessing others through them. I love seeing how my effort to be more available for God's peace to fill me, can perhaps give others the ability to experience God's peace in their own life..I say that in a general "us" kinna way, rather than something I specifically do ..but I love to consider it.

For me, along with considering how we can encourage peace in each other, is considering how we can do the opposite of that. Specifically, I have considered lately how negativity in our words, attitudes and actions can serve to take peace away from those around us.

I know we have all been there ...when others' lack of peace affects us in a negative way. When their words, harshness, stress, bad attitude can suck the peacefulness of our hearts away in a second. It may take a careless or unloving word to ruin much more than just a moment of peaceful rest in God's goodness.

Even in the midst of positivity, a negative outlook can ruin things.

I had a opportunity recently to be in a position where I was able to receive feedback about a heart-deep service offering to my sisters in Christ. It is one of things that I and a friend of mine give months of thought and heart to. We have a team of people who encourage us, support us, work along side of us and pray through this work on a yearly basis.  We love it.

I was amazed this year, to receive an abundance of awesome and wonderful feedback about the work we did once it was completed. We had alot of really great and encouraging words given to us, then and since. It seems though, that in our human weakness we default to only really thinking about those few negative comments that hurt us in the moment they were said.

Its silly really - the ratio of good to bad comments is crazy..like 98:1 ...but amazingly it still did a number on the peace that we got from doing that work.

Really, its just a reflection of my own weakness and pride...but it made me realize how important the words we use are. How one negative word or thought shared at the wrong time can be so damaging to God's servants and ultimately His work.

It has made me more aware of how I use my words, and how negativity can have such an dramatic effect on how a person experiences the peace that comes from doing God's work, or living their purpose. Its a powerful tool in Satan's arsonel, especially for women!

I think we need to reflect carefully on these words, keep them close to our hearts and meditate on them so when we get the opportunity to say something that may steal a person's peace we can remember ...

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Eph 4:29 (NIV)



The New Living Translation puts a bit more simply, "...Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."

Certainly, this requires some serious considering of the words that come out of our mouths (a tough one for me!) ...but worth the cost, when we consider that we can do much to encourage peace in others and take it away just as easily.

As an end note ...I am totally over anything negative that was said (we did a GREAT job!), but the lesson was still an important one! :)

{Welcome ifellowshippers! ..thanks for visiting!}

I have been feeling a general sense of anxiety lately. I have had alot going on, many responsibilities, many commitments and many things to focus on. That anxiety has crept into the priorities in my life reflecting on my home, the discipline of my children, our homeschooling and even my friendships.

I am feeling determined this morning to do a true open heart inventory of it - the source, and also get recommitted to those areas where I need to be doing better.

I am realizing the importance of evaluation. Of stopping, looking, studying and determining where the sources of our frustrations, anxiety and worry really are born.

Its not that anything bad is going on, or that I have anything to complain about. Its just a build up of that every day stress that piles on top of each other and then weighs on my heart, heavily.

I am reminded that God reminds us often throughout scripture to "..cast your cares on the Lord, he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous fall." Psalms 55:22

And, "...Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

I am reminded, also, of what a powerful tool that Satan uses in the hearts of our Creator's more gentle sex. He uses it expertly, even when things are going well, blessed and worthy of nothing but praise.  As I am reminded by a friend and blogger this morning, anxiety places us in a direct conflict with where God wants us to be. To allow myself to stay in this weighty place, I would be being less than what God desires of me.

So, I go to my old standby (as I friend says, I own this verse!) ..."do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace that transcends all understanding with guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:6

I am going to go to my prayer blog and share all these things with him, now. I am going to share where I feel weak, failing, challenged, convicted and regretful.  I know that he will bless that offering, as he always does.

I pray for you today that you are able to evaluate the sources of your anxiety, be able to give it to him, and be willing to allow his peace to overwhelm you this day.

Mom-Based Business: Henry & Stella Designs

Our Mom-Based Business of the week is Henry & Stella Designs ...a new jewelry line that I LOVE LOVE!

{Our mom is Krystal}

Krystal Maples is a jewelry designer and stay-home mom from Cheney, Kansas. She and her husband, Chad, have been married since 2004 and have two adopted sons, ages 13 and 9. She began making jewelry in 2010 and fell in love with hand-stamped metalwork. She recently left the corporate world and her job as a private investigator for a law firm, and now runs Henry & Stella Designs (named after two of her dogs) from her home. She greatly enjoys the flexibility of being her own boss and having a more active role in her sons' lives.

I am a proud owner of a Henry & Stella design with all three of my sons' names on a round silver circle. I love it! ...this is me when I got to wear it for the first time :)

These make GREAT mom or grandmother gifts! Her designs are unique, simple and beautiful. She does them for your school, your favorite athlete, your favorite nickname..etc. They are as unique as you are :)

Check out her site, look around and get to know her work. I would love for you to come back and tell me what you LOVE!