August 2004
Dear Friends,
The “dog days” of summer are certainly upon us and I hope you are enjoying summer with your family. We’ve just had a delightful week with three of our grandsons visiting and now the house seems all too quiet.
Ladies often ask me how to
better organize their day and all the many tasks they need to do. It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed and frazzled, isn’t it? Sometimes I have this uneasy feeling that there is something important I am forgetting to do. With so many things to remember and so much swirling about us all day, how can we get a handle on our household duties?
There are
three questions that I ask myself each day that help ensure the necessities get done:
Do we have food to eat?
Do we have clean clothes to wear?
Have I brought peace to my home?
Let’s look at each of these. Just for today, is there food in the house for all the meals and snacks? It’s best to have your menu planned ahead for the week, but if you haven’t done that, don’t get overwhelmed or bogged down. Deal with today! What are we going to eat today and do I have everything I need? If not, write a list and go to the store.
Does everyone have clean clothes for the day? It’s best to ask yourself the night before so you have time to get a load washed and dried if needed. Schedule times during the week to wash towels and sheets and then wash clothes on other days so you don’t end up with such a huge mountain of wash. I used to wash all the sheets on Saturdays but that can tie up a big part of your Saturday when there are other family activities. I still wash one set of sheets on Saturday, but do others on a different day of the week. Create a schedule or routine that works well for you. When you have a system for getting the wash (or anything else) done, life goes much smoother.
The third question has two aspects. Have I brought peace to my home? First, do I have peace in my heart? Do I exhibit that calm and quiet spirit that is so precious to God? See I Peter 3:4. I must confess, the Lord is working with me on this one! I am thankful He is so loving and patient. His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9) for my every need. When we spend time with Him daily, and frequently during the day turn our heart and mind toward Him, we will find a place of calm and peace in His presence – regardless of what is going on around us.
Second, is there peace and order in my home? Our God is a God of order, not chaos and confusion. It’s difficult to feel peaceful if everywhere we look around the house there is clutter and mess! This does not mean our homes must be “neat as a pin” but it does mean that things are organized and put away so we can find what we need without wasting time sorting through piles of clothes, toys and other belongings!
We lead by example. Have a place for everything and put things in their place when you’re done with them. Train the children to do the same. After teaching preschoolers for 26 years, I know this training takes consistent effort and time. I had twenty or more children – all preschoolers! – in one room with all sorts of toys and materials to keep in order.
Young children are easily overwhelmed with too many choices. Put out just a few toys and teach the children how to care for and put away each one. When they do that successfully, add a game or toy, but don’t leave out too many. Rather, put some away and rotate them. That way the children always have something “new” and take care of what they have.
Perhaps getting your home in order seems like an impossible task! Chip away at your goals. Don’t try to whip everything into shape in one day or even in one week. Set realistic goals and take pride in what you can accomplish, rather than “beat yourself up” for the things you can’t get done. Maybe, today, all you can do is clear off the top of the dresser, or teach the children how to hang up all their clothes. Do that and rejoice! Tomorrow tackle another manageable project.
Asking yourself these three questions each day will help you stay on track. Yes, there are other things that need to be done, but concentrate on the essentials. Family life will run more smoothly if you take care of these three areas each day.
Often we are frazzled because we simply are doing too much! I know it’s hard to say “no” sometimes. It takes real self-control and effort to know you limits and stick to them.
Fall is nearly upon us with school and many other activities starting up again: football games, soccer practice, youth group, music lessons, scouts, 4-H…. the list can seem endless. A little advance planning will help make dinnertime easier on busy nights.
Here’s a quick tip: Buy 5-10 pounds of ground beef, or whatever you can afford. Crumble it into the frying pan, cook it and drain it. Bag one pound of cooked ground beef in a gallon freezer bag (don’t use storage bags). Label with the date and contents and freeze. The bags will lay flat and take little space. For a quick dinner, heat the meat with spaghetti sauce and serve with pasta, or use the meat to make sloppy joes, or as filling for tacos or burritos. Cooked ground beef is the main ingredient in many casseroles or Hamburger Helper and you’ll have it ready at a moment’s notice if you cook and freeze it ahead of time. A little planning now will pay big dividends later and, if you buy the meat when it’s on sale (watch the grocery ads in the newspaper), you’ll save money, too!
My friend, Rebekah Wilson, has just come out with a new
sewing book for young children. “Grandmother’s Hope Chest” is a delightful storybook with directions for hand sewing a cute hot pad. The sweet color illustrations will warm your heart as you read about Lucie and her grandma as she shows her granddaughter the special treasures in her hope chest and then teaches Lucie, and you, how to make a simple project of her own. The book has simple, clear directions and illustrations and is designed as a mother-daughter project for those with no sewing experience. A real treasure! Go to Rebekah’s site,
www.hopechestlegacy.com and click on Grandmother’s Hope Chest.
Next month, more about sewing. I’ll give some tips on how to start your children on the sewing machine and with hand sewing. Until then, may the Lord richly bless you as you serve Him in your home.
Until next time ~
Yours in Him,
Copyright, 2005, Laurie Latour.
www.FutureChristianHomemakers.com You may make one printed copy for your own personal, private use. FCH leaders may make one printed copy for each person in their group. Copyright line above must be included in all copies. Permission for any other use must be requested in writing.
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