Tuesday, January 23, 2018

To Change or not to Change , That is the Question.



                   Happy and Blessed New Year!
Hope this post finds you all well.  When I started this blog one of my motivations for doing so was that I was turning 50 in a few months and writing a blog was one of my many goals. I wanted to be  "Fierce Fifty and Fabulous."  It was going to take some work.

About 6 months before my birthday I was reflecting on my life and I was unhappy with certain aspects of it.  As a result, I made some goals to exercise, lose weight and focus on my blessings, the positives in my life.  I am happy to say as I turned 50 early in the month, I was successful in meeting my goals though I am continuing to work on them and some others now as well.   I have established a new life style in which I eat better, exercise regularly and I am happier.
This is the time of year people make resolutions and goals and many people fail at keeping them for various reasons. One of these reasons being is that people don't like change.   We are very much creatures of habit.  Even if people are in a disagreeable situation there are many that  will choose to stay there rather then try to change things to make them better.

Change brings an uncomfortableness, an uneasiness that most shrink back from.  Therefore, many goals or resolutions go unfulfilled and to the wayside.

There is a difference between true suffering and simply not feeling comfortable.  If a goal you are pursuing is causing you great emotional, physical or mental pain then it might be time to reevaluate whether that goal is a healthy, valuable , one to have.

But assuming the goal you have made is a good, healthy and attainable one, expect to be uncomfortable as you try to you pursue it.  What should we do with this inevitable unease?  PUSH THROUGH!  It is the only way to get to the other side.  Tell yourself that this is only a temporary condition.  You aren't going to die.  And remind yourself of the benefits of the goal you are trying to achieve.  There is a pay off (I say sitting here, almost 30lbs. lighter!).

You can do it.  Make 2018 the best year ever!

Friday, January 19, 2018

For the Messy Keeper at Home

“That they may teach the younger woman to be sober, to love their husband, to love their children  To be dscreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”   Titus 2:4-5


     “Keepers at home…that the word of God be not blasphemed.”   Wow, that is a very daunting statement!   It shows the great importance God puts on us, mommas to be the managers of our homes.  While there is many responsibilities of being manager (child raising, meal planning, decorating) I want to discuss the cleaning and maintaining of our homes.

     Keeping up with house cleaning is a difficult task.  It’s a lot of work and often feels like it is never done.  There are some people (and I do believe they are the minority) that have a special gift that enables them to innately know how to maintain and clean a home.  You can walk into their home anytime and it always company ready.    Then, there is the rest of us who do not possess this gift.   We desire clean, and organized homes but have a hard time achieving this goal. It’s just sometimes overwhelming.

     Creating a cleaning schedule and developing daily routines can be a great help.  These tools provide the structure to maintain clean homes.  You can either develop a chore system of your own (sit down with a planner or calendar and get to it) or you could opt to use one of the many systems that others have already created. 

     There are many books and online resources (there are some on Pinterest) that have  ready-made cleaning systems at your disposal.  One very popular online system was developed by Marla Cilley, The FlyLady at the website, FlyLady.net. Her system takes you baby step by baby step to a clean house.  If you join her site she sends you daily email reminders to help keep you on track plus there is plethora of information available on her site, daily routines, advice, even has her own store of cleaning tools.  I find her very helpful and encouraging. 

     There are many other online systems and apps out there as well.  This morning a woman who is the administrator to the Face Book group, Organized Mom shared that she used the app, “Clean My House”, which is available in the Google Store.

     There are plenty of home maintaining books out there.  I have read quite a few myself.  Just now looking quickly through my shelves I found four books by different authors.  You would think that with all I have read on the subject that my house would be immaculate.  But unfortunately that is not so.  You have to do more then read about cleaning systems, either online and/or books, you have to implement them.

     A system that worked well for me many years ago (a system I am currently trying to implement again.) came from an older book.  Not even sure it is still in print but it is still available online.   The book is called, Sidetracked Home Executives:  From Pigpen to Paradise by Pam Young and Peggy Jones (the slob sisters).  It’s a humorous book that explains their 3×5 index card system.  It’s a bit labor intensive to set up (you have to write down every house chore on a separate index card and then you file them in you index box by what day and month you plan to do that specific chore) but it is very adaptable to your own home situation.  (I mention this “card system” in my video about our chores systems that I posted awhile ago.~Jenny

     Having a cleaning system can be very freeing.  You have a plan to get your cleaning done.  You don’t have to worry about when it’s all going to get done.  You just have to worry about the chores you have planned for the day knowing that you have a plan in place to get to that overflowing closet next week.  Also, then there is an end to your cleaning for the day.  Once you have crossed that last chore off your list you can go do something else without any guilt.

     So, it you are having a hard time in this area of being a “keeper at home”, I highly recommend adding a cleaning plan and daily routines into your life.  And if organization and making schedules are not your thing there are plenty of resources and systems out there for you to try.  If you try one and it doesn’t work for you, try another.  Just find something that works for you and helps you fill our obligation of being “keepers at home”.
I wrote this article for 'A Mother's Heritage'.  Check it out, there is a lot of great articles!