A Journey of Becoming a Young Woman of Faith - #5 Homemaking

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Unless you get something out of the deal we tend to slack on our daily duties and chores. We partially work on something or make it look like we did it all. When we do that we are nothing more than lazy homemakers. Sure our house may not be sparkling clean all the time but it should be kept nice. God placed us on Earth to be stewards of his land, of his world. When we take care of the things God gave us with laziness that shows others that we are indifferent with what He has blessed us with. For example: I see a bib on the floor. I can leave it there or pick it up. The bib is a gift from God for messy babies and toddlers. Leaving it shows others that we don't care about our blessings. Picking it up shows it is considered a blessing. The bib itself becomes another blessing as now we can use it.When you pick it up it can feel like work. And it is in a way. When we pick it up we are picking it up for the Lord. I am working for the Lord. Now this may be a slightly cheesy illustration but we do need to be working for the Lord. When others see that we care enough about our things to take care of them they will see a difference because we are working for the Lord. We should be doing this all the time and someday He will reward us. It may not be today and may not be tomorrow, but someday he will reward us. We are his servants and we should be bringing Glory to Him.

I challenge you to do something productive today, whether it be laundry or dishes or cleaning. Do it with a happy heart! You are working for the Lord of all creation, you are serving your family, you will lift the spirits of your family's hearts and cheer them with your sunny smile. Go, work, smile and know that all you do is for the Lord. 

2013 is almost here!

The year just started.

We just had our birthdays.

We just danced in our dance recital.

I just went to camp.

We went just camping as a family.

The baby was just born.

School just started.

Apple and pumpkin season just got here.

Dance JUST started.

We just had Thanksgiving.

We just celebrated the birth of our Savior, Christmas.

2013 is almost here?!?!?!?! 

As I told one of my friends, 

"The only year that will feel short is the year you get taller than me."

What is your goals for 2013? 

Mine are:

• To grow more like God.
• To increase my abilities in dance.
• To work harder to become a better teacher.
• To have patience always.
• To help out around the house more. 

A Wonderful Painting

I was doing my Art History book today, and this was a featured picture.

The lady on the right was asking to see Cornelia (the standing lady) jewels. She brought out her kids. They were her jewels.

The picture had comments about it, and this one was the one that struck me:

A truly noble woman places her children above material possessions. 

I like that!

Angelica Kauffmann, Cornelia Pointing to Her Children as Treasures, 1785, oil on canvas, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. 

Updated Laundry Detergent

If you buy soap from the store and shred it the next day, it will look like CHEESE!

Still works.

Recipe

1 shredded bar of Ivory soap (smells divine when you shred it!)
1 cup of baking soda (I used Arm and Hammer)
1 cup of borax (I used 20 Mule team borax) 

I doubled it last time.

A problem and solution!

I had papers upon papers, a thousand sticky notes, and a few hundred writing utensils.

Or approximately that!

So I thought and thought.

And came up with a solution!

Under the bed desk!

I could easily make a desk to go under bed with allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll my papers, sticky notes (I am a fan of sticky notes) and writing utensils.

On the left is paper, note paper, and craft paper.

In one of our craft closets I got the (center) organizer thingy. Pens, pencils and scissors are on the back. Paper, LOTS OF STICKY NOTES are in the middle, and tabs & erasers are in the front. In the flower box has all my wordless book materials, and other ways to share the Gospel.

It easily slide under my bed and I can each everything!!! And now my bedside table is ot overflowing with as much junk!

What clutter have you gotten rid of?

I said.....

.....I would be available....hahaha....

but I haven't.

I have been juggling many things.... including projects that should have been done months ago.

I have kept to my cleaning schedule pretty well.

My goals have been shaky.....not at all.....

My name is Moriah, which means "The LORD is my Teacher".

And it is also a mountain in the bible.

God HAS and IS my teacher these past few weeks. Helping my climb the mountains I have faced. Juggling school, cleaning and family, plus time for my self.

Climbing those mountains are hard.

I have been faced with stress, and I responed in the usual way.

Crying.

Feeling I haven't done a good job.

Feeling like a silly whiny person.

The stress would bog me down.

I couldn't focus on anything.

And I still have that problem.

God has seen me through that.

And I don't know what I would have done with out him.

Off to juggle....but not very well.

Tutorial Tuesday

Today I made 2 things, I'll share both with you.

Project A)
A summer night gown....as fall comes....anyways, I added buttons that actually work and shortened the sleeves with pinking sheers on an old night gown.

I love it!

Project B)
No detergent for a load of towels, so unplanned, I made
LAUNDRY DETERGENT!

I love this recipe.

We usually use store detergent, but we ran out, and it is A LOT cheaper.

Ingredients:

1 shredded bar of Ivory soap (smells divine when you shred it!)
1 cup of baking soda (I used Arm and Hammer)
1 cup of borax (I used 20 Mule team borax)

Mix it thoroughly and use 1 table spoon per load!

Freshly cleaned towels!

Munchie Monday-Pasta Sauce

I made 3 batches for the freezer and this winter.

My hands smell delicious!

For each batch:

6 med-large tomatoes (from our garden!)
1 medium pepper (from our garden!)
Half an onion (The first one was sitting out, bu the second when I peeled brought tears to my eyes.)
1 garlic clove/piece
Plain tomato sauce (optional)
Olive oil
Large frying pan

1 Find some music to listen to, I listen to Casting Crowns
2 Find a cute apron, time to start! (or manly)
3 Put enough oil in the pan to lightly cover the bottom, do not put too much! Heat pan on Med.
4 Chop onion, pepper, and garlic, finely. 

5 Saute the onion mixture.

6 While onions are sauteing chop tomatoes.

7  Put the tomatoes in when onions are slightly brown.

8 (Optional) put in the tomato sauce, about a 1/4 of a cup or so. Mix everything.

9 When it bubbles lightly turn stove off and let cool.

Serves about 6 servings.

To freeze: When mixture is cool, place in freezer bags and place in freezer.

Tastes delicious! 

Makes the kitchen smell good too.

Past week's goals accomplished and the rest for this week

Write a schedule; what we will do everyday..... I had one but it was too complicated.....

Start school, organize books, look over Math book, and finish my week to week planning. 

Clean the laundry room.

Clean the quilt that has sat in the laundry room for forever and a day.

Memorize Ephesians 3:14-21

Switch the toys, refresh them.

Make:
Finish my skirt
Remake my old night gown
Crochet premie hats
Make a pillow spacer so my 2nd to littlest sister doesn't keep bonking her head

Get on a dish washing schedule.......(nervous laugh) I promised my Mom while she was on bed-rest the dishes would stay cleaned...... but it didn't happen. Now it will! :~)

Prepare for a friend coming.

Clean our sun-room/porch.

Put up more bible verses.

And call a Sunday school teacher. 

The rest is this weeks goals:


Switch the toys tonight.

I am planning on working on some craft projects this evening.

Dish washing is going pretty well, but no schedule.

Clean our sun-room/porch, maybe tomorrow.  I just have Math, Latin, and French. Should be able to clean that.

Put up more bible verses. Not sure where, other wise I would.

I am also going to add, calling a million people for a million different projects! :~D


What are your goals for this week?

Goals Acomplished.....(nervous laugh)......

Write a schedule; what we will do everyday..... I had one but it was too complicated.....

Start school, organize books, look over Math book, and finish my week to week planning 

Clean the quilt that has sat in the laundry room for forever and a day.

Memorize Ephesians 3:14-21

Prepare for a friend coming.

Not as much as I thought I had accomplished, but the day to day schedule is working.

Now enough boring stuff.

Blogging days theme.....

Munching Monday-recipes I have tried
Tutorial Tuesday-something I've made in the way of crafts
Wacky Wednesday-one odd thing I did/will do
Thoughtful Thursday-something I am studying or learning about
Friendly Friday-1 thing about me....quirks....like the fact I like to wear hats....
Silly Saturday-same as Wednesday
Sermon Sunday-something I have come across, anything slightly philosophical or biblical

:~D

Clutter: Coat baskets

Halfway done.

I have 2 empty baskets.

I am currently surrounded by coats and accessories!

Now to put them away.

:~P

Update

They are put away, now I am tackling more of the office area.  

Clutter

I think everyone despises that word.

Everyone has clutter.

Admit it!

I have been non stop busy to keep clutter down.

I never noticed how much I despise it until I started cleaning the house to get ready for my baby sister.

Between toys, laundry, books, and supplies, and more it just becomes one big mess!

Note: We have been caught up on laundry, the whole house. Now we just have to find a place to store laundry baskets! ;~)

My goals have been to cut back on clutter, in fact a lot of people have that goal.

I recently cleaned my room; I share with my 2 year old sister.

I cleared out half a garbage bag of stuff under my dresser and one corner. Not much can fit under that dresser.

The library was cleared of 2 bags of junk we will never use for crafts.

It is tough for me to toss, I get sentimentally attached to things.

I have a hug box of papers I am attached to. I will never get rid of it, too many memories.

Anyways, clutter is a big issue, and I was enjoying a sweet clean house.....

........then the clutter monster creeps in on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over house and garage
on silent haunches
and then moves on. (Carl Sandburg [my version] :~)

Not. 

It does not.

I repeat does NOT leave. 

Unless I put it away. 

Everyone complains, I never have time. 

Get off the computer.

Surprise your Mom, Dad, Grandparents, Spouse, Roommate, Children, Friends, and do something about it! 

The stairs in our house is the worst offender, piano bench comes a close second followed by everything else... 

I did something about it. I cleared everything off except the stair baskets. 

We have the M&L's room basket, with baby T things. 

And we have the S&G basket.

We also have a rule. And it is working. 

When you go up at nap-time or bedtime the basket must be empty and everything put away. 

That was a week ago and I was the worst offender! (I didn't put the extra sweater away). 

My next project.... hmm.... 

The two 36" baskets filled and over flowing with coats no one fits, uses at the moment, and becomes socks and stuff dumping ground. It won't make the computer/office room cleaner but it will help! :~)

What will you tackle?

(I am just as busy as you! :~)

My 3 goals to survive

Yesterday I was flopped on the couch all day, a stomach ache. I felt miserable.

Thank goodness for Grandma. :~D

Anyways my 3 goals yesterday was

1. Rest
2. Eat
3. Hold my little sister when she comes home from the hospital

Being a mini mom always throws me off. I was energy-less. 

On Monday, between running the house, watching my sisters, extra watching at Grandma's house in the process of renovation AND getting to dance on time, I was exhausted.

Exhausted didn't even begin to describe it.

Today I feel marvelous.


All because of a Grandma.

I could kiss her feet.

My only complaint for the day is my tongue hurts from too hot tea.

:~D