Do you struggle with keeping up with your house?

In all my married life, that has been the biggest, ongoing challenge I face.

(If you have read my April blog from last year, you have seen proof.)

About 2-3 years ago, I found a Pinterest link about 5 things to do to keep your house clean. I read it and it made so much sense!  I don't remember the chit chat (like I am doing here) and sadly I do not have a link for that original post.  I wrote the points down, and NEVER dreamed I would want to blog about them.  I have tried to follow those 5 and then I added 2 of my own.

My house is NOT spotless BUT following those 7 points gives me a daily goal to shoot for. I will continue to search for the link and if I find it, I will give credit where credit is due. Without further chit chat here goes.

1. Have a meaningful quiet time. ( I think I added this one)
   I absolutely LOVE, LOVE ,LOVE   The Bible App Youversion by Lifechurch
   (it is an app, but this is the link to the computer site)
   The 2 plans I am following this year are:                                                                                             the One Year Chronological Bible and                                                                                           Bible In One Year 2018.
   Both of these plans, as does the  Bible (app) itself, have a feature where the Bible can be read to you!  This was revolutionary for me!  I can listen.  My heart has been convicted over things I have read time and again, that listening to, have hit me hard.broken as things from Scripture have hit me hard.  (Truth be told, I am up to date on the Chronological Bible.  I really like the devotional part of the Bible in One Year 2018, but that part is not available in audio on the app. I also like the fact that this plan doesn't go on or mark as finished until you list something that spoke to you.  Sadly, the not reading to me part, is what lead to my demise with this plan.)
2.  Dress for the day you want, Not the day that is trying to have you. (I did search for this phrase, and several blogs came up, but not the one with my starter list.)This phrase makes sense, unless it is winter and you live in the North and want to be a mermaid.    When you dress for a successfully day, you feel better about yourself and sometimes, sometimes THAT attitude can be all that you need to change a ho hum into a great day.
3. Make your bed. I listed this after getting dressed because it gives the mattress and sheets time to air out. I am not sure if that really matters, but it was THE way to do things back in the 1950s. Order may not matter, but I like to listen, dress and then make the bed.
4. Plan your day.  I love a list. I love the satisfaction of crossing things off the list. I will write things on the list that I have already done, just to cross them off.  I am more productive when I have a list of what I am trying to do and what I need to do.
5. Do one load of laundry - wash, dry, fold AND away.                           When I first read this, it seemed like an insurmountable task.  Laundry was something I was forever behind on, and had mountains and mountains to do.  I decided to give it a try. I started on a Monday and the clothing we needed worst that day, was the undergarments and pjs. I made it a point to get all of that washed, dried, folded and put away.  I tried to do the other loads, one or two a day.  T shirts in one load.  Office/church clothing in another.  Blue Jeans might be their own load, or get added to the Ts.  Towels are a load, as are sheets. (I try to group things by dirt level, weight of the garment- an office shirt weighs less than a towel, and then by color.) When Monday came again, I made sure to wash undergarments and pjs. As before, I tried to do all the steps. In all honesty, I don't follow this rule 100% but I do try to follow it, wash, dry, fold and away. On many days the load started today is actually put away tomorrow, but just having the goal to deal with one load, just one from start to finish today helps!  Before too long, my laundry appeared to be less, and it is DEFINITELY easier to keep up with.  My clean laundry may still pile, but it is usually only one or two loads, not a mountain of clean clothing and my dirty laundry isn't as ginormous a pile either. One load a day really does make a difference.
6.   Keep up with the kitchen. Unless you eat out often, the kitchen is the heart of the home.  The heart of where much of the mess can originate.  Even if you eat boxed cereal and only really cook 1 meal a day, even if you have a dishwasher, unless you have a maid, your kitchen needs to stay neat, and it will require your attention to stay kept up.  One thing that should be done daily is wiping the counters.  If you are wiping the counter, that means the counter is clear.
7. The final item on the list is: Do something for you- something  fun or relaxing!  This may not seem important, but you do need to at least plan something as little as polishing your nails, coloring a page, writing a journal entry, crocheting a scarf or reading a book.  
   
   I can't promise you a spotless house if you follow these guidelines, but I can promise you that following these guidelines will see you on your way to a much smoother day and quite possibly a neater house along the way.                                                                                                

I found this recipe ages ago....



well about 2 years ago and it became one of my favorite recipes.


Here's the original     Heidi St John"s Chicken Marsala
copied exactly from the link above....

§ " 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (I double this recipe every time.)

§  4 Tbsp coconut oil

§  1 Cup sliced mushrooms

§  1/2 cup Marsla wine

§  1/4 cup cooking sherry

§  1/4 cup flour

§  1/2 tsp salt

§  2 tsp thyme

§  1 tsp dried oregano

How to make it:

1.  In a bowl, mix together  flour, garlic salt, pepper, thyme and oregano.

2.  Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture.

3.  Take a large skillet add coconut oil and heat over medium heat

4.  Place the chicken and lightly brown on both sides.

5.  Take chicken out and set aside.

6.  Add mushrooms to same skillet, add 1 T more coconut oil, sauté

7.  Pour wine and sherry and cover skillet. Whisk until creamy.  If you need to, you can thicken with flour.

8.  Put chicken back in.

9.  Simmer chicken 10 min and turn over.

10.             Cook for another 5 min or until no longer pink

Easy, peasy!

Three cheers for CHICKEN MARSALA!"

I tweak it to make it my own.

I use gluten free flour mix from Aldi and I use apple juice in place of the cooking                                    sherry and Marsala Wine.


To be completely honest, we are not foodies, and I did try it a few times with cooking sherry and Marsala cooking wine, but we didn't notice a big flavor difference, and the idea of cooking sherry and marsala wine, bothered us, so apple juice it is.


I serve it with rice and a nice canned veggie..... (I know a salad or a frozen veggie or fresh would be better, but better eating comes one step at a time.



Until next time,
blessings from under the maple leaves......

The High Calling of Motherhood (a book review)

I was asked if I blog and would I read a book and post my review.  I am so glad I was asked!

The book is The High Calling of Motherhood written by Chimene Shipley Dupler,
published by Ambassador International http://ambassador-international.com

The summary from Amazon and from Barnes and Noble say:

"Does motherhood matter?
Have we lost our sense of identity, especially through social media, which can pour both accolades and acid into our hearts and minds? Does our role as a mother have any lasting purpose? What about the hard stuff? Do we self-medicate more than we self-motivate to fight for our families? If we don't have a sense of purpose, how will our children? Chimene Shipley Dupler believes you are created for more. You are created in the image of God. You have value, significance, and purpose. You are chosen!
In The High Calling of Motherhood, Chimene will challenge and inspire you. Motherhood can change the trajectory of a generation as we discover the authority that God has given mothers. Chimene desires to see mothers experience the joy that comes in the value and worth that God places on motherhood.
Motherhood is a calling a high calling from God. Chimene will equip you and give you tools for success. You are a difference maker. You are raising world changers. You are a mom! "

From my childhood, I always wanted to be a mom.

From my early years as a Christian, I recognized the high calling of being a mom.

As a Christian wife of 33 years and a Christian mom for 31 of those years, I knew this was one of God's HIGHEST callings.

I remember the quote "The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world".

31 years ago, I knew that to be true.

Unfortunately, someplace over the last 31 years, I have lost focus of those truths.
Someplace between a culture that questions "you're just a mom?",  and the 

tyranny of a daily To-do list, I had lost sight of the eternal magnitude of mothering.

"...This book is not about the 'right'  way to be a mom but instead how to embrace the roll of motherhood as a gift from God" (page 33)  

WOW! Every mother I know needs this information or needs to be encouraged/and or reminded with this information!

The book is written in an easy to read style with a Biblical worldview and Scriptural emphasis that goes counter to our culture.  Mrs. Dupler tends to be just a little repetative- but her use of  repetition is to make sure you get what she is saying.

While reading this book I was reminded of many things.
What follows are just a few of them:

       This book reminds me of my calling.
       Reaching my children's hearts' for Christ is the goal of my mothering.
       I was chosen by God to mother my children.
       When He called me to that task, He also equipped me for it.
       I am to raise my children with the view of eternity in mind.  (This can be a sobering thought.  4 of my children are grown and on their own. 3 are married, 2 are in the thick of mothering young ones under the age of 5.   2 of my children are still in elementary school.  Even with my experience as MOM, this book is for me, and every mom with children still at home.  If your children are grown and you are in the grandparenting stage of life, I suggest you get the book and encourage your children as they raise the next generation.)
      In light of eternity, the preschool years, even 18 years of childhood, are short.
       Reaching my child for Christ is THE goal of motherhood.
      We are in a spiritual battle... ( I have heard and even said, sometimes you pick your battles.
But the reality is ..."We are not in a battle of the wills when it comes to our two-year-olds or teenagers; rather, we are in a spiritual battle.  We are on a mission with the Holy Spirit to help our children understand their need for Christ.")page 72    

       My identity is in Christ alone, not in a career or my motherhood.     

       To parent with eternity in mind we need to have a plan (and prayer is part of that plan)  

       "Parenting is hard work- because it is heart work." page 126 (my favorite sentence from this book!)

         Parenting with eternal perspective goes against our culture.
         Raising my children for Christ is my responsibility, not the responsibility of my church

         We need to be prepped for battle ( the full armor of God)

          The Holy Spirit assists in this eternal work.  

          Extend grace to other parents- whose parenting doesn't look exactly like yours.

A nutshell summary of this book is found on page 163 "We claim we are 'just moms' rather than embracing the opportunity to affect and influence the culture. Motherhood has been abandoned, disdained and orphaned by society and our culture. there is an urgency to call mothers to wake up to a biblical standard for motherhood.  "

In the final chapter Raising World Changers, on pages 219- 220, Chimine says "it is out of our own insecurity that we look around at what others have and begin to feel insignificant. " This insignificance is because we compare ourselves to others. She assumes all loss of parental focus is due to insecurity and feeling insignificant. I disagree slightly.  I think insecurity is one large reason for loss of focus.  I think some of us simply get busy- too busy to compare ourselves to others, too busy tackling the immediate To-do-list that we loose sight of the eternal goal.
Whatever the reason for our lack of focus,  God help us!  Thankfully, HE WILL!

"We must be securely grounded in who we are in Christ, and we must raise up a godly generation whose foundation is also firmly planted in Christ. We must be intentional in our fight, understanding who the enemy is and how to fight the battle ---- on our knees and in constant communication with the Maker of the Universe." page 209   This is my take away from this book.  This is my to do list from this book. 

To purchase this book from the publisher follow this link

https://squareup.com/store/ambassador-international/item/the-high-calling-of-motherhood Chimene-Shipley-Dupler   {use code “HighCalling” entered at time of purchase for a 10% pre-order discount}

Also, there is a book giveaway you can enter by clicking here    https://gleam.io/iAlu8/the-high-of-calling-of-motherhood-blog-tour-giveaway

Write in The Corner Where You Are

This was me, today.

When I think of writing, This is the kind of idyllic spot that comes to mind.

closer view, 

I penned this while sitting where my little green purse is laying on these rocks.

(Even my blog name hopes to bring  up this type of imagery)

Maple trees in Spring time South Carolina.

                                                    Close up of maple leaves in fall.

But realistically, most of my writing happens more often in a place like this

(This is my little writing corner .)

or this

                    (okay, I have to clean it off before I sit to write at my kitchen table)

or this

(We eat at the other end of the table, Sewing, writing, and miscellaneous crafting as well as  homeschool planning and clutter happen at this end)







I want my house to look like this........

                                    (well not exactly like this, but neat and sweet like this)



But this is a more realistic view.

             This was after several hours of play, my two shortshots, and two of my grandbabies.
            Yes, four kids are in this photo, one is not visible, she's sitting on her Aunt Sgirl's lap.


My point is, where ever you are, enjoy your life and make the most of TODAY!




If you can do better, keep striving towards it, but don't allow the distance from where you want to be and where you are to, hold you down.



Serve the Lord with Gladness.....Psalm 100:2

Whatsoever you do, so it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.   Colossians 3;23.



(PS, read that title  to the tune of that song from days gone by "Brighten the corner where you are")

God Knew

 Exodus 2:25 the last of that verse says "...-God knew"

In this chapter, God knew about the suffering of His children when they were in bondage 

to the Egyptians- you know the years before Moses.

What a blessing that NOTHING surprises Him.

NOTHING......

Not that pop quiz.

Not the rain (or ice or snow) when the weatherman predicted the opposite.

Not the early death of a loved one.

Not the surprising medical test results.

NOTHING !!!

He sees you.

He loves you.

He knows.

Happy February!

Many things are on my mind this morning.

New year's resolutions.... ( I had a beautiful post on that at Write2Ignite.com and the site crashed- sadly I forgot to back that one up)

New babies.... 2 grandsons born in the last few weeks.

Grand daughters .... I'm blessed with 3 of those precious ones.

Writing, Pintrest, Facebook, literature, homeschool, co ops , dogs and housework and being a mom and nana......


Valentines day, Bible reading and growing a year older.....


Happy February!

Baby Gifts

Babies are one of God's greatest blessings!

I love to make handmade gifts for showers.

I can not find the baby girl mary jane bootie pattern that I used for years,
but did find a very similar one here.

http://tampabaycrochet.blogspot.com/2012/04/free-pattern-mary-jane-skimmer-booties.html
 same pattern link here
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/clothing/mary-jane-skimmer-booties/13511?SSAID=626714

My finished project here

Happy Crocheting.