Category: One Small success at a time

Bits and Pieces add up to much!

Help Tracy’s Boys

A sweet friend needed help.

I watched over a 24 hour period, G-d moved and people gave.

Some gave a lot and some gave little. G-d used every dollar.

I was so encouraged for several reasons. And my heart became broken, but a good breaking. Softened for G-d to use. Belief that there are people willing to give and give right now immediately.  I feel a kindred spirit, a connection to those who share my heart though we haven’t spoken and some of us have never met in person.

Many times you may want to give for a cause, but feel that you don’t have enough. You don’t realize that your amount of anything means a lot. Especially when lots of people get together. Then others, many who can give a lot, see those with little giving what they have, may or may not match you dollar for dollar. Regardless, G-d blesses it! I have so much hope and encouragement in humanity again. The willingness and real love and action to help a fellow-man( Woman).

I have needed help, from time to time. Not necessarily monetarily, but sometimes it has been a struggle. Especially that year darling was laid off and we used up savings. I have needed help with immediate household stuff, when we simply didn’t have the cash to fix it. I refuse to go into debt for stuff and I was too proud to ask from anyone. Even and especially the church. I am so proud of my friend. She did ask she should and allowed G-d to bless her through others. EVERYONE benefits when we work in this way. When we allow G-d to bless us in this way, we allow his blessings to touch others. It really is a blessing to give and help others!

Stepping out of our comfort zone. It is easy to sit back and complain. It is more difficult to give up a part of yourself and admit you need help. Not a pride thing but more of a self-confident thing. It is not a weakness to need help. I am realizing, there are seasons of life. Most of us go through all of them at some time.

Casting Crowns-Voice of Truth

Spending Summer Decluttering: A Reflective Post

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I can not believe how fast the summer has flown. School will be starting again soon.

I am still working on getting my house in order. Being a neat freak and having a chronic illness has been very challenging. Some days all I can do is maintain. Meaning, I do dishes and laundry.

I found “The Flyday”, many many years ago. I adapted my own cleaning schedule by her influence. I read her books. I wanted to learn how to keep my home clean with small children and not spend ALL my time cleaning. I really enjoy spending some time with my children. I also want a clean house!

Years ago, I had been ill for months. We did not really know what was making me so ill at that time. It was another one of those… I’m just surviving times.

A dear sweet lady from my church, the daughter of one of my favorite Pastor emeritus,came over and helped me declutter. I had been in the hospital for  awhile. She had asked if I needed someone to bring food over. At that time, we had lots of food in the freezer. It was a regular habit of mine to batch cook meals.  I had frozen and canned tons of food also from our garden. Our freezer and deep fridge were well stocked. All we had to do was take out  a meal from the freezer and put into refrigerator  or straight into the oven.
She asked me what I really needed. I said someone to help me wade through stuff that piled up when I was incapacitated. No one here  touches it, so I have a mountain every time I get back on my feet. She came over several times and spent the entire day helping me make my house a home! She did not ask for anything. She just wanted to bless me and my home. Rebecca and Marcus have been more than a blessing in our home and life!

Today I am sitting in a different clutter.

I’ve spent the past months going through my stuff, kids stuff , I haven’t finished yet. I’m working around normal daily stuff like cooking and cleaning, taking son 1 to work, checking on online bills, getting exercise in, and caring for my little boys.

If I can just get it to spotless… I can maintain! My routines are doable and easy to incorporate the boys into.

If ,I get super sick again, I’ve budgeted to hire a person to clean for me.

I don’t ever want to have this mountain to attack alone again.

May is coming to an end: (loaded picture post)

It has been a super busy month for us. We have ended our 2013-2014 Classical Conversation year and I have already begun prepping for the 2014-2015 school year.

The BSF year has ended also. We begin a new bible study year in September 2014.

Mother’s Day:

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Kayla graduated with her Associates Degree from CPCC. We attended her graduation and dinner.

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She’e wearing gold sash for the honor society.

Johnny turned 2 the day after graduation.

 

Jesse, my long time baby, turned 6.

Ronnie had a birthday on Memorial Day.

Senior Breakfast is Wednesday and David is graduating on Friday.

Kara leaves Saturday, to go far far away for a new life inTexas.

 

 

One Small Success at a Time

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I love Danielle’s idea of remembering our small accomplishments.

I have long list and lofty ideas of what I should get done daily or even hourly. I can easily feel defeated by not thinking I am using my time wisely or accomplishing much. When sitting down to peruse what I actually get done, I have a more objective eye and sense of accomplishment and am less hard on myself. This is much needed for me. I don’t have a circle of homeschooling moms nearby for encouragement, so I tend to listen to the false ideas that the enemy gives me. It is commonplace in our culture to devalue homemaking and raising children.

Thank you Danielle for encouraging a time for self reflection, even in the small accomplishments.

Here are my small successes for this week:

1. I decided to do the old Lenten Challenge 40 bags in 40 days. I have already put 4 bags and a box of stuff(toys and clothes) to give away in the back of my van.

2. I have been encouraged by a counselor to take 15 minutes each day to do something that encourages me, just for me. So yesterday I gave myself a pedicure without guilt. So today, despite the rain and clouds ,despite my hair that has fallen due to the rain and weather, I still feel feminine and beautiful today just from that one little thing.I feel this is helping m be a better more encouraged mom today.

3. I make copies of Sunday’s Sermons on CD for our church. This is the first week in a month, where there were NO errors made by me. Sometimes the alignment is slightly askew. No one has complained to me about it, but I tend to be perfectionist about everything I do. I am very hard on myself. Last week I decided, okay I am human, I am doing my best, this week I was more relaxed about the entire procedure and I did a better job than I have done in awhile.