Spring Clean, Year ‘Round: Product Review

Spring Clean Year ‘Round

I received this lovely tin in the mail today! It is made by a very creative lady who has developed a clever system for keeping up with all the major chores around your house! No more big spring cleaning! Instead, you can do a little every day of the year!

Most of us don’t really enjoy the cleaning part. There are a few chores that I do enjoy, but mostly I just do what I need to do because… well, because I need to. According to Travis, Spring Clean Year Round designer, you can keep your house “spring clean” clean in just 15 minutes a day! Now that sounds like a deal to me!

How does it work?

The system is divided into daily, weekly, and monthly chores. Each day you pull out a card and do the chores suggested. You then return the card to the tin to rotate it.

Here’s what Travis says about her system:

“This system includes most common chores necessary to keep your home “spring clean” year round. It is not exhaustive and therefore blank cards are included for your personalization. It does not include the daily grind kind of chores like washing clothes or cleaning up after dinner. The frequency at the top of the card can easily be changed to suit your personal needs.”

The tin is sooo cute, which just makes you want to use it. I mean, if you have to clean, why not make it fun, right? Also, the individual cards are really pretty, too! Some other things I like about this system are:

• each card is labeled weekly, monthly, or yearly
• each card has a helpful hints
• each card lists the tools you will need for that chore
• each card has an “age appropriate” suggestion so you can have your kids help
• and did I mention it’s pretty?

I know you will love this Work-at-Home-Mom creation! You can purchase Spring Clean Year ‘Round from Travis on her website.

Overcoming Weary Mommy Syndrome

For many years I have struggled under my own expectations, or a list of what I “thought” I was to do to flourish as a wife, mother and homemaker in a way that would bring glory to God. This list of expectations included lots of ideals that on the outside seemed good, but had slowly become a heavy yoke for me as I tried to carry it.

This list includes being a perfectly submissive wife who loves and  honors her husband, have loving and obedient children,  keep a spotless home that is clutter free and well decorated, home schooling my children with the best curriculum, finding the best deals on our family needs, baking my own bread, juicing my own juice, feeding my family the most healthful foods, growing my own garden, canning my own food and the list goes on and on. While none of these are “bad” in and of themselves, the expectation of myself that I can do all these things and do them consistently and perfectly was causing me to feel weary and overwhelmed. I have never lived up to the expectation I had of myself of a perfect wife, mother, homemaker and woman of God. Rather, I often felt loaded down and was tired, stressed, discontent, and unpleasant. In fact, I was more often accomplishing the opposite of what I felt was noble and good, and reaping a harvest that was not fruitful for myself, my family, or those around me.

Many times I would start my day out asking the Lord to equip me and show me how to do it all. Many times I thought He didn’t hear me, because I would go through my days with my goals and to do list and I would end it with much of it being left unchecked.  I was tired of being tired, and began to really cry out to God for help. It was during this time that He began to speak to my heart and reveal such wonderful and freeing truths to me.

Taking Every Thought Captive

The first area that God brought to my heart was that I was not taking every thought captive to Him; rather I was impulsively going about things that I thought were honorable. These good things were slowly crowding out and taking over the best things. The good things were causing me to try reach for a standard and create a lifestyle that I thought was noble, virtuous and holy. Notice the “I” in these statements!  I was trying to do the things that I thought were good and forgetting to ask Him what He wanted me to be and do.

Many of these things that I thought of to do stemmed from comparing my life with others. This is such an easy trap to fall into.  We see Sally grinding her own grain and baking her own bread, and we feel we don’t measure up unless we do it too. We see Jane decorating her home beautifully, and we look around at our home and see all the things we want to change. We then begin to create a standard based on others lives instead of God’s will for us. We then add these things to our list and begin to carry a much larger load then God intended. By taking our thoughts captive, we will bring all things before him and seek His guidance in our lives. Jesus did nothing apart from His Father, and we should learn from that example. He cares about all things, big and small!  It is great to be inspired and motivated by others, but to feel condemned and inferior is a trick of the enemy used to tear us down and defeat us. I continue to struggle in this area, but have tried to make a more concerted effort to simply say “Lord, this is what I want to do. Would you have me do this?”  Then I must make the effort to be still and not do anything until I hear from Him. That is the hardest part sometimes!

Seeking His Kingdom First

When Jesus tells to seek first His kingdom, He is warning us not to place value on things to the extent that we seek those things first and not Him, or that we concern ourselves so much with the basics that we overlook the important. I learned that I was often running ahead of the Lord, starting where He meant for me to end. I was placing value on things that He would take care of once I put my priorities in order. Instead of patiently seeking Him and waiting for Him to add where He saw fit, I began laboring and building a kingdom on my own. By seeking first His kingdom and focusing on the things that He guides me to do, it will create an overflow in my life that will result in achieving many of the honorable and noble things I was striving for. By stopping and asking “Will this matter in eternity?” I have been able to gain so much perspective in my life on what I should do instead of what I could do.

Truly Seeking His Glory

This is a difficult one! As much as my mouth would say I was seeking His glory, He showed me that I was doing many things for my own glory. I would say it was for Him, but if I was to be truthful with myself, much of my expectations were in pleasing others and gaining their approval instead of God’s. This was quite humbling to me. Why did I want a spotless and well decorated home? Why did I want obedient and loving children? Was it really for God’s glory? When I took a long hard look at my list of expectations, I had to admit that most of them were for myself and not for Him. I have since learned to allow God to search my heart daily: Is this for me, or for Him? When I get off track in an area, I can quickly repent and ask Him to create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me.

Simple, But Powerful

These things may sound rather simple, but for me they have been powerful truths. If I am living my day going about my own duties, concerned with list of things to accomplish, and seeking my own glory,  I will eventually have a load that I cannot carry. I try to stop and ask myself “Am I building a life based on what I think I should be doing, or am I truly living a life that He has called me to live?  Is the list I have assigned myself one that will bring glory to me or to Him? If you are burdened, weary or frustrated it may be that you are walking in your own strength and leaving God out of your best laid plans.

As I have journeyed through these truths, I am amazed at how free and content I feel. I am now purposing each day to take my thoughts captive to Him, seek first His kingdom, walking in His strength and not my own, and seeking the things that will truly give Him the glory He deserves. I pray that I build a life and home upon Him and not on my own meager efforts. My hearts desire is that I become so in tune to His calling on my life that I can be all He has called me to be. I know that as I walk out these things He will equip me each and everyday with meaningful, kingdom minded tasks that ultimately bring Him the glory He deserves. That is a to do list I am more than happy to complete!

Q & A: Structuring the Day for a Toddler

Q: Melissa, Thanks so much for your reply. I haven’t tried a more structured routine because I fear I cannot keep being consistent with it. He does spend a lot of time alone during the day as I tend my 1 yr old(nursing, changing, (etc.) I have never considered him being alone causing his independence, but I can see where it would. I do not feel an adequate mother because at times I do raise my voice(yell) and get irritated when I am interrupted. I feel pulled in a million directions and often resent the time I have to spend with all the responsibilities I have.  Any advice on a good routine for a 3 1/2 yr old, with a still nursing on occasion 1 yr old? Thanks!!!

A: Dear Mom, Toddlers can be very trying or very rewarding. I remember when my son who is just about to turn 19 was  3 1/2 years old and I had a newborn baby girl. At the time I was very young and despite my best efforts I just didn’t know how to handle him. I have learned a lot since then! It’s too bad that sometimes our firstborn children don’t get the best of us.

A lot of things can affect the behavior of your toddler. A calm child is more likely to come from a calm home and vice versa. Keep in mind here, that there are exceptions to the rule! But generally this is the case.

Your three year old knows that when you sit down to nurse the baby that you are distracted. He also knows when you are distracted with other tasks whether it is changing a diaper, cooking a meal, cleaning the house, or reading a book. Three year olds naturally want to take advantage of the situation! Not only that, but three year olds want your attention, so if he is occupying himself for large portions of the day he is going to be harder to handle.

I know how easy it is to want to “escape” from reality by sitting down with a book, computer, television, etc. – ignoring the little tyke as he pulls all of the books off the shelf or gets into the refrigerator. You just want peace and quiet!

I also know how easy it is to feel like a three year old is a needy little monster who is sucking the life out of you. So, when you are trying to get your TO DO LIST accomplished, interruptions are not pleasant. You just want to get your stuff done and get on with your life!

Let me tell you though – I have been there and now that my 18 going on 19 year old is practically grown, I really wish I had taken more time to sit on the floor with him and listened to him talk to me, play with me, interact with me. In other words I wish I had spent more time being “present.” I was there, but my mind was elsewhere.

Thankfully, by the time he was school age I had a wake up call because I realized how fast my children were growing up and I have spent the last dozen years or more “being present.”

Jesus has given us the honor of being a mom. Our first and foremost ministry is not to our friends, it’s not to our church, it’s not to ourselves – it is to our family – our husbands and children. This time passes by soooo quickly! I know it seems like forever when all you feel is frustration and sorrow. But this will pass and you will wonder where the years went!!

It’s okay to take a time out from time to time and read a book or soak in the tub. And it is okay to insist that the house be kept neat and tidy. It  is even good for your kids to know that responsibilities are important. But don’t forget that being there for your kids, paying attention to what they are doing – even when you’d rather be somewhere else – is in the end going to make everyone happier. Including yourself.

I often hear (and witness) moms who complain about their toddlers creating havoc in the home everyday. The child makes huge messes, throws temper tantrums, insists on having his way all the time. But my question is always this – what is Mom doing when little Timmy is making that huge mess?

If you are in the kitchen cooking supper and little Timmy is in the living room pulling all of the tape out of the VCR tapes – the problem does not lie with the child, it lies with the mom. She has allowed her little mischievous child to be alone for 30 minutes while she prepares the meal (which is a worthy endeavor). Rather than allowing him unsupervised access to the living room (or any other part of the house) put up a gate and insist he stay in the kitchen with you while you cook. Then, give him activities to keep him busy.For instance:

• give him a drawer of pots or toy dishes he can play with
• feed him grapes or carrot stick while he waits for supper
• pull out a special coloring book reserved just for that same time each day
• let him tear up lettuce for the salad, stir the cornbread batter, or shake the “Shake and Bake”

If your toddler helps himself to the fridge every time you sit down to nurse the baby (or whatever), instead of letting him have free reign of the house, put up a gate and give him a box of blocks or other toy to play with. One of my favorite ideas is to make Activity Bags for your toddler. Get them out only when you nurse the baby or at the same time each day when you need to get a chore done.

So, my point is, toddlers are going to get into stuff, if for no other reason than to test your parenting skills! Don’t leave them unattended! The other issue with leaving your child alone to occupy himself is the fact that is causes your child to feel insecure and unsure of himself. He realizes that the boundaries are too wide and what he really wants is structure and solid boundaries to keep him safe. Having reasonable rules and limits to what is acceptable behavior gives children a feeling of being loved and cared for.

Oh, and another note – a lot of moms don’t wake up before their children. Instead, little Timmy has to come and wake mommy up and ask for something to eat. Don’t be that kind of mom.

Here is a good routine for a mom with a toddler and infant:

6:00 am – Wake up. Have devotions and prayer time – if baby is away, nurse her during this time. Prepare Breakfast.

7:00 am – Wake up toddler. Make beds. Get dressed. Eat Breakfast. Morning Worship – sing some fun songs, have a Bible story, and pray.

8:00 am – Chore Time for Mom – Tidy kitchen & sweep, tidy bathrooms & wipe down sinks, start load of laundry,10 minute de-clutter. During this time you can do one of two things with the little ones – put the gate up and let them play with toys. Or let them watch PBS. I know television as a baby sitter [sigh]. It works.

9:00 am -  Play time.

10:30 am – Snack time.

11:30 am – Pick up toys. Prepare lunch.

12:00 pm – Eat lunch. Tidy Kitchen.

1:00 pm – Playtime with Mommy.

2:00 pm - Nap/ Quiet time. Afternoon chores for Mommy – fold & put away clothes, mop floors, tidy house, etc.

4:00 pm – Play Outside time in good weather. Or Play Inside during bad weather, in which case at 4:45 have children pick up toys. Don’t just tell your toddler to clean up his toys. Work beside him. Also, having toys well organized makes this much easier. Teach your child from an early age to only get one toy out at a time. HUGE timesaver!

5:00 pm – Prepare supper.

6:00 pm – Eat supper.

7:00 pm – Family Worship.

7:30 pm – Bath time. Story time.

8:00 pm – Bed time for kids. Let me say that bedtimes can be really difficult. I still remember the frustration of putting my first three children to bed – the crying, the spankings – it was horrible. I wised up with my fourth and fifth kids. I laid down and snuggled with them. Those memories are precious to me – the conversations we had! The hugs and kisses! The sweet, happy bedtimes! I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

9:00 pm – Tidy kitchen. Prepare for tomorrow.

Once you do a routine everyday, your child will begin to know what to expect and when. Eating at about the same time is really helpful and can prevent a lot of temper tantrums caused by low blood sugar (hunger)! Patience in dealing with your children is really key – a calm mommy is more likely to have a calm baby/ child. If you always respond with a tense/ angry voice why should you expect any different from your child?

Don’t not try to get into a good solid routine just because you afraid of failing. Never forget that tomorrow is a new day! God can give you the strength to be the best mom possible for your children. It isn’t easy. Raising kids just isn’t. But it is worth every bit of effort!

Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Home

Get ready for this year’s 2nd Annual Spring Clean Challenge. It begins March 1, 2010!

There will be print outs and homework and heartwork… So plan ahead!
We will have discussion here on Weekdays (Monday – Friday). You can report your progress, discuss questions you have or share insights you have discovered.

Plus! We will be giving away great FREE PRIZES daily!! To enter to win, just comment on your progress and discuss the daily devotions each day!

Winners will be selected and notified every evening!

Join the Proverbs 31 Sisters Network to participate!

Q & A: Disagreement with Husband

Q: I think this [The Heart of Her Husband] series is nice and very encouraging. However, I am a working wife who works 10 hours a day and usually I work until midnight or later. my husband works a 8-5 job and is home in the evenings. We constantly disagree about the fact that he expects the house to be emaculate and dinner cooked when he gets home. however I have explained to him that yes it is my job to make sure that these things are done, but he must realize that I am not home in the evenings to cook dinner and he is..so my solution would be for him to prep dinner. I told him that if wants these things done in a timely manner that he needs to make it possible for me to stay home and be the homemaker. Which I have no problem doing. I pay all of my own bills and buys all of the groceries so I must work outside of the home. I am bringing home the bacon, least he could do is fry it up in a pan..what do you think?

- Cynthia

A: Cynthia, I can sympathize with your issue. I applaud your efforts! Obviously if you are working outside of the home during the it would be nice if he could pitch in and help with the household chores and cooking. If he is disagreeable, perhaps you could start using the crockpot on the days you work? One of my favorite sites for crockpot recipes is: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

As far as homemaking – keeping the house clean – make up a strict schedule for your basic chores, a rotating schedule for cleaning and make sure to do a load of laundry every day. Also, try to do those chores I suggested for the morning routine either each morning when you wake up or before you go to bed. Stick to a schedule and at least you’ll be somewhat on top of things.

In life there aren’t always easy answers, but I believe that if you do your best to honor your husband, God will bless you more than you can every imagine. God knows your best effort. Trust him to provide what you need and don’t forget to really spend time everyday praying for your husband (not that he’ll change so much as he’ll become the man God would have him to be and that you’ll become the woman he wants you to be. God bless you!

Daily Shower Spray

Use this spray in your tub/ shower daily to help prevent soap scum and keep it looking clean!

1/3 cup rubbing alcohol
1 cup water

Mix in a spray bottle and shake. Spray on, no rinsing required.

Go Clean Your Room!

by Melissa Ringstaff
If you are a mom, you have said it a million times, “Go clean your room!” It is a rare mother who gives birth to a child who prefers to clean his room instead of trash it.So what are moms and dads to do if they want their children to put away the toys, place clothes in the hamper, and keep books perfectly lined on their shelves?

Well, this may seem harsh to some of you. First things first. Go clean your room – and the bathroom, and the kitchen, and the family room, and the home office, and the garage, and the closets… you get the idea. If your room has piles of clean clothes waiting to be folded, or you only make your bed when company comes over, or the dishes get washed only when there is nothing left in the house to eat with you are not demonstrating an organized life to your child.

Okay, so maybe your house is not a candidate for the popular show on Lifetime Television, How Clean is Your House?, but look around.

• Does your desk have stacks of un-filed papers?
• Do you forget to fold the clothes as soon as the dryer stops?
• Does your bed turn stale before the sheets are changed?
• Do your feet stick to the floor before you remember to mop?Perhaps your careless ways have rubbed onto your children. It is time to clean up. Today.

Your next course of action is to create a friendly routine that you and your children can comfortably work around. Make a list of chores that need to be completed each week. Then divide them up appropriately among the members of your family. Children should be expected to do chores daily. And if Dad works outside the home full time to support his family, his household chores should reflect his hard work each week. In other words, don’t expect Dad to clean the house after a long day at work. Stay at home moms, should take over most of the responsibility for maintaining the household. The Bible tells us we are to be “keepers at home.” So, make your home a real priority. If both mom and dad work outside the home, you will have to have a discussion about who should be responsible for each chore and when. Then be accountable for your part.

Making a routine a habit is the hardest part for some people. Especially if they are not used to being on a schedule or have always been unorganized. Don’t give up if you fall off the schedule. Tomorrow is a new day with a fresh set of goals. Post the chores and schedules up where everyone can see them on a daily basis. The kitchen works well for my family.

Pray each morning before you begin your day. Ask God to give you the will power to make your home pleasing to HIM so that your family can live daily in comfort. Finally, work with your children to show them how to clean up. For instance, in the evening after supper, clear the table immediately with their help. Then after Family Worship time, follow them to their bedrooms and sit down. Tell them nicely what to do.

“John, put your books on the shelf – no like this.”
“Sarah, place your dirty clothes in the laundry hamper.”
“Timmy, you know your room looks nicer if you don’t leave your cars on the floor. Put them in the right bucket.”

And then be sure to do the same when you go to your own room to retire for the day.

Daily Plan of Action: (This is what I use in my own home.)

• Daily Prayer and Devotion
• Make Beds
• Wipe Down Bathroom Sinks
• Wash Two Loads of Laundry
• Clean Kitchen and Sweep
• Straighten House
• 10 – 20 Minute De-clutter of One Area
• One to Two Weekly Chores

Lastly, organize your child’s things so that when he is finished with a project or toy, he can put them away easily. Remember the adage, A place for everything and everything in its place. Group like toys, ie. Legos, Lincoln Logs, dolls, etc., into plastic storage containers and label them. Label everything. Teach your child this rule: “Only One toy at a time.” Your child must return the toy to its proper place before getting out a new toy.

Keeping a neat house, especially when you have children running around, is not easy. In fact, much of the time, it is down right hard. But tackle it like any other project. Break it down into manageable sections. Make a Plan of Action or Daily Schedule. And stick to it – every day. If I don’t stick to my plan daily, my house can go from clean to disaster within a matter of hours.

If your child destroys his room, it can take hours to clean. BUT, if he puts away his things as soon as he is finished with them, it only takes a few seconds at a time. The same goes for grown ups. A messy bedroom takes longer to clean than a relatively neat one and three papers are easier to file that a mountain of papers. Learn your lesson… and then pass it on!

Beautiful Places, Spiritual Space – Book Review

Today’s fast pace allows little room for time-consuming trips to decorating stores. Or perhaps the lack of funds keeps us from furnishing and redecorating our homes. This is a Bible study to understand how to build and maintain a biblical atmosphere in our homes. Designed to meet the needs of today’s woman, Beautiful Places, Spiritual Spaces is the ideal companion for women navigating the uncharted territory of life – offering daily, short, inspirational mediations, and creative decorating how-to’s.

“Beautiful Places, Spiritual Places” is a refreshing way of combining self-reflection and interior designing. It is easy to read and provides good and practical insights on how to deal with clutters not just in our homes but most importantly in our hearts.

This book is perfect for everyone who is thinking of starting a new home, planning on renovating it or simply trying to have a new perspective in life. Starting a new home or a new life can really be overwhelming that sometimes you just don’t know when, where and how to start. It makes starting over as easy as ABC in a stress free way.

Beautiful Places, Spiritual Spaces is the collaborative effort of interior designer Sharon Hanby-Robie & Deb Strubel (Director of Foundation Relations for the Institute of American Values) It is a decorating guidebook designed specifically to help women conquer clutter in their living space, confidently combine patterns in their surroundings, make big changes for relatively little cost, discover their “true color personality”, nurture the spiritual needs of themselves and their loved ones, and gain five minutes of peace for themselves whenever they need it most! Reader friendly, immanently practical, and occasionally inspiring, Beautiful Places, Spiritual Spaces is especially commended to the attention of do-it-yourself, non-specialist, general readers wanting to change the decor and live out their lives in a serene, pleasant, personalized environment.

The words “interior design” take on new meaning in this unique new book. It’s half inspiration, half instruction, and wholly delightful! Gifted authors Sharon Hanby-Robie and Deb Strubel wisely realize that at the heart of every home beats the heart of every person who lives there. Until we understand that our personal interior, our heart, is meant to reflect God’s design, our houses cannot possibly reflect their true purpose. More than a place of beauty, a house should be comforting-a safe retreat from the world outside, a place where we can fellowship with our family, our friends, and our God. This creative compendium contains fifty power-packed readings on fashioning a home that is practical, yet beautiful, and definitely spiritually inclined! Ideas are easy to read, simple to accomplish, and possible to afford (especially for someone who is decorating-challenged like me!) Best of all, coordinated throughout each reading, like a decorator’s color chart, are spiritual overtones that blend function with passion. I love the daily meditations that tie up each reading with the ribbons of Scripture and personal application. This is a must-read for anyone wanting to refurbish her home and her heart. I highly recommend it!

Review by Judy Culbert