"House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD." Proverbs 19:14
The word prudent that is used in the verse above has a LONG meaning in the Bible. Here is the link for further study: click here. The dictionary meaning for prudent is "wise or judicious in practical affairs; sagacious; discreet or circumspect; sober."
Continuing on from a previous blog post: "my tips for an clean orderly home". :D
#5 De-clutter and Condense
Something that I recently learned is condense the excess. We are all richly blessed with way more than we need or can possibly use. It's hard to enjoy it all when we have so much stuff! So I went through my closet and got rid of all the old clothes and too-big clothes that I had or styles that I just didn't like anymore. I also went through my daughters' toys and brought it down to a minimum state. It was refreshing to have a smaller laundry load and a more manageable toys pile-up.
#6 Pick up after Yourself
Everyone in the house needs to learn to pick up after themselves. When my daughters play with the puzzles, they can't go on to another activity until they have put them away. When we finish eating, the girls stick their dishes into the sink.
Now, sometimes, I do pick after my husband or my children, and that's okay, too. He might be helping me with caring for the kids or the girls might be needing to move on the next task.
It helps to take a minute and pick-up so that the clean house is maintained. :)
#7 One Section (at a time)
When updating or organizing, pick one section in the house. Maybe work on the playroom and rearrange toys for easier access. Maybe organize the kitchen cupboards for better efficiency or rearrange under the bathroom sink and cabinets.
When you are done with one section, move on to another one the next time you have some free time. Keep a list of sections to work on and check them off. Keep it a small task that can be down in 15-20 minutes. This is taking a big project and putting it into bit-size pieces. :D
#8 Keep Containers/Boxes/Baskets/etc!
I keep ALL my containers and boxes! It helps me reuse things rather than buy new. I'm always reusing "Nancy's" yogurt containers for something... like pens and markers! :) When you have things in boxes or containers, it makes life so much easier!
Hope this tips will help you in your own home management. Share a few of yours if you have a moment! Thanks. :D
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Monday, April 20, 2015
Emotions
"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance." Ecc. 3:4
Emotions means " any of the feelings of joy, sorrow, fear, hate, love, etc."
Drama queen means "a person who often has exaggerated or overly emotional reactions to events or situations"
My Personality:
If you look up my name, you would discover that it means "youthful". If you were to look it up in Russian, the word is similar to a "whirligig" toy... that describes me accurately. Throughout my youth, my emotions would fluctuate frequently... even daily! The teenage years were the hardest for me. I hit puberty and my emotions spun out of control. I was on a continuous emotional high and then would hit a dramatic emotional low (This was not fun!). A cycle that never seemed to slow to a calm steady pace....
There was a point when I wanted to quit being a girl and wanted to be a guy. I hated my emotions. I thought why did God create women with such wild expressive emotions?
Emotions are Good:
No, really, they are! They are important. Emotions help us identify with others who are hurting or going through pain. We can sense their heartache and sorrow. We are able to understand ourselves and our closest family members better. Emotions help us to express our own joys and happiness.
We are able to connect quickly (accurately) with other women by:
#1 Building strong friendships.
#2 Encouraging the hurting.
#3 Comforting the sorrowful with strength.
#4 Praying with empathy and compassion.
Good Ways to Express it:
#1 Quality Time
If you are a parent, spend time with your children and give them time to express their emotions to you. Some do it through verbal cues; others do it through non-verbal cues. Allow them to open up to you even with the silliest of things; they are building trust with you. This helps children discover how to express sadness or frustrations correctly. (Titus 2:4-5)
We are training our girls to express if they are happy, sad, or frustrated. We want them to let emotions out rather than bottling it up until it explodes. ;)
If you are married, communicate and share your emotions with your spouse. Share emotions even when it's difficult or uncomfortable. This helps them to understand you better and to know how you feel about certain things. Wait for the right time and the right place, if possible. Pray before speaking. :)
#2 Write it Out (Privately)
If you are a teenager or young adult, you are going through some of the wildest emotions you will experience and.... all before noon! (No, seriously!) This is okay and normal. Your hormones are ever changing. My suggestion to you: write it in a personal private journal and spill it all out.
(Don't share your emotions with the world... Your emotions change, remember? "Yes, I'm happy... no, wait, I'm sad... nevermind!")
#3 Pray unto Your Best Friend
Since our emotions can be unpredictable, pray for God to stabilize them, teach you how to control them, or to give you insight on why you are feeling a certain way. Seek answers of your emotions in God's Word. Sing in moments of frustrations or sadness or whatever emotion you might be feeling! God can lift you up if you ask Him! (Psalm 62:8)
REMEMBER it's okay to be more emotional than men. God made us women with a wider and more expressive range of emotions. That's a good thing (just do it the right way). We should be thankful and appreciate it!
(Some verses on emotions: Phil 4:7-8, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 139:23, Prov. 17:22, Ecc. 7:3, Prov. 4:23)
Emotions means " any of the feelings of joy, sorrow, fear, hate, love, etc."
Drama queen means "a person who often has exaggerated or overly emotional reactions to events or situations"
My Personality:
If you look up my name, you would discover that it means "youthful". If you were to look it up in Russian, the word is similar to a "whirligig" toy... that describes me accurately. Throughout my youth, my emotions would fluctuate frequently... even daily! The teenage years were the hardest for me. I hit puberty and my emotions spun out of control. I was on a continuous emotional high and then would hit a dramatic emotional low (This was not fun!). A cycle that never seemed to slow to a calm steady pace....
There was a point when I wanted to quit being a girl and wanted to be a guy. I hated my emotions. I thought why did God create women with such wild expressive emotions?
Emotions are Good:
No, really, they are! They are important. Emotions help us identify with others who are hurting or going through pain. We can sense their heartache and sorrow. We are able to understand ourselves and our closest family members better. Emotions help us to express our own joys and happiness.
We are able to connect quickly (accurately) with other women by:
#1 Building strong friendships.
#2 Encouraging the hurting.
#3 Comforting the sorrowful with strength.
#4 Praying with empathy and compassion.
Good Ways to Express it:
#1 Quality Time
If you are a parent, spend time with your children and give them time to express their emotions to you. Some do it through verbal cues; others do it through non-verbal cues. Allow them to open up to you even with the silliest of things; they are building trust with you. This helps children discover how to express sadness or frustrations correctly. (Titus 2:4-5)
We are training our girls to express if they are happy, sad, or frustrated. We want them to let emotions out rather than bottling it up until it explodes. ;)
If you are married, communicate and share your emotions with your spouse. Share emotions even when it's difficult or uncomfortable. This helps them to understand you better and to know how you feel about certain things. Wait for the right time and the right place, if possible. Pray before speaking. :)
#2 Write it Out (Privately)
If you are a teenager or young adult, you are going through some of the wildest emotions you will experience and.... all before noon! (No, seriously!) This is okay and normal. Your hormones are ever changing. My suggestion to you: write it in a personal private journal and spill it all out.
(Don't share your emotions with the world... Your emotions change, remember? "Yes, I'm happy... no, wait, I'm sad... nevermind!")
#3 Pray unto Your Best Friend
Since our emotions can be unpredictable, pray for God to stabilize them, teach you how to control them, or to give you insight on why you are feeling a certain way. Seek answers of your emotions in God's Word. Sing in moments of frustrations or sadness or whatever emotion you might be feeling! God can lift you up if you ask Him! (Psalm 62:8)
REMEMBER it's okay to be more emotional than men. God made us women with a wider and more expressive range of emotions. That's a good thing (just do it the right way). We should be thankful and appreciate it!
(Some verses on emotions: Phil 4:7-8, Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 139:23, Prov. 17:22, Ecc. 7:3, Prov. 4:23)
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Weak
"Let the weak say, I am strong." Joel 3:10b
Weak means "not strong; liable to yield, break, or collapse under pressure or strain; fragile;
frail."
Heading into a Storm:
Weak means "not strong; liable to yield, break, or collapse under pressure or strain; fragile;
frail."
Heading into a Storm:
We have all been in "storms". We are been tried and tested. We have faced trials and frustrations, both from the outside and inside. When it is others who are in the trials, it's heartbreaking to see them go through it. It's hard to be supportive and to know what to do. When it is ourselves, it is hard to smile and stay strong.
HA! When it is both, it's hard not to see the irony and want to cry at the same time.
What to Do during Storms:
*Cling to CHRIST:
We need to hold on to our Saviour. Holding on tightly to the strong tower of our Rock! (Deut. 32:4) He is our Solid Rock. He is our strength. He will be there and never leave us or forsake us. The Holy Spirit will guide and instruct us. (Psalm 18:1-3, 6)
*Cling to HIS WORD:
Read Psalms and the gospels. Claim promises from His Word and repeat them over and over again to yourself through the day! Hearing His promises comforts the mind and eases the stress and frustration of little things. Sing hymns and spiritual songs of encouragement. (Ephesians 5:19)
*Cling to PRAYER:
Don't ever stop praying. Continue to pray and seek God while in storms. (Psalm 86:3) Continue to connect with Christ through daily conversation. Tell him about your frustrations, fears, and annoyances. Don't stop talking to God. Draw nigh to God... and he will draw nigh to you. (James 4:8, Job 16:21)
Reminders:
Be patient. We tend to rush and want things to be solved immediately, yet
the Bible is filled with verses about waiting on the Lord. Wait. Stop looking for solutions and just wait. Storms do not last forever. Wait. (Psalm 130)
Do what's right. While you wait, do what God is telling you to do. Obey the commands He has given you in the Bible. (Deut. 11:27)
Yes, we are weak, but God is ever strong. Yes, we are weak, but God is able to carry us through each storm. Yes, we are weak, but storms strengthen us.
~ Don't forget the classic children's song. It's encouraging to sing. ~
"Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; they are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me."
HA! When it is both, it's hard not to see the irony and want to cry at the same time.
What to Do during Storms:
*Cling to CHRIST:
We need to hold on to our Saviour. Holding on tightly to the strong tower of our Rock! (Deut. 32:4) He is our Solid Rock. He is our strength. He will be there and never leave us or forsake us. The Holy Spirit will guide and instruct us. (Psalm 18:1-3, 6)
*Cling to HIS WORD:
Read Psalms and the gospels. Claim promises from His Word and repeat them over and over again to yourself through the day! Hearing His promises comforts the mind and eases the stress and frustration of little things. Sing hymns and spiritual songs of encouragement. (Ephesians 5:19)
*Cling to PRAYER:
Don't ever stop praying. Continue to pray and seek God while in storms. (Psalm 86:3) Continue to connect with Christ through daily conversation. Tell him about your frustrations, fears, and annoyances. Don't stop talking to God. Draw nigh to God... and he will draw nigh to you. (James 4:8, Job 16:21)
Reminders:
Be patient. We tend to rush and want things to be solved immediately, yet
the Bible is filled with verses about waiting on the Lord. Wait. Stop looking for solutions and just wait. Storms do not last forever. Wait. (Psalm 130)
Do what's right. While you wait, do what God is telling you to do. Obey the commands He has given you in the Bible. (Deut. 11:27)
Yes, we are weak, but God is ever strong. Yes, we are weak, but God is able to carry us through each storm. Yes, we are weak, but storms strengthen us.
~ Don't forget the classic children's song. It's encouraging to sing. ~
"Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; they are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me."
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Plans Change
"But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper." 2 Kings 5:11
Frustration:
Yesterday, I had a busy day running errands with my girls. After picking up my husband, we went home, ate our dinner, and starting getting ready for church. Although my children and I were dressed for church most of the day, after the meal, the girls needed to be changed and I didn't like what I was wearing and kept changing my outfit.
Understandably, my husband starting getting frustrated. I know being on time is important. I am working on doing a better job of it. :)
We were late... Just as we came up to the first stop sign on the way to church, these teens literally crossed our path. As they walked by, my husband recognized one of them from our bus ministry. He called out to them. It had been raining and was getting dark. They all needed rides home. The two guys, who have never been to church, were extremely grateful that they didn't have to walk an hour up and down hills to go home. Praise God.... things didn't go according to our plan.
What if we left on time? What if things did go according to our plans... we wouldn't have seen them. We would have missed a great opportunity to reach others for Christ. :)
Naaman:
His story is found in 2 Kings 5. He had a plan for how he should have been healed. He wanted it to be easy and quick, so he got frustrated and even mad... that things didn't go according to his plan. "Ugh! I have to do what!? Dunk myself in some nasty water? Really?" When he did it, he humbled himself and gave glory and reverence to God. (vs. 15, 17) Would he have honored God if it was easy or pleasant? Probably not.
So... If Your Plans Change:
If things don't go according to your plan, it's okay. God's plan is better. He has a reason and a purpose for changing your plans. Don't let it bring you down or discourage you, rather trust God and watch to see how God will use it for His glory! (Isaiah 55:9, Prov. 3:5-6, Ecc. 7:8, Psalms 37:23)
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