laundry advice {and more} from Kim

 

Kim Brenneman is back at blogging it appears :-) 

 

Sharing since I enjoyed the graphic’s {Kim’s} real-life humor.

Click here to visit her blog!

{She is the author of this book…}

focus

Courtesy of Crystal Paine at Money Saving Mom...

For 99 cents I bought an e-book today:  21 Days to a More Disciplined Life by Crystal Paine.  It's on sale through Friday.  If you want, you can read the original series of posts at her blog that became the content of the e-book.

Now, which rabbit?

Thoughts for Young Men

 

Would you believe I found this beloved little book by J.C. Ryle ONLINE?!  It must be public domain ~ You can read it here!

That makes it all the easier for me to share part of what Tim read to us last night from the section “Special Rules for Young Men”

 

RESOLVE, BY GOD'S HELP, TO SHUN EVERYTHING WHICH MAY PROVE AN OCCASION OF SIN.
It is an excellent saying, "He that would be safe from the acts of evil, must widely avoid the occasions." …

This, too, is one good reason why worldly entertainments are so objectionable. It may be difficult, in some instances, to show that they are, in themselves, positively unscriptural and wrong. But there is little difficulty in showing that the tendency of almost all of them is most injurious to the soul. They sow the seeds of an earthly and sensual frame of mind. They war against the life of faith. They promote an unhealthy and unnatural craving after excitement. They minister to the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. They dim the view of heaven and eternity, and give a false color to the things of time. They take away time for private prayer, and Scripture reading, and calm communion with God. The man who mingles in them is like one who gives Satan an advantage. He has a battle to fight, and he gives his enemy the help of sun, and wind, and hill. It would indeed be strange if he did not find himself continually overcome.
Young men, endeavor, as much as you can, to keep clear of everything which may prove injurious to your soul. People may say you are too conscientious, too particular, and ask where is the great harm of such and such things? But don't listen to them. It is dangerous to play tricks with sharp tools: it is far more dangerous to take liberties with your immortal soul. He that would be safe must not come near the brink of danger. He must look on his heart as a barrel of gunpowder, and be cautious not to handle one spark of temptation more than he can help...

~ John Charles Ryle (1816-1900)

 

I hesitate to share how I am thinking I should apply this admonition in my own life because I do not wish to start a controversy.  Yet that’s pretty wimpy, isn’t it?

I have been called a wimp before this.  But here’s a hint.

giveaway at The Modest Mom

Kim Brenneman has been one of my favorite bloggers for y.e.a.r.s. ~ Long before I got the notion to join the bloggin' world myself.  And she's even from Iowa  =)

As a homeschooling mom of many, she has leaned a LOT about managing her household ~ and doing it well for God's glory (and everyone's sanity).

Vision Forum recently published Kim's book Large Family Logistics, which looks like a beautiful hard cover gem to be shared and passed down for generations, if the Lord should tarry.

I was delighted to see that a copy of Kim's book will be given away at The Modest Mom.  While you're there, check out their blog and website ~ especially if you know a young mom looking for beautiful skirts, maternity and otherwise  =)

to do, or not to do

Not the work everyone else gave me to do;
not everything I thought I should do;
not everything there was to be done.

I'm almost intimidated by my blog after that last post!  How am I doing with keeping "First Things First"?  I'm still uncertain of what exactly is on my God-given To Do List, although there's plenty I do know He has put on my plate.

So, the 'brag' list of sorts:

• daily Bible reading
• monitoring/tutoring kids and schoolwork
• meals - supper is in the oven -- which is why I'm allowing myself to chat with you
• laundry - skipped today since the dirties were not delivered to the laundry room, but our Mt. Washmore is still a prairie-sized bunny hill - and easier for me to manage than skis  ;-)
  
• T-Tapp - twice this week {pat, pat!}

Areas to improve:

• sleep - hmm, not quite there yet on the 'early to bed, early to rise'  [confession: last week I stayed up watching 5 hours of Masterpiece Theater's Cranford online in one sitting  :o  ack!  but oh so fun.]
• prayer time is the other area so easy to neglect  :-(
• helping Tim (somehow -- I can't put roof trusses on the house or undo water damage to the plywood floor... or heal the sick calves -- See why I should be praying more?!)

More perceived needs:

• catch up the computer bookkeeping before it's time to file taxes :p (definitely not what I count as the most wonderful time of the year...)
• sewing - remember the pile of flannel for sweet baby blankets?  The pile of denim is at least as heavy and needs to become skirts and culottes for my girls.  Miss Artist and I are/were going to make several heat pad thingies as well... (actually SHE has kept up with schoolwork this month, so is making one THIS week!  yAy! for her)
  
• after chasing all over the house to remember (find where I've recorded) birth weights for all of our children, I'm reminded of the way-behind projects of baby books and photo albums
• not to mention all the cupboards, drawers, and closets that need a very thorough purging with hopes of better organization -- one of my life's goals (fantasies?) is "A place for everything and everything in its place"  ha ha ha....  

Well, Tim is home already.  Time to be an attentive wife - or at least let him use the computer.  =)
First, here's a peek at one of my Christmas gifts from him -- I'd better save some for tax season!

Ciao!

first things first

I have glorified thee on the earth:

I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

John 17:4

Not the work everyone else gave me to do;
not everything I thought I should do;
not everything there was to be done.

At each season of life, we need to stop and say, "Lord, what is your agenda for my life this day, this season?  What are your priorities for my life?"

There IS time in every 24 hour day to do everything that is on God's "to do" list for my life, for that day.  There's time in my lifetime to do everything God has assigned to me.

Are we being purposeful and intentional in the way that we spend our time?

God's order of what matters most:  spirit, soul, body.
We naturally tend to reverse the order.

{{...I am finally sharing my summary of First Things First, a series by Nancy Leigh DeMoss on Revive Our Hearts...most of this is directly quoted from the transcripts...}}

---P-R-I-O-R-I-T-I-E-S--- 

P = Pray

Pray for wisdom and strength to know and to do God's agenda.  Grace to deal with the inevitable pressures.

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, 

that we should not trust in ourselves, 

but in God which raiseth the dead...

2 Corinthians 1:9

O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear;
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.

R = Review & Receive God's priorities for our lives

The Number One Priority is our relationship, our walk with God.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 

and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  

Matthew 22:37

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; 

and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

And he [Christ] is the head of the body, the church: 

who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; 

that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Colossians 1:18

Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part...

Luke 10:42

Nancy's father had a motto, "No Bible reading, no breakfast."

Relationship with God means that I need to make time in His Word, time in prayer, time in meditation and time with God's people.  If I'm too busy to cultivate my relationship with God, then I'm too busy.  Something is wrong and something has to change.  Ask God to show you through His Word what is His job description for your life at this season of your life.

For me as a wife and mother, my Number Two Priority is my relationship with my husband.  My third priority is my household -that's my children and our home.  As these priorities are in place, then I can find time for outreach, for ministry to the poor and needy.  (See Proverbs 31 and Titus 2)


I = Inventory

Stop and think about what our priorities really are and what our schedule really is like.

Make a list of all current responsibilities.  Keep a time log for a week.  What you find may surprise you.  Evaluate each activity --
Does it contribute to, or help me fulfill, the priorities that God has established for my life and for our family?
Am I doing these things for the right reasons?

Is God pleased?

O = Order 

We want to learn to order our schedule and our activities according to God's priorities for our lives, for this season of our lives.  Determine what is really important, and then live your life accordingly.

If we don't make our priorities determine our schedule, then our schedule is going to determine our priorities.

Have you seen the illustration where you fill the jar with the big rocks first, then many of the smaller ones can find room as well.  If you put the small rocks in the jar first, you won't have room for all of the big ones.

Put the first things first.

Order my steps in thy word...

Psalm 119:133

R = Resist "the tyranny of the urgent"

In his little booklet by this title, Charles Hummel says that the problem isn't that we don't have enough time; it's really a problem of priorities.

"The important tasks rarely must be done today, or even this week, but urgent tasks call for instant action."

We need to learn to recognize the difference between what's urgent and what's important.

Are we busy?  Busyness is not a virtue.  The question is: Are we busy doing the important things?

We have to learn to discern which interruptions are from the Lord and which are not.

And I sent messengers unto them, saying, 

I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: 

why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

Nehemiah 6:3

I = Input

Get input from other people.  Did you ever stop to ask your husband to help you with your list of responsibilities, to help prioritize that list?  Be willing to listen to counsel, and to be accountable to others as they give input.


T = Take advantage of the time God gives you.

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Ephesians 5:15-21

Foolish people live for the moment without thinking about the future, but wise people are always making decisions in light of eternity.  Foolish people live for themselves, but wise people live for the glory of God and for others.

That doesn't mean we can never relax or have fun.  But when we are having recreation it should be intentional.  It should be for a purpose of a higher priority.  That's why you have to know - what is the season of life, and how can I take advantage of the moments God has given to me in that life?



I = Identify time robbers.

What are the time robbers that are sapping my energy, robbing my time, and keeping me from doing the truly important things in life?

Television, novels, catalogs, email, internet, telephone,... people, children's activities?
"What are God's priorities for our family?"

Bad attitudes - moodiness, complaining, whining, and an ungrateful spirit?

Ask God to help you approach your tasks with joy and in the fullness of His Holy Spirit.  You'll find that your day really does go further.

Plan your day, but then ask the Lord to direct and control those plans.  Learn to be discerning and wise.


E = Experience this season and this moment fully.

Whatever it's time to do right now, do it with all your heart.  Be focused; be all there.

Ask God as you're in whatever the season is to make you a woman of joy, a woman who is full of the Holy Spirit and who enters into whatever experience God has given you at that time.


S = Sabbaths

We need to take periodic time-outs - time to get refreshed, to regain perspective, to reflect, to evaluate where we are, to reprioritize as needed, to make adjustments in our schedules.

Regain your perspective on a daily basis, on a weekly basis, and periodically, throughout the year.

Being in the center of God's will is what is really refreshing.  So make sure that you are taking those moments here and there of sabbath rest, to stop and ponder what God is doing in your life and what He's saying to you.

S = Sensitive and Surrendered to the Spirit of God

Let God direct your day.  The Lord really can be trusted.  Trust Him in relation to the interruptions.  Trust Him in relation to the opportunities.  Yield yourself to Him.

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

May our lives testify to the peace and the order of the Christ who lives within us.  

May our lives bring glory to God.

***With all due credit to Nancy Leigh DeMoss ~ series titled "First Things First" from January 2007.***