So, You Lack Creativity? 6 Awesome Ideas For Engaging In Your Creativity

Today I have a very special treat for you, a guest post by the super creative Kristen from PajamaMama! Kristen is a running stay at home mom of three under five, on a quest to make the best NY style pizza to be found in Texas. She cannot take a drive without noticing a few license plates, although she doesn't know what this says about her. And when she thinks about what her hidden heaven name will be, she hope its meaning will include creative, like her maker.

Make sure you check out her blog - she is having a Summer School Art "party" all next week with a different tutorial each day to stretch your creativity! Oh, and there are PRIZES!

How does the Bible start? "In the beginning God created..."

God is the ultimate Creator-wildly, flashy, overtly creative.

Just look at nature.

We cannot even begin to count all the colors and shades and hues that He uses to paint the sky each day. And He created us...

...in His own image.

I believe that means we were created with an ability to create. While only God has the ability to create from absolute nothing, He has put within us the ability and desire to be creative with the resources around us. And when we learn to grow in the abilities and interests He's personally given each of us, or stretch our creativity, we can more deeply understand His nature. Do you want that? I do!

Six Ideas For Engaging In Your Own Creativity

Know That You Are Creative By Nature

I believe every person is creative. Not necessarily with an artistic temperament, or Bohemian attitude. Creativity is as different as each individual, and it is inherent. Have you ever had to "get creative" to occupy a toddler at a restaurant or airport? Look for your creativity in your everyday life.

Get Inspired

For me, this is the easy part. Inspiration is everywhere. When you see something beautiful or meaningful to you, try to break it down. Ask yourself how was it done and how you could re-create it for your circumstances. An old idea applied to a new moment is still creative

Don't Be Afraid To Try New Things

My high school art teacher was famous for saying,

"No guts, no glory."

It does not have to be perfect, and it likely won't be. In a day, imperfections will be less noticeable. In a month, they will add character and charm.

Enjoy The Process

When we step out of our creative comfort zones we can easily become anxious. But creating should not be a chore, but rather a joy, and a thrill. I wonder if during the first 6 days, how much fun God had in creating the world from nothing. Maybe that is why He took 6 days, rather than a blink. Maybe He was savoring each layer or our world's birth.

Take A Step Back

Admire the fruit of your creative endeavor, with little criticism. Remember, it doesn't have to be perfect!

Dare To Go Deeper

Ask yourself some more questions. How can your creative passions glorify or bless God? Has God given you a specific creative gift that He wants to delight in or use? Please don't rush over these questions. The answers may not be obvious to you right now, but that does not mean that God has not given you a purposeful creative gift. In fact, I am certain that He has. Just pray that He will reveal it in His time. I will be praying for you, too!

You can follow Kristen on Twitter @KristenPajama

Living Unbounded By Feminist Fear

If I am to reclaim my life and find joy in the everyday, I want to live unbounded by feminist fear.

The feminists chief argument is this: If we don't stake our claim to equality, demanding it even, we may be abused, taken advantage of and/or treated like property. The reasoning goes like this: we need feminism to protect women and to ensure they are treated with dignity, respect and equal rights.

The thing is, I don't need to take claim to the name "feminist" to care about women, and people in general. We are commanded as Christians (not feminists) to love one another as ourselves (sin perverts this command, not "men").

I realize there are different types of feminism, 1st wave, 2nd wave, radical, etc. I also understand why Christian women would naturally gravitate towards certain "whitewashed" notions of feminism, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries. That is a whole other discussion that deserves to be unpacked more fully, but today's post is not the place.

My heart's desire is that we as women would be loosed of fear and instead live under the authority of a God who gave His life for us, the ultimate violators in disrespect, injustice, and abuse. If anyone understands women, it is Jesus, who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (Philippians 2:6,7). He submitted to the Father...to the point of death. Why? That we would know Him. Life is worth so much more then the experience we have on earth. We get so stuck in the here and now that we give up on the eternal.

Do you trust God?

If we trust Him, then we can trust that what He commands is good and worthy...and for His glory (not ours). If you have a hard time accepting His commands with respect to submission, authority, gender roles and servant hood (which I think will need to be outlined in another post) then I would say your issue isn't with equality, feminism, or patriarchy; your issue is probably with God.

Truly, there is so much more to say, but I think if I try and squeeze it all in today's post, I will not do justice to the validity of certain complaints, questions, and comments. Again, this topic cannot be brushed aside with only platitudes and generalities. Suffice to say, I want to reclaim my life without reclaiming my life. I am reclaiming my life (and challenging you in hope) to reclaim yours for the glory of God and the sincere joy that can only be imparted in obedience.

I don't want the protection of feminism...I want the protection of God. Now that's living in freedom.

(Steering clear of feminist fear works for me!)

More tomorrow...join me over coffee and more of this series by clicking here!

You Are Prepared For The Battle...Are You Fighting Or Turning Your Back?

"The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows, yet they turned back in the day of battle." Psalm 78:9

Are you facing a battle?

I battle daily with keeping my time with the Lord sacred, my affection for my husband alive, my teaching to my children consistent, my home in order, myself showered, and my own sin nature in check (by God's grace).

Life is tough. Persevering through it and not giving up is even tougher.

It is so easy to give up, to try and escape. We escape in many ways-the Internet, books, TV, friends, etc. We don't know how to push through our emotions, our tiredness, or our failures. We get stuck. We feel lost...abandoned. Our marriages lack real intimacy. We are scared to death that if we try again, we'll just fail again, so why bother. We give in.

The thing is, I think we often forget that we are archers equipped with bows. We (believers) have the power of the Holy Spirit, the strength of the Lord, and the grace of the cross to keep us going. The enemy wants to destroy us, and sometimes we are wide open for destruction.

We are equipped with everything we need to fulfill all that God has given to our care!

Do this:

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12

Get this:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day..." 2 Timothy 4:7,8

Now get those priorities in order, make a schedule, and keep persevering! Reclaim your life! I can't wait to see your lists on Monday!

"When a personal dream or goal in life is met with hurdles and hardship-both goal and dream are soon forgotten. Before long we begin to resemble Rome in its last days-a magnificent mask of outward, impressive stature...devoid of inner strength...soft and mushy at the core, desperately lacking in discipline and determination. There is not an achievement worth remembering that isn't stained with the blood of diligence and etched with the scars of disappointment. To run, to quit, to escape, even to hide solves nothing...it only postpones a reckoning with reality...Are you facing some difficult battle today? Don't run! Stand still...and refuse to retreat. Look at it as God looks at it and draw upon His power to hold up under the blast. Sure, it's tough. Nobody ever said the Christian life was easy. God never promised you a Disneyland. He offers something better-His own sustaining presence through any trouble we may encounter." Chuck Swindoll, Come Before Winter

Journey with me each day, subscribe here!

Not A Perfect Life, A Blessed One

Reading By the Window, Hastings

Have you taken the time to work on your priorities and a schedule?

Everything in me wants to encourage the heck out of you to go for it with gusto, but I know that unless you are sold on your priorities and creating a schedule to see that those priorities are met, my words won't do a thing. I am convinced that I need a schedule, that I need to plan my days wisely so that I can reclaim my life. If you're convinced as well, then let's take some time today to really work on a schedule. Talk with your husband about it and get his input. Please don't put this off...and don't put it off just because it can't be perfect. As life changes, so will your schedule.

As you pursue working out your priorities and a schedule, please be encouraged by this wise advice I received in a comment:

"If you follow these precepts all of your life, you will find at the end of it not a perfect trouble free life, but a blessed one. When you fail, get right back up, repent and start all over again with God's grace to do the very things that He wants you to do. You will not ever be sorry." -Anonymous

I am so welled up with passion right now for what God is asking of us that I know it will flow out into words as soon as I have more time. So much more to come...

As a side note, I want you all to know that I am so grateful for your comments and I read every single one. I want to respond to all of them all of the time, but I just can't. Please know that I do not take you for granted.

Making Our Priorities A Reality

Do you feel like a failure when it comes to keeping your priorities straight...everyday...

consistently. You are not alone!

I have been the queen of making up schedules only to falter within the first week of implementing them. I stink at schedules. I rationalize that I just cannot and should not be scheduled. Hmmm...what does the bible say about this?

"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of your time for the days are evil..." Ephesians 5:15,16 (I think I have a little club by this name...)

"She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." Proverbs 31:27

So, our time, and what we do with it, is pretty important, and 24 hours is all we get! Speaking of 24 hours, you absolutely must order this CD right now:

It's $10 and it comes with worksheets (including priority planning sheets with thorough suggestions). Stop reading...purchase! (No, I'm not getting any money from it.) A wise Titus 2 woman sent it to me recently and it is good.

Okay, where were we. Oh yes, actually taking our priorities from "in theory" to reality. That's tough, but it is not impossible.

"I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me" Philippians 4:13

If we truly believe that God commands us to use our time wisely, we must persevere in our time management. Scheduling our time and keeping our priorities straight will keep us focused, sane, disciplined, and obedient. But where do we begin? Let's start with scripture!

(I personally felt led to Titus 2:4,5)

My Titus 2:4,5 Priority List

Love my husband (this is first)

Love my children

Be sensible (show wisdom, have common sense, be practical, functional and aware - no checking out!)

Be pure/discreet

Be a worker at home

Be kind

Be subject to my husband

The two things I noticed right off the bat were A.) my husband must come before my children or my housework, and B.) It all comes back around to how I relate with/treat my husband! Before I can even move on to anything else, I need to make him a priority. And let's be honest, our men really don't require that much, yet many of us still put the poor fellows on the back burner. A little physical attention and a good dinner and their pretty much good to go!

Okay, before you say anything, yes, God ultimately comes first ("Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:36-38). The fact is, without putting God first, we really can't do anything else...well, that is. However, part of putting God first is obeying His order of things; following His ways, not ours.

Ooh, that's hard too (darn losing self!).

Before I continue on and on (which I could easily do - hello, that's why I do series!) let's take some time to work on our priorities. Since you ordered the above CD (what? You haven't done that yet? What are you waiting for?!) don't worry if you have any trouble with this task, you can come back to it or revise it later. I will give you a little hint though on what Susan (the speaker on the CD) recommends working on when it come to prioritizing (you can get the whole list on the CD):

Essential Must Do's (Essential to Godly, healthy (spiritually and physically) human existence)

Example: Frequent time in personal, intimate fellowship with God through prayer and quality time in His Word, sharing intimate thoughts with spouse and children regarding God and the work He is doing in your lives, world, in general, training children in cheerful, Godly obedience, Adequate night sleep, etc.

Very Important Should Do's (Very important for God-pleasing human existence, dependent upon regular performance of essentials)

Example: Teaching your children practical skills necessary for God-honoring, regular assembling together with other believers for corporate worship and spiritual encouragement, responsible living, maintaining a consistently clean and orderly atmosphere in your home, hospitality, etc.

Could Do's (Non-essential in most cases, but can be edifying and God-honoring if time remains)

Example: Lessons for children (music, art, etc.), Group bible studies, family excursions several times a year, etc.

Would Like To Do's (Activities are fun, relaxing, enjoyable, exciting, etc. but really are unnecessary for God-honoring living)

Example: Participating in your favorite hobby, belonging to clubs or organizations, etc.

I think that's enough for today.

Maybe next week's MMM could be us linking up with our priorities? What do you think?

Enjoying this series? Subscribe here!

Motivate Me Monday! Top 10 Ways To Give Life To Our Home‏

Good morning! :) It is so nice to "do" Mondays with friends, soooo... happy MMM! As you may remember, last week was the last Songs for Saplings CD giveaway. It is my pleasure this week to announce the winner...

Congratulations Traci from The Garber Family! I am so happy for you - in more ways than one! ;) Head on over and congratulate her, would you? (If you didn't win, hop on over to Songs for Saplings and grab yourself some CD's - they are SO worth it!)

Now onto some motivation...

Today's motivating post comes from my dear sister-in-law Renee. She is the mommy of three absolutely adorable kiddos, and she also happens to be an inspiration to me in the wife department. I know you will blessed by her words!

Top 10 Ways To Give Life To Our Home

1.) Retrain our tongues to give words that encourage, comfort and edify others.

2) Offer life-giving and grace-filled words to husband and children.

3) Make our homes a place of grace where mistakes and sins are not met with anger but with love and hope.

4) Decorate our homes to make home a place of beauty. Beauty raises life above mere existence.

5) Develop necessary cleaning skills and habits; clutter causes stress.

6) Face our anger, anxiety, fear and depression. Our homes reflect our mental/spiritual/emotional health. Ask the Lord to replace these emotions with faith and hope. (Check out core lie series for more info.)

7) Plan regular times away from home to rejuvenate and gain perspective. (A quiet time at Starbucks or Wegmans for 1 1/2 hours has been my most recent favorite.)

8) Persevere in planning fun activities for family on weekends or ordinary weekdays.

9) Play praise or worship music in home to lift everyone's spirits. Our new family favorite is Michael W. Smith's "A New Hallelujah". (Even King Saul in the Bible, when the Holy Spirit had left him, was refreshed and calmed by David's worship.)

10) Ask the Lord: What areas of my home are causing stress or bringing spiritual/emotional/mental 'deadness'? What can I do to bring life to those places instead to make them a place of refuge?

I loved the opportunity to present these ideas to you; however, it was also a difficult assignment. All of these suggestions have risen out of a heart that longs to be this kind of woman, yet has consistently failed in all of these areas. Some suggestions are on my 'impossible prayer list' of what I'm asking God to do this year in my life! I have seen the ill effects of doing the opposite of what I've written. I know that I don't want to live that way anymore! Instead, I'm striving to develop diligence in these areas to bring life to my home flowing over from the One Who gives life freely to all who ask. May He encourage us in our life-giving.

Your Turn!

• Share some advice, wisdom, practical applications, tips you've learned, etc. that you think would benefit and motivate others.

*Make sure to link directly to your MMM post and then link back here!

Join me every MMM for coffee by subscribing here!

Awesome List Ideas

Today's guest post is by Jennifer Tankersley, the creator of ListPlanIt where you can find over 350 printable lists and planning pages to organize your life and put your world in order, including the pages mentioned in this post. She also writes List Mama Blog: Lists for List-Lovin’ Mamas.

I have used lists all of my life, but in the past few years, my passion for lists has become even more pronounced. As a mother of 3 children and a business owner, I have discovered a multitude of ways that lists can make my life easier and more productive. Some lists need to be recreated each and every day, but some can simply be started and added to over a week, a month, a year, or a lifetime. Lists can be hung on the refrigerator, punched and placed into your own home binder, and/or distributed to the members of your family. Here are my favorite lists used for the different aspects of my life.

Mom's Favorite Lists

1. To Dos – I like a page that shows an entire week that I can write my tasks and goals for each day.
   
2. Meals – I use a Menu Planner to plan meals for my family for a pay period (2 weeks). From that, I create a shopping list based on those meals that I chose.
   
3. Blogging – I know not everyone is a blogger, but in my case, I cannot live without my list of Blog Post Ideas.
   
4. Gifts – I keep a running list of the gifts that I pick up for my children, husband, and others along the way. This prevents me from overspending for birthdays and Christmas and helps me remember what I already have.
   
5. Saturday Morning Chores – I keep a list of the chores that each member of my family is responsible for on the weekend. Then I just distribute their portion of the list and check in with them to make sure they are getting their tasks done.
   
6. Clothing Inventories – Every summer and winter, I break out the tubs of clothing that I am using to corral the clothes that I have purchased at the end of the last season. I have found that an inventory helps keep me in check. One year, I pulled out 18 pairs of shorts for my son for that season. They all had tags, and each tag said $2 or less, but it doesn’t really save me money if I go overboard like that. It was a good lesson to me.
   
7. Travel – I am a careful travel planner, particularly with young children. I like to know how we are getting somewhere, how long it will take, where we are staying, what we may be eating, and anything else that I can plan ahead of time. A Travel Itinerary with Travel
8. Details is a must. Then, of course, there is the Packing List, which is an absolute necessity if you want to remember the formula, video camera, or the blankies.
   
9. Contacts – I keep a list of banks, teachers, restaurants, and my favorite service providers with a telephone number, address, and website information.
   Birthday/Holidays – There is so much involved with special occasions. I keep track of it all by listing everything I can: cards, guests, food, crafts, etc.
   
10. Fun – I keep a list of the things there are to do in the area. I note the season for which the activity is most appropriate, hours of operation, and the cost. Then on the weekends when my family wants to do something, we refer to the list

For more great list ideas, head on over to List Plan It or List Mama Blog!

Like this blog? Subscribe here!

4 Simple Strategies to Stress-Free Coupon Shopping

Today's guest post is from Stephanie, the wife of a wonderful husband and mom to her favorite 3 kids in the world! She loves that she has the blessing of staying home to raise and homeschool her children. On the other hand, she loves that she has the opportunity to blog as an "outlet" for herself. She had heard a lot about couponing throughout the years, but always thought it took too much time. Not until this past year did she figure out that it’s not as hard as she had thought! Since a wife and stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of 3 little ones could do it, she knew she had to share it with others! If you visit The Coupon Game, she hopes you find it to be a site that is all about "keepin’ it real!"

4 Simple Strategies to Stress-Free Coupon Shopping!

Every week, I post on my blog my finds for the "Best Of" CVS and Walgreens Deals, so in keeping with the lingo, I would really love to take this guest post opportunity to share my favorite "Best Of" couponing strategies! Whether you’ve never coupon shopped in your life, grab a few before you head out to the store, or are already a full-on coupon gamer, I hope these simple strategies will help you to be more efficient with your time and money.

1. Start clipping coupons. Sounds simple, right?! It is!!! Whether you find them online or in your Sunday’s weekly coupon inserts, this is the place to start. You can always check my blog and the great thing about the coupon blog world is that there are so many resources to finding great coupons. The great part is it’s all free!


2. Get organized. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten to the store only to find that I left numerous coupons at home. To keep it simple, grab an envelope and label it with the store’s name. Place the coupons inside that you’ll be using an head off to the store. You’ll save yourself a lot of stress in the end. Of course, don’t forget to grab the envelope!


3. Make a plan. A menu plan is a great place to start. There are numerous sites that can help you find recipes to use for items on sale. Recipezaar.com is one of my favorites! Look for the items that are on sale that week, or maybe you’ve stockpiled items from weeks back that you’re ready to use up, and build your menu plan off of these items.


4. Make a list. Never head out to the store without a list! I can’t stress this enough. I write mine out to the ‘T’ including my coupon match-ups. I know how much I’m going to spend before I even get to the store. That way, I keep in the budget and I know when there’s a little wiggle room for a last-minute splurge. You may not be this organized, but with a list in hand, you are much better prepared to stay in a budget. It gets easier as you learn to make the habit.
   

Before couponing, our family didn’t technically have a budget when it came to food shopping. If we needed something, we didn’t even look at the price. We just bought it. Looking back, we were spending upwards of $650/month on groceries alone. Now that I coupon shop, we are spending in the range of $350-$400/month and that includes toiletries. That’s a savings of $300/month! Our turning point was when we decided we weren’t being the best stewards of God’s money and so we decided to make some changes. Now, we are living debt-free, and enjoying saving before we purchase. Each week I challenge myself and make a game out of seeing how much I can save. You can find out more about coupon shopping at my blog… The Coupon Game.

Top 10 Tips For Effective Time Management

Today's guest post is from Katie, a Christian wife and a stay at home mom to a 4 year old son and a 2 year old daughter. She blogs about managing her family, frugal living, cooking, organizing and all things homemaking at Three Blondes and a Redhead.

Time is a non-renewable resource. We can't get back days, hours or moments in time, so it makes sense for us to use our time as wisely as possible. Now, I'm not talking about constantly going, going, going and never taking a break...we all need our downtime, but even downtime can be intentional.

I consider myself to have fairly good time management skills. I am often asked, "How do you get so much done?" and the answer is simple: I love to be efficient. Webster's defines the word efficient as "productive of desired effects; especially productive without waste." Throughout my day, I am conscious of how I can do things efficiently. Without waste. I want to make every moment of my day count, whether I'm doing chores, playing with my kids or vegging in front of the computer.

I certainly don't have all of the answers to help make the world a more productive place, but I do have some suggestions to help you get more out of your days. Here are my...

Top 10 Tips for Effective Time Management

1. First Things First: Prioritize. What is most important to you? Your friends? Family? Hobbies? As Christians, our priorities should be: God, spouse, kids. In that order. THEN come other people, yourself and your hobbies. It is the way we were designed and, although some may argue that our kids should come before our spouse, keeping your priorities in the order I mentioned will keep all of your relationships healthy. Your marriage will suffer if you put your children before your relationship with your spouse. Your children will suffer if you put outings with your friends above quality time with them. YOU will suffer if you don't put God above all else and carve out time each day to spend with Him and in the Bible. Once you've established your priorities, it's easy to weed out the to-do items that don't fit into the bigger picture. Become comfortable saying, "no" to things that take too much time away from your priorities. Someone else will step up to lead the PTA or the church picnic or the soccer team's community car wash. If you're passionate about those things, by all means, DO them, but know your limits. Make sure your volunteer efforts for complete strangers don't interfere with what's most important in your life.



2. Get enough sleep. Recently, someone asked me, "Do you ever sleep?" I know she was kidding, but I do, actually. I'm a grouch when I'm sleep deprived. I need at least eight hours of sleep each night, preferably nine...it's kind of a nuisance! I truly believe that I get more done during my day because I'm well-rested. I could possibly do even more if I cut out an hour or two of sleep each night, but I wouldn't be the gentle, pleasant, calm wife and mom that God calls me to be. (Believe me, even with enough sleep I struggle with that - I need all the help I can get!) I heard once that Martha Stewart sleeps 3-4 hours a night. That explains how SHE gets so much done, but it also gives some insight into the rumors that she's difficult behind the scenes, don't you think?
   



3. Early to bed, early to rise. I'm not naturally a morning person. I am very productive at night, but I've recently realized that I'm a happier person if I wake up before my family. I took Sarah Mae's challenge of waking up at the crack of dawn and joined the 5:16 girls. (I'm actually a 6am girl, but it totally counts because my kids aren't up until 7:00) If you take that time to prepare yourself, your heart and your home, you will be shocked at how fluid the rest of your day can be. Not every day will be rainbows and puppy dogs, but your attitude will be better as you tackle each situation with love and grace. My new habit is to pray first thing, in the dark, by myself...even before I get out of bed. Sometimes my prayers are 2 minutes, sometimes they're 10, but giving God the first fruits of my time pleases Him and sets my day up for success. I pray for my husband, for wisdom as I guide my kids throughout the day, for gentleness and for grace, plus whatever or whoever else pops into my head.
   



4. Develop a routine. Even if you spend most of your time at home, giving your day a routine will give you and your family a predictable rhythm to follow. When we moved into a 2-story house, I found myself (and my son) in our PJs long after the breakfast dishes were done. We just didn't seem to make it back upstairs! So I determined that we would get dressed, brush our teeth and make our beds all before going downstairs every morning. Once it's done, it's out of my mind and I am more motivated to be productive. Developing routines for recurring tasks (laundry, paying bills, making dinner) will shave time off of each job and allow you to spend your time doing other things. Personally, I've finally conquered the never-ending pests of dishes and laundry. I live in Phoenix, where we are given "off peak" hours to use our electricity at a discounted rate. Off peak hours begin at 9:00pm and end at 9:00am, so I've gotten into the habit of starting my dishwasher and a load of laundry every night at 9:00. While the kids are eating breakfast in the morning, the clothes in the washer go into the dryer and I unload the clean dishwasher. I fold the load of laundry before we leave the house and put the clothes away so that chore is completely done and off my plate. Dishes and laundry no longer pile up in our house because I have a routine.
   



5. Keep lists. Don't trust your memory! Let's face it, people - we're losing brain cells every minute and as moms, we're not getting them back. I love lists. The grocery list on my fridge keeps me from running to the store for that ONE last thing. I add to my to-do list as I think of items, then I look at it daily. Be sure to put big and small items on different lists so you can begin feeling a sense of accomplishment. ("buy a gift for Tommy's birthday party" and "tile the kitchen" should never be on the same list unless they're getting done on the same weekend) Star the things that need to get done today and don't feel overwhelmed by the other items on the list. You can work on those tomorrow. For long-term goals, I was recently encouraged by some friends to make a 101 Goals in 1001 Days list. It's a great way to cross off some of the major items in your head with a more realistic, LONG-term timeframe.
   



6. Do the worst thing first. In the book, "Secrets to Getting More Done in Less Time" by Donna Otto (a book I HIGHLY recommend) the author makes a profound statement in one of the chapters: It's not what you DO that wears you down, it's what you DON'T DO. Think about that for a minute. We tend to get the "easy" tasks done first and put off (or sometimes never even do) the tough stuff. I am a natural procrastinator. I figured out years ago that if I hurry up and cross off the worst stuff on my to-do list first, a weight was lifted off my shoulders for the rest of the day. Start slow - pick out the top 2-3 most important tasks that you need to do today and do one of them before anything else. What are you dreading? Giving the dog a bath? Labeling items for your garage sale? Calling your sister to apologize for snapping at her last night? Try doing it first thing in the morning. I think you'll be surprised how nice your day is when those things are done at the beginning of the day. It's quite freeing!
   



7. Guard your child-free time and use it effectively. For those of you with kids, especially young ones still at home, are you conscious of what you can accomplish with the kids around versus your time alone? I have a mental list of things that I do during naptime: check emails, blog, scrapbook, catch up on recorded episodes of American Idol or Jon & Kate Plus 8. (This is a great show to recharge your mommy battery!) I don't do those things during my kids' waking hours. But there are a ton of things that I CAN do while they're awake, things that I've resolved to avoid during naptime: dishes, laundry, dust, pick up toys, make meals...not only can I do these chores with the kids in tow, they can benefit from watching me do them and have eventually learned to help. My nearest grocery store has a Kids Club, so I don't mind taking the kids shopping with me and they LOVE going to Costco to sample all of the snacks, yet taking them to the post office or to the dentist is a nightmare...so I save those things for days that I have childcare help.
   



8. Consolidate errands. I try to go to the gym every morning. (Side note: Daily workouts guarantee me an hour of time all to myself while the kids run wild in someone else's care - I highly recommend joining a gym! SO worth the investment...) Our gym is near a major shopping area in my town, so I always try to run an errand or two on the way home. I'll get gas at Costco and run to Trader Joe's or return something at Target and run into Joann's for some scrapbooking supplies. For the kids' sake, I usually do one short errand and one that might be a little longer. By doing 1-2 errands a day, I rarely feel overwhelmed. Plus it gives our day variety and gets the kids out of the house.
   



9. Plan interruptions into your day. Are you usually late? Racing to get from place to place, hoping to avoid a speeding ticket? Yeah, I was like that too. Then in college, someone gave me an amazing timeliness tip: However long you think it will take you to get somewhere, add 10 minutes. If you think it will take you less than 20 minutes to get somewhere, double the time. (for example: if you assume it will take you 15 minute, leave 30 minutes beforehand and when you think it will take 30 minutes, allow 40 minutes travel time) Suddenly, I was on time everywhere I went. Or *gasp!* - 5 minutes early. It was an amazing paradigm shift. The extra time allows for the unexpected: getting caught at every red light, needing to stop for gas, forgetting the diaper bag and needing to turn around to get it...the list goes on and on. By trying to do that one more thing before you leave the house, you are beginning a domino affect of inconvenience to others. I felt so selfish when I realized that when I run late for the doctor, they run behind all day long. Yet now, I get to sit in the waiting room for an hour because someone else ran late at an earlier appointment. Break the cycle and resolve to leave 10 minutes earlier everywhere you go.
   



10. Discover and utilize useful resources. I've mentioned that I let my kids play at the Kids Club at the gym and at the grocery store while I workout and shop. What kinds of resources do YOU have that you may not have discovered yet? Last year, I met a neighbor with kids near my children's ages and we utilize each other every week. On Monday mornings, we trade babysitting. One week she has my kids and I get things done around the house or around town, the next week I take her kids while she has free time. Then on Thursdays, we meal-swap. One week I double my dinner recipe and bring her family a hot, fresh meal at 5:30pm, the next week I don't cook and she brings our family dinner at 5:30. It's a great trading system. And there's an added bonus: I've found that my kids disappear when her kids come over every other Monday. I actually slate that time to deep-clean my kitchen while the kids play in the backyard and I peek at them out the window.
    

Okay, so what do you do with all of this overwhelming information? Start small. Just like I recommended when tackling the to-do list, pick a few of the items I've listed and try incorporating them into your life. You have the ability to be productive and efficient with your time - you just need to grow and develop the skills to incorporate more into your day. So...which items are you going to try?

If you want to miss any future posts, click here!

Random Money Saving Tip Of The Day

We go through so much milk that I have tried to convince my husband to just buy us a cow.

He wasn't to keen on that idea.

Since a cow is out, I had to come up with some way to save on milk. The kiddos especially go through milk with a vengeance. Here's what we came up with:

Buy smaller cups. I went on down to the Dollar Tree (love them) and picked up a four pack of small sippy cups (yes, for only a $1) and they are great! Half the size of a regular sippy cup, I can fill it up and the babes don't know any difference.

So, there you have it, my simple and easy random money-saving tip - buy smaller sippy cups!

Do you have any ideas on saving on milk?

Life "Rules"

Hanging on our refrigerator:

• If someone trusts you - earn it.



• If someone speaks to you - answer.



• If you want to be respected - be respectful.



• If you make a mistake - admit it.



• If you are hired to work - don't shirk.



• If you make a promise - keep it. (Don't readily make promises you may not be able to keep.)



• If you borrow it - return it.



• If you open it - close it. (Leave things as you find them unless otherwise instructed.)



• If you break it - fix it.



• If you lose it - find it or replace it.



• Keep clean - if you do not respect yourself no one else will.

(Taken from Let's Hide The Word)

Day 30 - Simplify

It's time to simplify (or perhaps, let go) in order to create the space you really want (simplifying works for me!)

I am beginning to have craft supplies and homeschooling "stuff" everywhere - it's eating up my home. I keep dreaming that I will have a play/homeschool room, so I continue to not have permanent, easy access storage for my supplies. It's time for this mama to live in reality!

Do you have "things" that need a home, but you are reluctant to let go of other "things" or space to create something more realistic?

Example: I have a bookshelf in my dining room filled with, you guessed it, books! However, the space would be better used at this point if I gave up two shelves of my beloved books to keep play/craft/homeschool supplies. I don't want to move my books - there like my trophies, my babies, my...heck, I don't know, I just really don't want to move them to the basement (or part with some)! I have come to realize that in order to simplify my and my family's life, I must make the necessary changes in order to accommodate our current lives. Alas, the books shall go (sniff sniff).

Today, think about a space that could be better utilized or simplified to fit your family's needs for this season of your lives. Give in, let go, and enjoy the peace that comes from simplicity.

Day 29 - Giving Life to Your Home

It has been quite awhile since I have really cleaned! I am finally coming out of the icky prego phase and I'm ready to start getting back to normal. First things first - I need some life in my cave of a home! It has not been a place of refuge for awhile, but today, that will change.

Today, we give life!

All women have the capacity to be lifegivers if they accept this beautiful calling. Lifegiving, in its most basic sense, is raising life above the level of mere existence. We give life physically and spiritually, in many forms. We also give life intellectually, socially, and artistically. We as women have been blessed with the very nature of lifegiving! At its core, lifegiving is all about love.
What are some specific ways we give life?

• Our Words
• Our Home - Decorating, preparing meals, creating an atmosphere of peace, hospitality
• Education - To yourself, your children, or others
• Church - Using your gifts
• Socially
• Culture and the Arts
• Heritage and Traditions - Enriching the lives around you

How can you give life to your home today? Perhaps it's finally ironing all those clothes that have piled up in the ironing basket. Maybe it's getting some fresh flowers to brighten your home and enlighten your senses. You could clean out your night stand, scrub under the fridge, organize your closet, etc.

I would love to hear what lifegiving ideas you have for the home and what you will be doing/have done to bring life to your home today!

Have fun making your home a refuge!

31 Days to Clean - jump in anywhere! (I know I have some catching up to do on adding all the days - I'll get to it as soon as I can!)

Let's Get Back to 31 Days to Clean, Shall We

Day 29 tomorrow - stay tuned!

31 Days to Clean

31 Days To Clean - Revisited!

My dear, sweet blogging friend Lisa from Stop and Smell the Chocolates wrote this for me and sent it in an e-mail for me to use on my blog. She is so great! Here is her "guest" post:

Please keep praying for Sarah Mae to feel better soon! I know we all can't wait for her to come back and share some wisdom, but we understand just how hard it can be to grow a baby!

I just wanted to remind you about Sarah Mae's 31 Days To Clean. It's such a helpful series. It was really helping me although I was running behind on it. But still, I was accomplishing much more than I had in quite some time. Unfortunately, I ended being away from home quite a bit this summer. This turned into 31 days to messy again.

So now I will begin the cleaning series all over again. Because I can! Because Sarah Mae has a link to the whole thing and I can redo it and go at my own pace! Who's going to say anything if I actually take 62 days to finish instead of 31? The point is to follow along. There are so many good ideas that I know I will pick up something new this time.

Did you follow the 31 Days To Clean? Were you successful? If not, start it again, like me! Or start where you left off. Or just read through it for some great ideas.

Thanks, Sarah Mae, for the much-needed cleaning series! We can't wait to "see" you here again! :)

Guest Post - Being A Keeper Of The Home

Hi, I'm Lisa from Stop and Smell the Chocolates. I'm happy to be helping Sarah Mae with a guest post today. Will you send some prayers her way for her to be feeling great very soon? I'm sure she would appreciate it.

In her 31 Days To Clean posts, Sarah Mae has talked about self-discipline and why we need to keep working at the daily drudgery. I agree with her and wanted to share some of my thoughts on the subject.

Being a good keeper of the home is a big struggle with me, so I'm really talking to myself here! Before I was pregnant with my son, I was Miss Career Woman and a terrible Keeper of the Home. God started helping me to realize that I needed to make a shift at that time. Eventually, I found myself an inexperienced Stay At Home Mom.

Domesticity did not come naturally to me. I did the bare, and I mean bare minimum of cleaning and I let my husband do the cooking. I was doing good at taking care of my baby boy, at least! At some point, I realized that Keeper of the Home was a most important job and I hadn't been treating it that way. If I was working for "pay" outside the home, I did a great job and took pride in my work. Why wouldn't I do the same for my more important job? That way of thinking about it helped me - I created some routines, did a little better with cleaning, and took over all the cooking duties.

Later on, it all became a struggle again and it still is. I understand the concept of taking pride in my home and keeping up with things because it's the job that I was called to do. But that isn't enough. I realize that there is more to it. This is what God has called me to do. It's not an employer who gives me a job description and will give me money and recognition for a job well done. It's God. If God somehow spoke to me and told me my job description for Keeper of the Home - would I say, "You know, I'm kind of tired. Maybe I could do the dishes just when they pile up and start the dusting next month?" I think not.

Maybe knowing that God calls us to do ALL of it, not just the parts that we like, can help us with our perspective and motivation. And there is a reward - a heavenly home with our Savior. There is even recognition. It will come when we hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

I'm not saying that we won't struggle. We're sinners after all. But maybe we can do a little better and ask God to help us grow as home makers and keepers. I pray that the Lord blesses your home keeping endeavors this week.

Day 28 - How To Clean While Pregnant

How to Clean While Pregnant

Three Easy Steps:

1. Get off the couch and get a phone book....no wait, just stay on the couch and dial 411 with your cell or portable phone.

2. Call a maid service (or a really good friend) and get some help.

3. Go back to watching Judge Judy while eating your chips, popcorn, crackers, bubble gum, cookies and soda (make sure other children are fed).

Day 27 - "The Room"

Hey everybody, it's Amanda here, finally contributing to the 31 Days of Clean! I was just out with Sarah and thankfully at seven weeks she is still not sick! She is although feeling extremely exhausted and I told her I would write today's post.

So, today's the day... "The Room" day. You know we all have one of those rooms, garages, basements, etc. that just seem to collect everything. For me its my spare bedroom/office and nursery room. They are both of full of, well, just about everything! Judging by Sarah's last post, a lot of people seem have to have that problem. The junk drawer is only the beginning, unfortunately. So today is the day to come up with the plan of attack (not actually clean it, unless you want to!). I know for me, and most likely for many of you, there is just no way that even dovoting a whole day to this room could be enough time to completely clean and organize that space. That is why we need to start with a plan of attack. That way, when we get a chance to tackle that space, we have prepared and can tackle it in no time.

The "Plan"

First, sit down and make a list.

What is this room and or space supposed to be for? (Nursery, storage, guest bedroom, etc.) It;s important to establish what you want the space to be used for, that way you can properly assess what needs to be in there and whats got to go.

Prepare for organizing.

Make sure you've got plenty of garbage bags (in my case, lot's and lot's.) It's time to think about what to throw away, sell, keep, or donate. Also remember to purchase whatever kinds of bins, boxes, or baskets you will need to keep everything properly organized. There are so many great organizing options out there, you just have to find the one that works for you and your space.

If you are properly prepared to tackle "The room," you just might be surprised how fast it gets done and how well it all turns out. Like they always says, "Those who fail to plan, plan to fail."

HGTV.Com has some great organizing tips, so check them out for more help.

Don't forget, if its a really huge project, don't go it alone!

Day 26 - The "Junk" Drawer

We all have one. The "junk" drawer that everything random goes into. Mine is actually a cabinet in my kitchen (okay, I have a cabinet and a drawer!).

It's the drawer you go to when you are looking for batteries, light bulbs, keys, and other things you need to find but don't know where else to look. It's the place that many have newspaper clippings, photos, recipes, and screws. Wouldn't it be nice to have that drawer cleaned out and organized?

Today is the day to do it.

Let's go:

• Dump out the drawer.
• Throw away everything you don't use or realistically won't use.
• Sort - What doesn't belong in there? What do you want to stay?
• Get or make a drawer sorter and put things in it in an organized fashion.
• Dance a happy dance that it's done!

Check out Home Made Simple for more great drawer organizing tips!

Drawer organizers by Space Savers.

Find anything you've desperately been missing?

Day 25 - The Medicine Cabinet

31 Days to Clean

First and foremost, let me apologize for getting this post up so late. I have been so darn tired as of late with growing baby number three, and my brain seems to have shut down. I am going to try and work on my posts at night so that I can have them up and ready for you bright and early. Now, let's begin, shall we?

Today's challenge is to clean out, organize, and refill your medicine cabinet. This will actually be somewhat fun if you like rearranging and sorting. I don't know why, but I really enjoy this sort of thing.

Here's what you should be stocked up on:

The conventional list:
* two pairs of sterile gloves
* sterile dressings to stop bleeding
* cleansing agent/ soap and antibiotic towelettes to disinfect
* antibiotic ointment to prevent infection
* burn ointment to prevent infection
* adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
* eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as a general decontaminate
* thermometer: non-glass and non-mercury
* prescription medications
* prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies
* scissors
* tweezers
* aspirin and/or non-aspirin pain reliever

Other things to have handy:
* chlorine bleach
* vinegar
* salt
* essential oils
* zinc-gluconate lozenges
* fresh garlic (go here to find out why)
* mouthwash
* elderberry extract
* ginsana
* paper masks

Thanks Laura for this list!

Have fun!