Double-Duty

As school routines and busy schedules start with full force, moms often find their personal free time is gone.  Unless a family has the extra funds to hire housecleaning help, there are also a lot of necessary but time-consuming little tasks that will have to be put on the back burner until the next vacation.

As a homeschooling mom of four kids who is a freelance writer, editor and speaker involved in ministry, it’s a rare day where I find myself with nothing to do.  Like most of you, I find myself putting some of today’s to-dos onto tomorrow’s list.  However, there is another way that I have learned and would like to share with you. It’s a plan to do Double Duty!

Talk Time – Keep a basket of goodies ready for when you need to be on the phone.  Your basket should include a rag, a Magic Eraser™, dust cloth and spray and Windex.  While you chat with a friend or wait on hold, spend the time wiping down cupboard fronts, dusting knickknacks, wiping scuffs off the floor or fingerprints off doors.  It’s amazing how much cleaner your house will look after a long talk on the phone.

If everything in your house is clean, and your basket of goodies has nothing to offer you (I only wish!), open a junk drawer or cupboard and start organizing while you catch up with a friend.

Mail & Magazine Moments – A big time waster is going through mail and reading magazines when you should be doing something else.  Pick up a nice wicker basket (ideally with a lid) and an extra rectangle wastepaper bin for your bathroom.  When the mail comes in, take it directly to the wicker basket.  Every time you visit the bathroom, take time to look at one or two pieces of mail.  Put the envelopes and ads into the wastepaper bin immediately.  If you need to keep any information, take it out of the bathroom with you and put it away – write the check or get it ready to mail if necessary.

The bathroom is a great place to read a paragraph here or an article there.  Reading even a small amount each bathroom visit will allow you to read about one book per month.  Limit yourself or you might end up with what my family has affectionately called the Red Ring of Reading Award!

Fridge Fling – While you wait for the coffee to brew, your dinner to finish up, or even your ride to show up, fling open the fridge door and start wiping.  Put everything on one side of a shelf and wipe it down.  Then move it all to the opposite side and wipe.  It only takes about 3 minutes to wipe down one fridge shelf well. If you have to stop suddenly, just close the door.

Take-Along Tasks – Even as we try to schedule things to flow as smoothly as possible, there are times we have to wait.  Lessons, doctor appointments, and lunch breaks, can be perfect opportunities to work on tasks that will save us time in the future.  Here are some ideas:

A four-sided nail file and buffer or a little manicure kit is perfect for those short waits.

Bring along a box of envelopes and put your return address on them so they are ready to go.  Be sure to bring along a roll of non-denominated postage stamps.  These stamps never get old and never need to have their first-class postage upgraded – even when there is a postage price hike.  In Canada ask your postal service worker for Permanent Stamps.  In the USA ask for Forever Stamps.  In other English-speaking countries you may need to ask for NVI (no value indicated) stamps.

Take along a box of Christmas cards and start addressing them in September.  If you start now, you will even have time to write a personal note in each one and have them ready for the mail by December 1st! 

Keep a notebook in your purse to make shopping lists. 

While you are making lists don’t forget to make a list of what you’d like for Christmas or birthday gifts.  I find moms have lists for everyone else but have no idea what they really want or need.  Use some wait time to do a little dreaming.

 I’m sure you’ll think of many more ideas as you start doing double duty.  What I love the most about doing double duty is that by evening I have free time to hang out with my family because all the little tasks have been taken care of.

What Happens When I Talk to God? The Power of Prayer for Boys & Girls

With millions of prayer books sold, Stormie Omartian is well-known for her Power of Praying books for adults. Now she has branched out to share her passion for prayer with children. She believes, “It’s never too soon to teach a child to pray.”

What Happens When I Talk to God? is written for children aged 3-7 and is intended for adults to read to their children or grandchildren. In this appealing, easy-to-read book, each two-page spread includes thoughts about prayer along with colorful artwork by Shari Warren. The illustrations show children of different races hugging a pet, swinging, and other activities.

In a child-friendly way, Omartian explains what prayer is, when we can pray, why we should pray, and suggests things to pray about. She emphasizes that we can talk to God anytime, anywhere, and about anything. And as we talk to God, we get to know him better.

Children will learn God is their friend and loves to hear from them whether they are happy or sad, have done something good, or need to ask forgiveness. He wants to help them, cares about what they care about, and understands how they feel. They also learn God always hears them whether they whisper, talk aloud, or only pray in their minds. He accepts their prayers whether long or short, prayed alone, or with others.

Omartian encourages children to pray with others and for others. She assures them that although they are small, their prayers are big in God’s eyes. Each page of text ends with a prayer, and the book concludes with this prayer: “Thank You, God, that You are close to me right now and You love to hear me pray.”

I look forward to reading and rereading this book to my grandchildren. It expresses God’s truth and unconditional love in simple ways they can understand. I agree that you can’t begin too soon to teach children to pray. Do you have young children in your life? If so, consider this book to help you teach them to pray.

Stormie Omartian, author
Shari Warren, artwork
Harvest House Publishers, 32 pages, 2007

A Sorry Repentance

Molly Evert
Counter Cultural Mom

Recently one of our children refused to share a plastic army helmet with his younger brother. We have plenty of helmets to go around, but this child wanted to save the nicest one for himself.  Little did he know, I had just bought brand new, metal army surplus helmets which were more realistic than anything our boys had ever had before. When I presented the boys with their new helmets, the selfish brother didn’t get one.  He was told to wear the helmet he had insisted on having just moments earlier.

Suddenly, that helmet wasn’t good enough! Now the older brother was sorry he hadn’t shared, and he began to beg his younger brother to take the plastic helmet.  His sudden change of heart was not due to godly sorrow. He believed that if he acted sorry, perhaps he would get his metal helmet. As soon as he found out that he was still going to have to play without the new helmet for awhile, he showed the true state of his heart by refusing to play at all.

Eventually, this child began to feel truly repentant. He now knew how it felt to have to wear the “old” helmet while others had new ones, and he felt bad that he had been unkind to his little brother. His attitude changed, and he was able to enter into the game without self-consciousness about what he was wearing or envy toward someone else. Eventually he was given his new helmet and was truly grateful for it.

We do our children no favors if we allow ourselves to be duped by a display of tears or the word “sorry” when it does not spring from true repentance over sin. All children will express sorrow when they are disciplined, but this kind of repentance is aimed only at getting their privileges restored. It can be hard to hold out for true repentance, but the real thing is worth it.

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 1 Corinthians 7:10

My Busy Day

Do you ever feel overwhelmed in life? Do you sometimes wonder how you are going to keep all those balls juggling in the air? And, if you drop a ball–well, it won’t be pretty.

There are many pressures on us as moms. Usually, we are the ones who keep up with the homework schedules, lessons, practices, games, lunches, meals, activities, cleaning the house, volunteering at our child’s school, being balanced–not to mention those actively involved in ministry–and some of us top it all off with a lpart time job. Should I even mention adding a hobby or exercising?

Okay, I’m already tired!

Jesus promises in His Word that He will never give us more than we can handle. If we have taken on too much we cannot blame Jesus for that one.

My prayer for you today is that you will stop before your schedule even starts. Ask the Lord for peace instead of stress and strength instead of fear. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you what you need to do this day. Sometimes we just need to lower our To-Do list expectations.

The Lord knows what you have to do and does not expect you to carry it alone. He is with you. Ask Him to help you order your day, to give you joy in the mundane dailies of life.

Psalm 16:5-11 (New International Version)

5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
11 You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Visit Celeste’s blog at celestebarnard.blogspot.com

Legacy

Dawn Hays

When my mother was seven, she fell and was unable to stand again.  She had contracted polio, and her left leg was irreparably damaged and paralyzed.  She spent a year homebound, relearning to walk, and was limited in many ways.  She could, however, play the piano.  Her hands sailed across the keys, and it felt so freeing.

Soon she was able to walk again with the aid of a brace and returned to school.  Her peers teased her.  Her teachers told her she could not learn like other kids because she was “crippled”.  Some told her she would never marry or have children.

In those discouraging times, she poured her heart into her music. Polio had taken her mobility, but the Lord had given her a special talent. She could serve the Lord with gladness as she played, and this reminded her of God’s faithfulness.

Years later, a family visited the church where she served as the pianist, and the eldest son enjoyed the music.  After the service, he complimented my grandmother on her daughter’s abilities.  My grandma must have seen a spark in his eyes and sent him to compliment the pianist herself.  He did.  Two years later, they married.

My father would not be the only fellow to fall in love with my mother and her piano playing.  Thirty-one years later, her first grandson was born.  He has always loved listening to his “Nohnie” play and recently began taking lessons from her.  They have a wonderful time together as his precious hands follow hers.

How thankful I am that what could have been a story of despair is instead a legacy of faith.  I pray that the Lord will continue to bless her as she passes her gift of music and love for the Lord to my son.

The Value of Motherhood Podcast

Moms often struggle with the question, who am I as they spend their days investing in everyone else. This message by Molly Evert will encourage you to see the true significance in a seemingly mundane job.

Everyday Ways to Choose the Better Part

Two things most women wish they had more of are time and energy. From being Super Business Woman to Super Mom to yes–even Super Christian, we secretly yearn for a Superman to rescue us from our too-much-to-do in not-enough-time days. We all know the answer lies in spending time with the Lord. If we know this, why do women struggle with it? Same two issues–time and energy.

Everyone is in a season of life with different demands upon our time and energy. Whatever your season–young mother, empty nester, caregiver–recognize, embrace, and work with it.

First, think in terms of blocks of time. Move past thinking in hours , think in increments of 5, 10, and 15 minutes.

Second, become pro-active and creative in your relationship with the Lord. Jesus said Mary “chose the better part.” We have a choice too–a choice to rush daily through or to spend time daily with the Lord. Choice also includes variety–prayer and Bible study does not mean a certain spot at a certain time.

Third, leave nothing to chance or the famous phrase, “if I can find the time.” Spending time with the Lord is the most important time in our daily lives–more important than brushing our teeth and we’d never consider it okay to go without that on a daily basis. Why do we find it okay to go without prayer?

Now, with resolve in place to intentionally carve out blocks of time, here are everyday ways to choose the better part:

Put together a portable prayer / Bible study basket or tote. As a young mom, my basket sat beside my rocker, a place where I spent a great deal of time. Take along the basket for car line or during your lunch hour at work. In the basket place a journal, Bible (easy to read translation such as The Living Bible), a daily devotional (The Updated My Utmost for His Highest), Christian book in an area of interest and a pen. In the morning read the devotional for the day and pray.

During the next block of time, read from your Bible and pray. In the following block of time, journal for a few minutes and so on. Take pockets of opportunity all throughout the day to pray. Jesus is real and He isn’t giving gold stars to those who journal the most or read their Bible in a year. He is looking for those who want to spend time daily getting to know Him better.

Technology can help: IPODs / MP3s, the internet, and radio are creative ways to ‘choose the better part.’ Download praise and worship music along with sermons to your IPODs / MP3s. If life is too hectic to sit and read — put your earplugs in and listen! A good site for online teaching is www.oneplace.com. Two favorite online radio stations are KLOVE (music) and WWEV (music and teaching).  Visit church or ministry web sites for sermon and conference downloads, many of which are free.

Life is busy and change happens daily to our schedules and to-do lists.  It’s all about not leaving the “better part” behind when a change is made. Make time with the Lord a daily priority. Look to the Lord and He will guide you in finding what works best for you and your schedule.

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Lord, like the virgin Mary, help me to be utterly willing for You to use my life in whatever way You choose. This year I want to have a very “Mary” Christmas.
~ Vicki Huffman
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