A Virtuous Woman

From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty-Five The Eight Laws of Health Scripture Memory: “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Genesis 1:29 In the garden of Eden, before sin, God created Adam and Eve in His image. They were perfectly formed. They were strong and beautiful. And they were vegetarian. Obviously, in a world without sin, nothing would die and no one would eat meat. We will all be vegetarian in heaven! You can download the .pdf version of this article here. The Creation Diet leads to good health, a longer life, and more energy. For instance: Live 8-10 years longer than meat eaters. Lower cholesterol. Decreased risk for Diabetes. Decreased risk for heart disease – America’s #1 killer. Less risk for Colon cancer. And the list goes on and on… The Eight Laws of Health 1. Nutrition – Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, or even cutting out meat completely, will promote good health, more energy, and a longer life. 2. Exercise – It is so important to get up and get moving! Exercise for 15 – 20 minutes at least 4 times a week to loose weight, strengthen your heart, and have more energy! 3. Water – Your body is made up mostly of water. When you do not take in enough water, your body dries up and cells begin to die. A healthy body is a hydrated body. Water cleanses the body by helping to eliminate waste and toxins. Drink 1 ounce per two pounds of body weight every day. 4. Sunshine – Spend time outside in the sunshine every day. The morning hours or the late afternoon hours are ideal. The sunshine provides needed vitamins and elevates your mood. 5. Temperance – Self control is so important in every area of life. Temperance means having a healthy balance between working, resting, faith, eating and drinking. It also means using self control to choose not to do things that are harmful such as drinking alcohol, doing drugs, or having promiscuous sex. 6. Air – Breathing fresh air is essential to good health. Breathing deeply fills the body with oxygen and can help to relax you when you are tense. 7. Rest –First, sleep is very important to maintain a healthy body. When you are exhausted and run down, you are more likely to get sick. Ideally, adults should get 6 – 8 hours of sleep every night. The hours before midnight are the most beneficial. Second, when God created the world, he sanctified the seventh day as His holy Sabbath. He knew how much we would need that time to rest away from the world and come to spend time with Him. By resting on the Sabbath, you will receive a Sabbath day’s blessing. 8. Trust in God – By trusting in God, we will receive the blessings of God. People of Faith are calmer, happier, and live longer that those who do not trust in God. Ask God today to help you care for your health in a way that is pleasing to him. You will live a longer, happier life! Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty-Four A Schedule Check-up Scripture Memory: “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.” Psalm 29:11 Download the .pdf version of this article. By now you should have your kitchens clean. If you have not had time to finish the kitchen, which was a huge job (I know!) I want to encourage you to set a day this week and complete the project before continuing. Today, I want you to get out your schedule again and let’s look at it. What is working? What isn’t working? What do you think is hindering you the most? When I look back at my own struggles with working out a schedule and sticking to it… I realize that for me, it was often hard to keep a schedule for more than one reason. Reason #1 – A Lack of Self-discipline. For those of you who are not naturally inclined to being organized or who are prone to laziness, this will be your greatest challenge. As you tweak your schedule, don’t overdo the details. You will only frustrate yourself if you try to be detailed in your planning. Begin by setting aside chunks of time for certain tasks, but do not plan in 15 minute intervals. As you make your loose schedule a habit, you can incorporate more details one at a time. Reason #2 – Too Much to Do. This is a hard one. I recently found myself in this position. Actually, I often find myself in this position. As a homeschooling mom, a pastor’s wife, writer, and Director of A Virtuous Woman, it is easy to get overwhelmed by everything I need to accomplish on any given day. My solution is to schedule only the basics and do what I can to work the rest in. I keep my children on a schedule and work around them. When I follow my schedule, I often find myself with small bits of free time to sit and relax during the day! Evaluate your schedule and make changes as needed. You can sit down and do this any time you feel that your schedule is not working well. It is not set in stone. As your life changes, so you will your schedule! If you feel like you’ll never get it right, trust that God will pull you through. If you struggle, if you fall off track, if things go wrong one day or many – just keep picking up where you left off and start over. As we continue to clean the house, make it your priority each day to keep the areas we have covered clean before you go to bed. The kitchen should be your priority. If you are only able to keep the kitchen clean for now, don’t sweat it! Feel proud of yourself as you go to bed each night with that clean kitchen. Thank God for His power that is working in you to create the home of peace and calm you have always wanted.  Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. How is your schedule or daily routine going? What are you struggling with? This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty-Three Exercise Scripture Memory: “She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.” Proverbs 31:17 Download the .pdf version of this article.   Yesterday, we talked about water and how essential it is to our health. Today we are going to talk about the importance of exercise. Exercising is one of the most important activities we can do to improver our health and the quality of our lives. Knowing that we need to exercise is not the problem. We all know we need to exercise. The problem is our own lack of self-discipline. We have talked about self-discipline over the last few weeks. Exercising, for most of us, is just not on our top ten list of Fun Things to Do With Our Time. I have gone from being a skinny Eat-Anything-I-Want sort of girl to being a Watch-Everything-I-Eat sort of Woman. It has not been a joyful experience. But I have learned a lot about what it means to take care of my health. When I had no issue with my weight, I had no real desire to be fit. (Yes, it is possible to be skinny and in bad shape.) So, whether you are as skinny as a rail or could stand to lose a few pounds, exercising is something you can do for yourself that will really make a difference in your life and maybe even the lives of those around you. So, how do we find the will power or self-discipline we need to get moving 6 days a week? First, we go to God and ask for the strength and the motivation we need. Your Heavenly Father wants you to be healthy. You can trust that He will help you. Each day, as you wake up early and go to your prayer corner for your time with God, ask for help in this area. Add it to your prayer list. Be faithful to pray for yourself! There are a few things you can do to help get motivated: #1 Find a friend to exercise with. Having a partner to experience the joy and the pain of getting fit can really help! If you don’t have a friend who wants to get in shape, advertise! Place an ad in your local paper or post flyers at the park, library, and/or grocery store. #2 Use a program you can enjoy. Join a group or start one! Pilates, Aerobics, or Strollercising are some fun ways to enjoy getting in shape. See what your area has available. #3 Purchase workout clothes that make you happy. I love working out in my good looking yoga pants and matching tops. Instead of looking frumpy in a sweatsuit or sloppy shorts and t-shirts I can look stylish while I workout – even though I workout by myself. Workout clothes that are designed for exercising are comfortable to move in and will keep you cool. Yoga pants stretch and move with you. If you are comfortable and look good you will be more likely to keep it up. #4 Get a puppy. Walking is one of the most effective and easiest forms of exercising. I love walking my Labrador Retriever every morning. He makes it fun! Walking is also a good time to reflect on what God has planned for your day. Enjoy the nature around you! #5 Exercise with your children. My daughters love to exercise with me. They gain a healthy body image and get in shape while developing a good habit that will serve them well as they become adults. Exercising daily should be a priority. It doesn’t have to take long. A 15 minute walk each day is enough to help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol, prevent heart disease and more! We all have 15 minutes. Just schedule it in. Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. Do you struggle with finding time to exercise? Have some tips for the rest of us? Please share! This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

  From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty-Two Living Water Scripture Memory: “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? …Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:10-14 Download the .pdf version of this article. Part of being a homemaker is caring for the health of our family. Health is something precious. Often though, we take for granted that we will always be healthy until one day we realize we aren’t. Health, how we take care of ourselves, is an important part of our faith. In the Scripture Memory above, we are told that Jesus is the Living Water. By drinking of Him on a daily basis, our spiritual health will be renewed each day. A major part of this challenge has been making our prayer time a priority each day. Notice again what Christ said, “…the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” When we focus our eyes on Christ; when we drink from His cup everyday, He tells us that it will be like a “well of water springing up” into everlasting life! This spring never dries up! It is always there for us to drink. However, it is up to us to go to the well! Water is essential to life. Just as the Living Water is vital for everlasting life, pure water is essential to our bodies for life on this earth. Without water our bodies dry up and begin to slowly die. Water helps to cleanse our bodies of waste and toxins. It feeds our cells to rejuvenate and moisturize. Drinking water can even help you lose weight! You have heard, I am sure, “drink 8 glasses of water a day.” This is good, but there is an even better formula for discovering how much water you should drink each day. Take your weight and divide the number in half. This is how many ounces your should drink each and every day. For instance, if you weigh 130 pounds, you should drink 65 ounces a day. With this formula you can also figure out how much water your children should drink! A 50 pound child should drink 25 ounces of water each day. When you do not drink water, your body retains water and you actually end up feeling bloated and weighing more than if you drink the proper amount each day. I have known young people who drank only sodas or coffee. It is terrible for your health! Without water, your body is not able to cleanse itself of all the bad stuff it doesn’t need. By drinking water you will reduce and even prevent illnesses. If you are not used to drinking water, or don’t really like the taste of water, you will find that the more you drink, the more you crave. Very much like our morning devotions – the more we pray, the more we look forward to praying! What I like to do is add fresh lemon or lime juice to my water. It makes it so refreshing and I just love the taste! Also, tap water is really not something you want to drink. I suggest purchasing spring water or a water filter. We get our spring water right out of a pipe in the side of the mountain. If you live near a spring in the mountains, check to see if a free source is available. In the morning, a nice ritual to have is Lemon Tea. Simply cut a lemon in half and each half into halves or fourths. Pour almost boiling water over a piece of lemon in a mug. Allow it to steep for about five minutes and drink! This is very beneficial to your kidneys and is cleansing to your body. To help you in your goal, you can get a nice large jug or bottle and put your name on it. Fill it up each day and work toward drinking it all. You can even buy fun sports bottles for your kids. Fill them up in the morning and challenge them to see who can drink it all! Ask Jesus to fill you with the Living Water today… and everyday! Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. Do you have a trick for reminding yourself to drink water every day? P.S. If you aren’t already using my This is My Life Planner to keep yourself organized, I wanted to let you know that there is a place each week to keep track of your water intake! This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty-One Picky Eaters Scripture Memory: “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself.” Ezekiel 4:9 Download the .pdf version of this article. Oh, the joys of motherhood. Cooking supper in your pretty apron with your hair fixed and a sweet helper washing the dishes as you go… Oh, wait – this is real life! I don’t know about you, but supper time can be stressful. I enjoy cooking for my family. I really work hard to prepare healthy meals that look and taste good. Unfortunately, there is always at least one child who is less than thrilled with the menu. Whether it is Emily’s dislike of broccoli, James’ dislike of eggs and mayonnaise, or Sarah’s dread for coleslaw, it seems out of five kids the only nights everyone is thrilled is when I make spaghetti. Children who are allowed to eat only the foods they really love grow up to be adults who don’t like vegetables. Over the years my children have grown to love greens, salads, spinach, and asparagus. Emily is even beginning to like broccoli! Our taste buds change over time. Not only that, but you can retrain your own taste buds by eating foods you don’t care for on a regular basis. Some foods that my own mother did not serve – which I grew up disliking – were beets, mushrooms, olives, asparagus, sauerkraut, spinach and more. I am happy to report that thanks to my husbands encouragement, I LOVE all of these foods now and cook them frequently. Children should not be allowed to waste food. I can’t count the times I have attended a potluck dinner and watched as children piled their plates high with good food only to throw most of it in the trash minutes later. God is not honored by our waste. Children need to learn that food is a blessing from God. Part of being a good steward is eating the food we are provided and avoiding waste as much as possible. My children know when we go to a potluck or eat at someone else’s home that they are to politely eat what they are served. Teach your children about nutrition. Let them help you choose healthy foods at the grocery store. Tell them why you do not eat certain foods or why some foods should only be eaten in moderation. Teach them how to properly care for their bodies. More importantly show them by your own example. More Resources 5 Tips for Transitioning to Healthier Eating 10 Ways to Transition to Healthier Eating 125+ Healthy Lunch Box Ideas {Printable List} 3 Healthy Snack Ideas Juicing for Health Family Meals Around the Table Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. How do you encourage your child to eat his or her veggies? This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty Setting the Table Scripture Memory: “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Revelation 19:9 Download the .pdf version of this article. I love the verse above! Just imagine the very first time we sit before a feast with Jesus! What a celebration it will be! Just imagine the love and joy you will feel. Now, I want you to think about your own dinner table. What is the atmosphere like when your family sits down to eat? Do you regularly eat together around the table? Or does everyone grab a plate and run for the TV? Perhaps you find yourself to busy to cook and dinner on-the-go or fast food is the standard fare. We have already discussed the importance of eating healthy, well-balanced meals. I want to encourage you to continue planning meals that your family will enjoy and meals that will provide the nutrition you need. I also want to encourage you to slow down and set aside the evening hours for family time if you have not already done so. Sports activities, extra-curricular activities are not always worth the time commitment they require. Children grown up sooo fast. Let your children be children, let them have free time after school for running and playing. And give yourself the treasure of being with your kids. Children who eat at the dinner table with their parents on a regular basis are less likely to get involved with drugs and alcohol less likely to be overweight or struggle with self-esteem issues There is a saying the kitchen is the heart of the home. I would say that the dinner table is where it really happens. Food brings a family together. Memories, priceless memories are created. And the family bond is strengthened. When you sit down together, is your table filled with clutter pushed to the side? Do you avoid sitting together because of clutter? If so, today, I want you to make it your mission to clean up your dining area. If you have more than one area for eating (breakfast nook, dining room, etc.) clean up and clean out these spaces so that only items related to eating are present. I love decorating my table with table cloths. I have a large stash of cloths for every season or occasion. I generally purchase my table cloths on clearance at the end of a season. This way, I never spend more than a few dollars on beautiful cloths. Otherwise, they can be very expensive! Do you have a centerpiece? The options for centerpieces are endless. In my dining room, I currently have a large, beautiful bowl that my sister-in-law had made for me in Italy. It has a fruit theme, and the verse, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. In this bowl I have my collection of cloth napkins. You could place a bowl filled with fresh fruit – green apples or lemons are especially pretty. You could place a potted plant in a basket, or pick flowers from your garden. Whatever you choose, make it pretty. Candles add a warm inviting feel to your table. You can change your centerpiece for the season, or for the occasion. What about your dishes? Are they cheap and ugly? Do you serve the children on old plastic plates that are scratched and unsightly? Your family deserves the best you can give them! If you begin to collect tablecloths, don’t save them for special occasions for fear that they will be stained. Use them! Place mats can also provide a fun look to your table. Because place mats and tablecloths are often colorful, I like to use plain white or cream colored plates. You can purchase plain dinner size plates at import stores for only $2 – $3 a piece. Instead of purchasing many sets of dishes, use the plain white dinner plates as your base and then purchase bowls, salad plates, and dessert dishes that you love! By placing a pretty salad plate on top of your white plate when setting the table, you can have an entirely new look without spending hundreds of dollars on new sets of dishes. Flea markets and antique stores are often good places to find vintage dishes that you can dress up your table with. You may also want to consider using cloth napkins. You can make your own quite easily out of fabrics, find vintage napkins at flea markets, or shop the clearance racks frequently to find good deals. Setting a pretty table is worth the extra effort it takes. And really, if you are able to enlist your children’s help, it shouldn’t take but a few minutes to make your dinner table look extra special. Your family will appreciate the thought and care that went into the planning, and your husband especially will feel like a king when he comes home every evening to a well-prepared, well-thought out dinner.  Click to Listen How do you set your table? What is one of your favorite memories from around the dinner table?   This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Nine The Creation Diet Scripture Memory: “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Genesis 1:29 Download the .pdf version of this article. In the beginning when God created man, He intended for His people to eat a diet of fruits and vegetables. Since nutrition plays such an important role in our health and our overall health often determines how we feel during the day which in turn can either make or break the daily tasks. When we feel good and have lots of energy we work diligently and accomplish more than when we feel sluggish and sickly. A diet full of healthy fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, and nuts will help you to prevent disease and illness. Living foods are always better than dead foods. A vegetarian diet has been proven over and over again to promote long life. Concerns that a vegetarian does not meet nutritional requirements are raised by some, however, by eating a balanced diet and a wide variety of foods, a vegetarian meets the nutritional requirements suggested by ADA and provides numerous health benefits: “It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and phytochemicals. Vegetarians have been reported to have lower body mass indices than nonvegetarians, as well as lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease; vegetarians also show lower blood cholesterol levels; lower blood pressure; and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.” (1) I’ve been a vegetarian since 1998 and I can attest to  the many ways I and my family is healthier and feels better ever since. “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs. “And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king. “Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse (2) to eat, and water to drink. “Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. “And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king’s meat.” Daniel 1:8-15 Here are five health benefits of a vegetarian diet: Reduce or Prevent Heart Disease, America’s #1 Killer. Prevent Cancer. Lose Weight and Keep it Off Live longer – up to 10 years {with a better quality of life} Reduce your risk of other diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, gout, and more. It is not a sin to eat meat, however, you will feel healthier, look better, and will live longer by eating a vegetarian diet(3). If you can’t see yourself giving up meat entirely, I encourage you to plan meatless meals into your diet or incorporate Meatless Mondays (4) into your meal plans for your family’s health. Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. Footnotes: 1. American Dietetic Association, Vegetarian Diets June 2003 (Vol. 103, Issue 6, Pages 748-765), http://www.eatright.org 2. Pulse: n. The edible seeds of certain pod-bearing plants, such as peas and beans. 3. Forks Over Knives: http://www.forksoverknives.com 4. For more information about Meatless Mondays visit: http://www.meatlessmonday.com More Resources 5 Tips for Transitioning to a Healthier Diet 10 Meal Planning Resources for Busy Moms A Healthy Breakfast This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Eight Meal Planning and the Grocery Store Scripture Memory: ”She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.” Proverbs 31:14 Download the .pdf version of this article. Before you can cook a delicious meal for your family, you will need to have a pantry stocked with good foods. You will be able to prepare a wide variety of recipes if you have the basics already in your cupboard. Grocery shopping with small children in tow is not always fun, so if you are able to do this when your husband is able to watch the children, you will be able to get done faster and probably save more money. Another option would be to trade off grocery shopping days with a friends and watch each other’s children on grocery day. You want to prepare for your shopping trip. A good day to plan your weekly shopping is the day you clean out the refrigerator or perhaps the day after. Plan your meals(2) for the coming week. I typically do this a week ahead of time, but you can do it however you prefer. To shop wisely and save more money, when you are planning your meals, have the weekly sales flyer available and plan as many meals around good deals as you can. Make a shopping list of those items that are missing from your pantry. Make a list of those special things you need to prepare the recipes for each meal. Make a list of other items that you will need to prepare desserts and/ or snacks during the week. When planning snacks, think healthy – dried fruit versus candy, baked chips versus fried… Remember that some foods are wants and other foods are needs. Foods that provide good nutrition are the needs! Try to limit the amount of processed and refined foods that you bring into your home. Whole foods – living foods – will provide the nutrition your family needs. When planning your meals you want to think of colors. If your plate is all one color, you are missing out on important vitamins and minerals. For instance, serving sides of potatoes and corn mean serving foods that are similar – both starches. Instead of serving these in the same meal, try serving a green vegetable, a white vegetable and a yellow/ orange vegetable. It can be fun to read cookbooks to get new ideas. You can learn a lot about what foods and flavors work well together by reading recipes. I love to cook foods from different cultures. By offering a wide variety of foods and flavors to your children when they are young, you will train them to not be picky eaters. I believe that children should be required to eat at least a small portion of everything you serve. When I was young, I didn’t much care for turnip greens, but after years of eating my greens, I grew to love them! It is possible to train – or even retrain – your taste buds! Ever heard the term “acquired taste?” This is because some foods do take a certain level of “getting used to” before you fully enjoy them. When planning your grocery shopping, go through your coupons for bargains on items you regularly purchase or would like to try. Use coupons as much as possible, but always compare prices and brands. Store brands very often are as good a quality as the name brand product. By in bulk those items that you use frequently when they go on sale. You can begin using a price book(3) and track sales and sale prices. Planning, shopping, and preparing meals should be a source of joy, of true contentment in your life. By planning ahead, you will know what you are going to cook each day. You won’t panic at 4:00 when you suddenly realize the dinner hour is approaching. Instead you will have prepared a balance meal. You will know that over the course of a week, your family has benefited from a variety of nutritious foods and that their bodies have been cared for. God has given you the awesome responsibility of feeding your family. Embrace it!  Click to Listen Free Printables for Your Household Notebook Pantry Inventory List Freezer Inventory List Blank Pantry Chart {Food Storage} Basic Menu Planner Grocery Price List  Delicious Leftovers {Running List} Extra Resources The Basic Pantry 5 Tips for Transitioning to a Healthier Diet Menu Plans on A Virtuous Woman The Recipe Box Saving Money on Your Grocery Bill Q & A: Living on a Pastor’s Salary Money Matters Here’s an image you can use on your own blog or share on Pinterest or Facebook. {Of course, you are welcome to use the image above as well!!} Thanks for helping spread the word! This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Seven Cooking in the Kitchen Scripture Memory: “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.” Philippians 3:19 (NIV) Download the .pdf version of this article. Do you enjoy cooking? I love to cook. I am always on the hunt for new recipes to try. My favorite shows to watch on TV are on the Food Network! Cooking for my family is very time consuming. Of course, we have five children living at home. The bigger they get the more food they eat. I also regularly feed my step daughter and her family. They live right down the street from us, so we are always asking them to eat with us – sometimes 4 or more times a week! So, there are ten of us regularly around the table. Holidays and other family get-togethers mean cooking for up to twenty– five people! I suppose it is a good thing I enjoy cooking! I think that part of enjoying cooking is knowing how to cook. I mean, it wouldn’t be much fun if I was always ruining a recipe or burning the food. I love to eat, and I know what I like to eat. I am not afraid to change a recipe if I don’t have all of the ingredients. When I left home, years ago, I really didn’t know how to cook very much. I had to learn. If you struggle with preparing food for your family, or if your recipes are the butt of many family jokes, perhaps it is time you really took the time to learn to cook. The foods you prepare and serve to your family – and friends – will leave a lasting impression on them. Food that is lovingly prepared stamps a seal of love on the hearts of those eating it. When people come to my house, they know they will enjoy the food and get plenty to eat. I don’t want anyone to leave hungry! Food is also about tradition. Traditions play such an important role in the day to day interaction of family members. Children thrive on tradition. During the holidays, I always make the same recipes – wonderful cheese crackers, date balls, snowball cookies, spiced pecans, and pumpkin pies. I also incorporate new recipes each year and favorites are repeated. But it is not just during the holidays that your family can enjoy food traditions. Make Saturday night “Taco Night” or invite family and friends over for Dad’s Famous Salsa and Monday Night Football can be a treat. It doesn’t really matter the food or the reason, just that it is familiar and comforting. As a wife and mother, food also plays a vital role in the health of your family. If your children are overweight, if you and your husband are overweight, or even if you were blessed by the “skinny gene,” your heart and health and their heart health is directly related to the foods you choose to serve. If you eat healthy but your husband doesn’t want to, you can greatly improve his health by learning to cook foods he likes in a healthy way. It is possible! Today, I just want to encourage you to really consider what you are preparing for your family every day. It is up to you to teach your children to eat healthy! Whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains are essential to good health. You want to serve indulgent foods in moderation. Processed foods give very little in the way of good nutrition, and should be avoided as much as possible. I recommend learning to cook as much as possible from scratch. If you are unsure of what to do, get a good basic cookbook. Just start practicing! Schedule time each week to learn a new recipe. List areas that you might need to change: Cooking from scratch Eat more vegetables Eat less fat Eat less food Eat regular meals Cut out snacks Cut out late night eating Now, you may be saying, “This is too hard!” I know. It can be a great challenge to change our patterns of eating. Today, I just want you to begin thinking about it. But for now, just think about it. Pray about it. Ask God to help you overcome any struggles you have with your appetite. Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here.  Do love to cook? Do you need to improve your cooking skills? How can you better serve your family in the kitchen? P.S. I’d super appreciate it if you’d share the image above on Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter! Thanks!! More Resources 5 Tips for Transitioning to a Healthier Diet My Go-To Meals for Busy Days 10 Meal Planning Resources for Busy Moms Meal Planning, Groceries, and Busy Days Make-Ahead Meal Planning This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

  From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Six Mopping the Floor and More Scripture Memory: “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:8-10 Download the .pdf version of this article. In the parable of the lost coin, Jesus reminds us that no matter how far we walk away from Him, He is always and will always seek us out. Like the woman who rejoiced when she found her lost coin, all of heaven rejoices when on of God’s children repents and finds his way home. Sometimes, even believers have moments of weakness and regrets. I know how hurt I feel when I realize I was not in line with God’s will. It pains my heart to think of how little my faith can be at times! If it is God’s will for me and you to be keepers at home, caring for, and providing for our families, we are sinning if we are not doing those things we should be doing. I am not talking about those days when nothing goes right or everything seems to work against you. I am talking about day in and day out. God knows what is in our hearts. If we are not keepers at home within our hearts, there is no use in pretending otherwise. We should be rejoicing at the opportunity to serve and minister to our sons and daughters and our husbands. I am sure you have been working hard this week to get your kitchen clean and fresh smelling just as I have. There is nothing like waking up to a clean kitchen in the morning! I want to stress the importance of going to bed with a clean kitchen. It will start your day off right! Today, we will be cleaning the walls, the cabinets, and the floors. If you have children, this is a good day to incorporate them in your tasks. So, get your buckets out, fill them with sudsy water. My favorite all purpose cleaner is Mr. Clean. I use this to mop the floors and scrub walls. If you have wood finishes in your kitchen you will want to use a product such as Murphy’s Oil Soap. Begin with the cabinet doors and the walls. This is a perfect job even for the littlest helper! My favorite product ever for cleaning walls is the Magic Eraser. If you have not yet tried it, you need to! It is even perfect for the two year old who drew crayons on the wall. You can teach a lesson while having your child actually clean the mess! Before mopping the floor you will need to clear the floor of shoes, chairs, baskets, etc. and sweep really well. You can pre-treat stuck on spills with a spray all purpose cleaner. Older children can help mop the floors. The best clean is done on hands and knees. However, you can use a mop. I prefer the Libman mop myself, although, my children often scrub floors for me and I do not let them use the mop. If you are looking for a creative form of discipline try scrubbing floors! The kids will be able to serve their “time” and help with the cleanliness of the house. After each meal, remember to tidy the kitchen. Before you go to bed tonight, put away all clutter, food, and wash any leftover pots, pans, and dishes. Start the dishwasher if it is full. Sanitize your sink and change your dirty kitchen linens for fresh ones. Soak your sponges in the sink with hot water and a little bit of bleach. Make this a part of your nightly routine. If you are new to doing this on a regular basis, you may find you struggle some with making it a habit, but have faith! If you tidy up after each meal, this should only take a few minutes. I have never had to spend more than 15 minutes in the evening preparing the kitchen for the morning if I have kept up with it during the day. If you plan to bake muffins or pancakes or biscuits in the morning, you might want to prepare the batters before turning in for the night as well. Spend a few minutes praising God for the simple pleasures of a job well done and His faithfulness for seeing you through. Click to Listen How are things going at your house? Have you seen improvement over the last month? I’d love to have you visit with me today! This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

  From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Five Cleaning the Stove Scripture Memory: “So let us celebrate the festival, not by eating the old bread of wickedness and evil, but by eating the new bread of purity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5:8 (NLT) Download the .pdf version of this article. Cleaning the Stove Top: Daily: 1. Begin cooking with a clean stove. 2. While cooking, wipe up any spills immediately as is safe. Do not try to wipe up spills if you will risk a burn. 3. For baked on food and grease, use a mild abrasive such as Bar Keepers Friend. 4. Always Wipe down the stove top as part of your daily kitchen clean up. * Cooking at high temperatures will cause food to spill and splatter more frequently.* Cleaning the Stove Top: Weekly: 1. Remove electric burners or gas burner grates and burner drip pans. 2. Place grates and drip pans in the sink. Spray with a fume free oven cleaner or other heavy duty cleaner and let soak. 3. Remove any excess food crumbs or spills. 4. Using a mild abrasive such as Bar Keepers Friend, sprinkle powder over baked on grease (often found around drip pan edges). 5. Wet a sponge or other cleaning cloth. 6. Squeeze out most of the moisture so it is not dripping, but leave very damp. 7. Begin scrubbing until the moisture is gone. Rinse and Repeat as needed until the stove top is clean. 8. Using a clean cloth or sponge, wipe down the entire outside of the stove, as well as under knobs. 9. Raise the stove top to clean underneath and proceed in a similar fashion until the underside is clean. 10. Line with aluminum foil, to prevent this step in the future. If you have already been lining your stove with the foil, simply replace with fresh foil. 11. Lower stove top. 12. Using hot sudsy water and your cleaning cloth or sponge, wipe the walls and cabinets around the stove to remove food and grease splatters. 13. Fill sink with hot water and scrub drip pans and/ or gas burner grates. Rinse. 14. After drip pans and/ or are dry, return them to the stove. 15. Wipe electric burners, while cool, with a damp cloth and return to stove. Cleaning the Oven: Weekly: *If you have a self cleaning oven, you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning. Do not use commercial cleaning products in these ovens.* 1. For non-self-cleaning ovens, use a good commercial oven cleaner. The fume free ones are more pleasant to use. Be careful not to breathe the fumes, wear a dust mask if you need to. 2. Evenly coat the entire surface of the oven. 3. Allow to soak for the recommended amount of time. 4. Wearing rubber gloves, wipe out the oven using paper towels or an old rag. 5. Using a damp cloth, wipe out the stove to remove leftover residue. Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. Free Printables for Your Household Notebook Our Schedule {Days of the Week} – This is for you folks out there who have a different thing going on each day – like me. This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

Brief Update: I’m still in Nashville at the hospital with my sweet girl. She’s made some improvement, but it looks like we may be here for a few more days. I appreciate your continued prayers! She’s had a rough week, but she’s tough and hanging in there!     From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Four Cleaning the Kitchen Appliances Scripture Memory: “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalms 113:9 Download the .pdf version of this article. Cleaning the kitchen appliances. This has to be one of my least favorite jobs! However, it is something that must be done – and done frequently – in order to maintain a sanitary kitchen environment. As part of your weekly routine, schedule a day to scrub and clean the kitchen appliances. Since this involves cleaning out the refrigerator, a good day to schedule this task would be the day before you do your weekly grocery shopping. Some appliances, such as a food processor, a blender, or a juicer should be cleaned and wiped down each time you use them. This prevents the build up of grime and grease. Other appliances are more easily cleaned on a weekly basis. These are the appliances we will be looking at today. The Refrigerator 1. Unplug refrigerator. Manufacturers warn to unplug the refrigerator before washing. Be careful not to splash lights and wires while you are cleaning. 2. Remove food from refrigerator to the counter top. 3. Remove drawers and shelves. 4. Using hot sudsy water, wipe down the inside of the refrigerator. Be sure to clean the walls and inside the gaskets. Work from top to bottom. 5. For nasty stuck on spills, make a paste with water and baking soda. 6. Really hot water may crack glass shelves so be careful. 7. If you have mold or mildew in your refrigerator, use a bleach solution to disinfect. However, using too much bleach will cause the refrigerator to smell like bleach. 3/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water. Do not clean and disinfect in one step. Clean first, and then disinfect. 8. Wash the shelves and drawers with hot sudsy water and replace them when finished. 9. Wipe off any sticky food containers before replacing them in the refrigerator. 10. Plug the refrigerator back in when you are done. Microwave 1. Place a mug filled 3/4 with water inside microwave. 2. Heat water for 1 – 2 minutes. Allow the water to stay in microwave for another minute before removing. 3. Carefully remove water from microwave. You may want to use a towel or pot holders to remove the water. Caution is needed. 4. Remove glass plate (turntable) from microwave and place in a sink of hot sudsy water. 5. Use a sponge or damp cloth to wipe out microwave. Rinse as needed. 6. Wash glass plate. Allow to dry and return to microwave. Toaster Oven 1. Unplug toaster oven and remove crumb tray and empty into trash can. 2. Place tray in hot sudsy water and wash. 3. Brush remaining crumbs from bottom of toaster oven. 4. Use glass cleaner to clean outside of toaster over. 5. Return crumb tray. Toaster 1. Unplug toaster. 2. Empty crumb tray over trash can. 3. Use a sponge and all purpose cleaner to wash the outside of the toaster. Can Opener 1. Unplug can opener. 2. Remove can opener blade and wash in hot sudsy water or place in dishwasher. (You may want to clean this at the end of each day.) 3. Wash outside of can opener with a damp sponge and all purpose cleaner. These tasks may seem mundane, tedious, or plain out right drudgery. However, remember that as a virtuous woman seeking God’s will for your life, that whatever task is at hand is a task to be done with a willing spirit, and a cheerful heart. How would you feel if you no longer had a refrigerator to clean and no way to purchase a new one. Your life would be so different! We can praise God for simple things like refrigerators. Tomorrow we will look at how to clean the stove. For now, pour yourself a cup of herbal tea with lemon and sit back and praise God for a job well done! Tip: If you have stainless steel appliances, use baby oil, mineral oil, or olive and a flannel cloth to buff the stainless steel to a shine after cleaning.  Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. Free Printable “Running List of Leftovers” for your refrigerator. Extra Resources Acrylic Magnetic Frames for Your Fridge DIY Fridge Coasters Press’n Seal in Your Fridge How to Clean Stainless Steel Appliances This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

I have to apologize for not having this post up this morning. It’s been a long weekend. Saturday afternoon, my daughter Sarah called to tell me that she was headed to the emergency room. She was working the weekend at camp and had woke up that morning with pain in her abdomen and by afternoon it was so bad she couldn’t move. Her friend carried her to the car and another pastor’s wife friend of mine drove Sarah to the emergency room. Around midnight we were told she had a kink in her small intestine and would need surgery, so we grabbed the kids a change of clothes and rushed to load the car. Nashville is a good five hour drive from our house and since we drove all night with no sleep we had to take frequent stops. It took us about 6 or 7 hours to get there. And we’re still here. I’ve been staying with Sarah in her hospital room, she’s had a rough couple of days, lots of pain. It looks like we will be here a few more days, and she may or may not have to have surgery – they are trying some heavy duty antibiotics and steroids to hopefully open the adhesion/ blockage in her ilium. This is a Chron’s related flare up and right now we’re just thankful she’s shown signs of improvement today. I appreciate your understanding and for any prayers you’d like to say on her behalf!   From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Three Begin Cleaning the Kitchen Scripture Memory: “And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.” John 20:7 Download the .pdf version of this article. Perhaps you have never given much thought to the verse above. Jesus, our King and Lord, had just been resurrected. What was the first thing that he did? He folded the burial cloth that He had been wrapped in. Here is the Messiah, the One who has just given His life for our sins, and He takes the time to perform an ordinary task. Why? Our God is a God of order. It would have gone against His nature to leave a mess behind. I am suggesting that neatness begets peace. It demonstrates a deeper meaning. A house that is chaotic is not a house that represents the peace and sanctuary that is found in Him. We have discussed creating a routine for your day and setting up a daily schedule. Today we are going to begin the journey of getting your house in order room by room. We will begin in the kitchen. For this week, you should either set aside an entire day, or set aside a 1 – 2 hours a day depending on your needs. It is important to keep the kitchen sanitized and in good working order. Every surface where food might be placed, should be clean and free of germs. Guests will feel better about eating food that you prepare if it is evident that the kitchen stays clean. 1. The best way to get really organized and clean in the kitchen is to pull everything out of your cupboards. From spices to dishes to pots and pans, take it all out. You can do this in sections if you are satified with the arrangement of your dishes, pantry items, and such. Otherwise, pull it all out at once and carefully arrange the items in another room. Go through all of your belongings and decide what you really need. Some things may be appropriate for giving away or for putting in a yard sale. 2. Fill a dishpan, or the sink with hot water. Add a cleaner, such as Lysol, for really grimey messes. However, if your cabinets are wood, painted or stained, you may want to use a product such as Murphy’s Oil. 3. Wash the inside as well as the outside of your cupboards. If you have not done so before, line the shelves with pretty shelf paper. 4. When deciding how to arrange your dishes, keep these things in mind: Place items used frequently within easy reach. Items used every now and again, place on higher shelves. Place items near the area where they are used. Or, place items near the dishwasher to make putting them away easier. Use storage containers, baskets, or drawers to store plastic containers and lids. 5. Store pantry items where you will be able to easily see what you have in stock. 6. Items such as flour, sugar, cereal, dried fruits, oatmeal, etc. store better in jars. In our house, we store our dry goods in canning jars, or other glass containers. We have a set of pretty plaid lids that dress up the canning jars and make them special. For my flour and other large dry goods, I purchased vintage glass canisters and painted the metal lids to match my kitchen. Make your kitchen pretty where ever you can! 7. Once you have cleaned and reorganized your cabinets, clear everything from your counter tops. Spray with disinfectant and scrub dust, grease, and grime from them. Also, wash the walls between the upper cabinets and the lower cabinets. This assignment may take you several days. That is okay! Tomorrow we will continue in our task of cleaning our kitchens. It will feel invigorating when it is complete! In your prayer journal this week, ask God to help you work with willing hands. Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. Extra Resources You can download my “How to Clean the Kitchen” instructions for your household notebook here. Download my “Mealtime Cleanup” instructions for your household notebook here. Of course, I have lots more printables for your household notebook {and more} here! Find hundreds of ideas on my “Get Organized” board on Pinterest. Do you have a favorite cleaning product for the kitchen? Any tips or ideas to help the rest of us? Please share! This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-Two The Sabbath Day Scripture Memory: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11 Download the .pdf version of this article. Today, I want you to reflect again on what God’s holy day means to you. Is it just another day for catching up on chores or do you set aside that time solely for worshiping your Creator? The Sabbath is not just a day for holy convocation. (1) It is a real 24 hour period in which we are called to put aside worldly cares and spend time with God. The fourth commandment begins saying, “Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.” The fourth commandment in all its beauty is still relevant today! One of the most famous evangelists of all time, D.L. Moody said: “The Sabbath was binding in Eden, and it has been in force ever since. This fourth commandment begins with the word ‘remember,’ showing that the Sabbath already existed when God wrote the law on the tables of stone at Sinai. How can men claim that this one commandment has been done away with when they will admit that the other nine are still binding?” (2) By not setting aside the Sabbath as holy, we as Christians lose a tremendous blessing! There are many ways to keep the Sabbath holy and still enjoy the day. The Sabbath is a perfect day to enjoy being with your family while at the same time helping your children to learn more about God. Some of our favorite activities for Sabbath include: Afternoon walks Going door to door witnessing Visiting a park to enjoy God’s creation Playing games such as Bibleopoly or Bible Trivia Have a picnic and feed the ducks The Sabbath should bring you joy! Make a list of things you would like to do with your family this Sabbath. Or Print out this list of “100 Ideas for Making the Sabbath a Delight” here. “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” Isaiah 58:13-14 Footnotes: 1. Leviticus 23:3 tells us: “Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.” 2. D.L. MOODY, Weighed and Wanting, page 47. Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. Extra Resources The Preparation Day The Preparation Day: Part Two A Sabbath Day’s Rest Jesus and the Sabbath What is Heaven Like? My Sabbath Activity Bag Are you on Pinterest? I love, love, love Pinterest. Would you follow me on Pinterest? Here are some of my favorite boards I want to share with you: The Proverbs 31 Woman Free Printables The Homemaker’s Notebook Recipes to Try Get Organized So, have you been inspired to make the Sabbath a delight? This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty-One The Preparation Day: Part Two Scripture Memory: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalms 51:10-12 Download the .pdf version of this article. Last time I talked about the Preparation Day. I focused mostly on preparing our homes so that we can rest and so that our family is blessed by the specialness of the Sabbath. Today, I want to focus on preparing our hearts for the Sabbath. When God created this world, he saw a need, even in the perfection of the Garden of Eden, to give us the Sabbath. It was more than just a day of rest. It was to be a sign – a memorial, or in other words a weekly reminder of how great, a powerful, and majestic our God, our Creator is! (Exdodus 31:17) Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.” (Mark 2:27). It was a gift for us. Has the day of worship come to be a regular day of the week, or is it truly a sacred day when the world is left behind and our hearts and our minds are solely focused on HIM? Too often families find themselves catching up on regular weekday activities after church. Lawns need to be mowed. Cars need to be washed. Laundry needs to be done. What happened to the Sabbath being sacred and holy? Is life so busy that we cannot take one day for our Savior? On the Preparation Day, spend time reflecting on what God’s day means to you. Ask God to renew a right spirit within your heart. It is a time of renewal, it is a time to walk away from the cares and the burdens of this sinful world and bask in the light of His face. By creating a mood of celebration in your home on the Sabbath, you will find an even greater blessing on your day of worship. Instead of making the Sabbath a time of B-O-R-I-N-G, make it a joy! We have a basket of special toys, games, and activities that only come out on Sabbath. I keep a special Sabbath bag full of quiet activities my children can do while sitting in church. Things like lace-up boards with nature scenes or of farm animals, a box a special crayons and Bible coloring pages, Bible story books. I periodically change the items for a fresh experience! Have the head of your household prepare a special prayer for the evening Sabbath meal. Light candles, and read a chapter from the Bible. Sing quiet songs of praise together with your children. Little ones especially enjoy this. The Preparation Day is about making your time of worship, extra special, meaningful, and sacred. Let your week revolve around your worship. You will feel very blessed!  Click to Listen Free Printable for your Household Notebook Do you want to keep your memories tucked away in a journal, but the thought of filling up page after page is overwhelming? I have the solution for you! My {Two Lines a Day “This is My Life” Journal}. Just two lines a day. Write down the most memorable part of each day. Two Lines a Day “This is My Life” Journal Could you do me a favor and pin this image {or the one above} to Pinterest or share it on Facebook? Thanks so much! How do you prepare for the Sabbath? This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

You can find all of the devotions and podcasts in this series here. From Chaos to Calm: Day Thirty The Preparation Day Scripture Memory: “And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” Exodus 16:23 Download the .pdf version of this article. Since the beginning of time, Friday was the Preparation Day. Women would spend Friday preparing for the Sabbath. The Sabbath was to be celebrated and “called a delight.” (Isaiah 58:13) The only way to truly be able to enjoy the Sabbath day is to have our hearts and our homes prepared for a Sabbath day’s blessing. Each week, from Sabbath to Sabbath we should be preparing for God’s holy day. The Sabbath, or the day we set aside to worship our Father in heaven, should be the center of all of our activities – not because we are bound by the law, but because Jesus is the center of who we are. I love how, Yara Cerna Young explains this in her book, Oh No It’s Sabbath Again: And I’m Not Ready! (1) She states: “As Sabbath has become less of a special day, we have grown up with less guidance for how to prepare for it. Role models in this area are few. Whom can we turn to for instruction? … I’m sure the Lord doesn’t want us to miss the blessing we can have from the Sabbath. He knows how desperately we need this important time – especially in such a complicated age! In love, He has given us a weekly reminder of His sovereign power in our lives. Each week we receive one more opportunity to draw closer to Him, one more opportunity to glorify Him. The Lord intended the Sabbath to be a time of celebration, but too many of us are not having fun anymore!” So, how are we to make the best use of our time in preparation for the Day God has set aside just to be with us? The key is getting organized. That is what this challenge is all about! By taking steps to get our lives in order, we will in essence allow more time to prepare our hearts and homes for the Sabbath. In my own home, Friday is the day I do a good portion of my Sabbath preparation. The children and I ensure that all the chores are completed by Friday afternoon. I prepare a meal for the Sabbath to be eaten after church (or for potluck). This way, I do not have to slave over the stove and waste the beautiful hours of God’s holy day. We enjoy having a special dinner on Friday evening to welcome the Sabbath. I put fresh linens on the table and use my best dishes. I even have special Sabbath plates that my little ones love. I love looking at the Jewish traditions to find new ways to ensure my family finds the Sabbath a true delight. As keeper of my home, it is my responsibility to see that everything is prepared and ready for my family. The children do help. I oversee their activities so that they do have a part. The Proverbs 31 woman “looked well the ways of her household.” She was a good manager which means she knew how to delegate the jobs at hand! If your home is in order throughout the week, you will have less to do on Friday. I hate it when we welcome the Sabbath with chores undone. I find it harder to rest! This Friday, see what you can do to prepare for the coming Sabbath. Here are some ways to make the Sabbath evening even more special: Light candles on the table and around the house. Sing a beautiful song together as a family such as “Day is Dying in the West”. Have special nightgowns for your daughters and special pajama’s for your sons. Learn more about the way Jewish people celebrate the Sabbath and incorporate some of those traditionsinto your own Sabbath routine. I had the recent pleasure of learning to make traditional Jewish Challah bread. It was much simpler that I had believed possible! So I want to share the recipe here: Jewish Challah Bread In a small bowl: Add 1/2 cup warm water, 3 tsp. active dry yeast, and a pinch of sugar – set aside. Mix until all the yeast is dissolved. In a large bowl: Mix: 1 cup water or milk, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, 4 tbs. + 2 tsp. sugar and oil, one egg and 3 cups unsifted bread flour (- 1 cup at a time). Whisk the mixture until smooth. Add the yeast mixture. Add 1 cup flour and switch from a whish to a spatula or wooden spoon. Gradually beat until you make a stiff but soft dough. Turn dough out onto a floured surface or knead in bowl until smooth and satiny. It should feel smooth and soft like a baby’s bottom – not sticky. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking. Divide dough into two sections. Divide each section into four equal parts. Roll each section between hands to form a strand about 18 – 20 inches long. Place four strips on a greased baking sheet or parchment paper, pinch tops together, and braid. Repeat with remaining four strands. How to Braid: Sprinkle or rub a small amount of flour on each strand to keep braid from coming together. Begin with right hand strand, place it over second strand, under third, over fourth. Repeat always starting on the right side. When you get to the end, fold ends under pinching together. Rise: Allow bread to rise in a warm area until doubled in size. Tip: place near stove and boil a pot of water to prevent it from drying out. After bread has risen, use a soft pastry brush to brush a beaten egg over the top. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake: Bake in a 350 degree over for 30 – 35 minutes or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. This bread is wonderful served warm with sweet butter. I like to make my bread on Wednesday to allow the yeast to become inactive before eating which I find to be more healthful. I wrap the loaf in foil and warm it in the over before serving. The two loaves represent the double portion of manna that God provided on the Preparation day. God is always faithful to provide what we need when we are faithful to serve him! Your assignment today is to plan for the Sabbath and incorporate it into your schedule. Footnotes: 1. Oh No, It’s Sabbath Again And I’m Not Ready! by Yara Cerna Young is available on www.amazon.com. 2. Visit http://judaism.about.com/od/sabbathdayshabb2/p/friday_evening.htm for more information about how the Jewish people celebrate the Sabbath. Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. Extra Resources Judaism 101: Shabbat Making Sabbath Special Sabbath Kids Activities My Sabbath Bag – Activity Bags for Church Worship Ideas for Family Worship Printable Family Worship Planner: You can download the Family Worship Planner here. How do you prepare for the Sabbath? How can you make the Sabbath more meaningful for your family? This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Twenty-Nine Children and Chores Scripture Memory: “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Exodus 20:12 You can download the .pdf version of this devotion here. This is perhaps one of the hardest lessons a mother will have to learn: teaching your children to be respectful and helpful all at the same time is rarely easy! If your children are still small, include them in your daily chores now so that they will learn early on that it is very important to be a good helper. Praise your children when they do help or offer willingly to help without being asked. No matter how old your child is, he should be required to complete a number of chores daily to help keep the household running smoothly. Children today are given far too many privileges and much too much free time. Make time today or over the next few days to make a family chore chart and assign every member or every child chores. You may want to have rotating chores or you may want to simply change the chores out/ add to them as your child ages. Set Consequences. Do not despair if your child immediately cries foul and seems bent on not doing as you have asked. For a child who is not used to doing chores, there will be an adjustment period. However, it is very important that you do not waiver in your determination to make them follow through. For a child who rebels, you will need to have in place consequences for their disobedience. Do not yell. Do not beg. Do not bribe your children to obedience. The root of all disobedience is a rebellious heart. It is a heart issue! So, determine the punishment for not doing chores and make them clear ahead of time to your child so that he knows what to expect. Follow Through. Part of training your children is working along side of them. If you have assigned your twelve year old son the bathrooms, do not just say, “Go clean the bathroom.” Go with him. Show him step by step how to do it the first time. The second time, go with him and tell him what to do step by step and correct him if he is not doing it right. Continue to check his work every time until you are certain it will be done to your standards (not his) and that you can reasonably expect that he will do his chores in a timely fashion and to the standard you have set. Part of training your children is working along side of them. Click To Tweet If your children are required to put away their clothes, don’t just send them up the stairs to put away their clothing. Explain how you want it done. Do not forget to check that they did it correctly! You will end up with clean clothes back in the hamper if you aren’t diligent! Or the clothes, once neatly folded, will end up crammed into drawers and wrinkled. Even the youngest child can help put away his toys, help wash the windows, or scrub the floors. My children used to fight over who got to mop the floor. I would hand them each a sponge and they would have so much fun. Now that they are older they don’t enjoy it so much, but it was nice while it lasted! Make It Fun! You can make a chore chart on the computer. You can write it out by hand or you can even make a super cool poster with neat stickers and lots of colors. The important thing is that you put the chart in a central location of the house – the kitchen or family rooms are good choices. You may also want to make individualized charts for each child to place in their bedrooms, in the bathrooms, or in their school binders. Training your children today will reap rewards tomorrow! Ask God to show you how best to instruct your children to be hard workers with cheerful attitudes. Training your children today will reap rewards tomorrow!Click To Tweet Click to Listen Press play to listen or click here. Here are a couple of printables for your Household Notebook: Note After offering The Daily Tasks printable yesterday, I decided I should have offered a blank one as well! So here are they are again, plus a list of age appropriate chores for your children. Plus you can find lots more free printables here. Age Appropriate Chore List The Daily Tasks The Daily Tasks {Blank}

  From Chaos to Calm: Day Twenty-Eight The Daily Order Scripture Memory: “Let all things be done decently and in order.” 1 Corinthians 14:40 Download the .pdf version of this article. Today we will be looking at the daily order, or in other words, how you go about your day. When I was younger, I had no idea how to run a household. Many of the things I have learned over the years have come by trial and error. I have found that my greatest enemy has been lack of self-discipline. I believe this to be the case for many women who feel frustrated at home. We have talked about self-discipline in the past and I want to reiterate the importance of learning self-discipline. If this is something you still struggle with, it needs to be at the top of your prayer list! Our Scripture memory for today says, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” God is not a God of chaos. He is a God of order. When you life a life full of order, you bring honor and glory to His name. Think about it. If you walk into someone’s home and there are dirty dishes stacked in the sink, clean laundry covers the sofa, stacks of magazines sit on top of a floor that obviously needs vacuuming… you would think this person does not have their life together. However, if you walk into someone’s home who has their house tidy and smelling like fresh baked bread or cookies and they have a smile on their face to greet you – you know they are doing something right. We have put together our household notebooks so that we have sheets for planning our days. On a separate sheet of paper, I want you to write down the chores you know you should be doing on a regular basis in order for the house to stay clean. There are several approaches to your chores that you can take: 1. Do one room of your house each day: This approach works best if you have a small house. You can divide it up like Monday – Kitchen, Tuesday – bathrooms, Wednesday – laundry, Thursday – bedrooms, Friday – living rooms. 2. You can have certain chores for each day: This works well for a lot of people. This method has stood the test of time. Down through the ages women have had certain tasks for certain days. Monday – laundry, Tuesday – bathrooms & floors, etc. If you have a small family (2 -3 people) it is much easier to do laundry once a week. However, if you are like me (lots of kids) you may find it much easier to simply do two loads a day. If I wait a week to do the laundry it piles up so high I would have to spend 20 hours washing it! I like to have certain chores for each day of the week. My weekly cleaning schedule looks like this: Monday: floors – mopping, vacuuming Tuesday: kitchen chores – refrigerator, stove, small appliances Wednesday: bathrooms Thursday: sheets and linens Friday: baking, dusting, Sabbath preparation. By doing my morning and evening routines religiously each day followed by my weekly chores, my entire house can stay company ready most of the time. I admit there are days when nothing goes as planned or something will come up that takes away my time. However, if I am disciplined, I will maintain an orderly house on a regular basis. So, today as you look at your schedule. Begin to fill out the daily schedule print out and organize your daily tasks. You may want to print out one for each day of the week and go to on its respective day. Or you may just want to allot time for your weekly chore on your one schedule and then have a list of the chores for each day to refer to. However you want to do it is fine. The important thing is that you actually look at it and use it! Oh, and don’t forget to include your morning and evening routines! I want you to practice doing your morning and evening routines so that they become a habit. If you need to, make extra copies of your daily routines, your weekly chores, and place them around the house until this becomes a habit. In a few more days we will be getting ready to deep clean the house so that it can be maintained without much effort, so begin thinking ahead and planning for several extra hours of housework over the next few weeks! Ask God to lead you in your daily schedule. Give your time to Him and He will help you do all things decently and in order!  Click To Listen Press play to listen or click here. Here’s a Printable Calendar for the rest of 2013: April May June July August September October November December More Pages for Your Household Notebook: The Daily Tasks The Golden Rules of Housekeeping Year at a Glance Another Outside Binder Cover Another Inside Binder Cover Here’s an image you can use on your own blog or pin to Pinterest or Facebook. Of course you are welcome to use the image above as well! I really appreciate you sharing!  How do you generally spend your time during the day? What parts of your day do you want to improve?   This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

From Chaos to Calm: Day Twenty-Seven The Household Management Notebook Scripture Memory: “Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.” Proverbs 14:1 Download the .pdf version of this article. Ask yourself this question, “Is there anything you are currently doing or not doing to tear down your household?” Whether it is your critical spirit as we discussed a few days ago, or your procrastinating ways as we mentioned yesterday, everything we do has the ability to tear down or build up our homes. Today, we are going to begin the journey of putting our households in order. There is much work to be done, however, we will be taking it one day at a time! Creating your Household Management Book will take some time, so don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed. It will become your best friend! In your devotion this morning, ask God to help you build your home up in the ways of the Lord. It is not enough, however, to simply ask God to help you if you are not willing to work cheerfully toward your goal. Rarely in this life, is anything instantaneous. If you have a bad habit, it will take time to change it. The good news is that anything is possible with Christ by our sides! Today we are going to put together a pretty and functional Household Notebook. I want this notebook to speak to your personality. So, take a few minutes and look around the internet for pretty pictures that you can save to your computer. There are many free graphic websites and photo sites that are in the public domain. Then I want you to open a text file such as Microsoft Word and paste your photo or graphic into the document. Below that you can type in a favorite Bible verse or other saying that you like. Print it out and place inside the clear pocket of your Binder. If you do not have a clear pocket on the front of your binder, you can simply print it on card stock and punch holes in it for the front of your notebook, or place it inside a sheet protector. Or, if you scrapbook, you could make a pretty cover with your papers and embellishments. I want you to begin printing pages for your notebook. You can find pages for your notebook in the Free Printable section of A Virtuous Woman. Or you can purchase one of my “This is My Life” Planners here. Once you have printed enough for a month, you can punch holes in the pages and place them in you notebook. Your morning and night routines will be key to keeping your home in good order. In fact, the night routine may be the most important part of your day! In the evening, you need to clean up the kitchen after supper. I have found that by having an early supper, I can get the kitchen clean easier. With small children at home, it is imperative that I have time in the evening to clean up. With bath time, family worship, homework, and other activities that go on, the evening can be one of the busiest times of the day for a family. So, by preparing ahead, I can have supper on the table at an early hour and get the kitchen cleaned by 6:30. This leaves me free to do a quick clean up around the main areas of the house, enjoy family worship with my children and prepare them for bedtime. Before I go to bed, I can put away any left over dishes, wipe down my counters and sink and go to bed with a clean kitchen – at a decent hour! In the morning, since I have cleaned my kitchen, preparing breakfast is a breeze and I can easily clean up those dishes in less than 15 minutes. Your Morning Routine should look something like this: Prayer and Devotion. Get dressed. Fix breakfast. Tidy kitchen and sweep floors. Make Beds. Wipe down bathroom sinks. Wash one or two loads of laundry. Straighten house quickly. 10-minute declutter of one catch all space. The above routine, if done consistently, should be completed by 9:00 in the morning at the latest. In your Daily Schedule you can add your other regular chores. We will talk about cleaning the house in a few days. For now, write down those tasks you feel you should be completing on a daily basis and put them into your daily schedule. You may decide to adjust it as time goes on or as circumstances change and that is okay. I am constantly redoing my schedule! The most important task for now is to get your morning and evening routines down pat. If you can do that, scheduling the rest of your time will be much easier. Remember, God is on your side is always available to listen any time you need to a friend to lean on. (or cry on!)  Click To Listen Press play to listen or click here. Extra Resources Learn more about This is My Life Planners here. You can print my basic Household Notebook here. You can see pictures I’ve posted in the past here. The Life Management Binder Free Printable Household Notebook Pages These pages will get you started. Of course, like I said, you can find lots of Basic Household Notebook pages here. Outside Binder Cover Inside Cover Daily Docket Daily Docket {Grayscale} Daily Tasks Our Schedule Our Schedule {Grayscale} Our Schedule {Blank} My Week at a Glance Week at a Glance I’ll share more printables for your notebook tomorrow! Over the next few days I’ll be sharing my current household notebook with you. If you’d like to share your household notebook with me, post to Instagram with hashtag #fromchaostocalm and I’ll follow you! Like I said a few days ago, I simply adore Instagram! Have you used a Household Notebook in the past? My “This is My Life” Planner This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.

The weather has definitely changed here in Eastern Kentucky. It has me longing to bake bread, decorate for fall, and sit by a cozy fire. I love puttering around the house and I’ve been busy the last couple of days cleaning and cooking. It feels nice. After a busy summer it’s special to slow down and enjoy being home more. I also enjoyed canning grape jelly today from the grapes we harvested from our grapevines. What have you been up to? From Chaos to Calm: Day Twenty-Six The Ways of Her Household Scripture Memory: “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27 You can download the .pdf version of this devotion here. Today, we are going to begin the journey of putting our households in order. There is much work to be done, however, we will be taking it one day at a time! Creating your Household Management Book will take some time, so don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed. It will become your best friend! She looketh well to the ways of her household. Proverbs 31:27Click To Tweet Our memory verse for today has two parts. In the first part, we are told that the Proverbs 31 woman looked well to the ways of her household. It does not tell us that this woman, a mother, did everything herself! So, if you were dreading the idea of trying to be Super Woman, have no fear. We are going to learn some simple and efficient ways to run our homes so that our home life is a happy life. The second part of the verse tells us that the Proverbs 31 woman worked hard. She was not lazy and she did not put off til tomorrow what needed to be done today. As women, we are called to the ministry of homemaking. God has given us a specific purpose. We may have many purposes and roles in this life: Wife, Mother, Washer Woman, Chef, Nurse, Chauffeur, Teacher, Coach, etc. Our days as wives and mothers are filled with countless activities, social events, and duties. But our first calling is to our homes and our families. Often, housework can become a burden because when we do not work willing with our hands and put off jobs that should be done immediately. If you leave dishes in the sink to wash and put away later, it will take you twice as long than it would have if you had done it as soon as the meal was over. Folding laundry takes only five or six minutes if you do it as soon as the clothes dryer stops. However, if you allow several loads of clean clothes pile up, it can seem to be a daunting task indeed! Cleaning the carpet as stains happen is much easier than waiting until the whole room is dirty. I am called to the ministry of homemaking.Click To Tweet Procrastination is a “disease” affecting many a homemaker in this day and age. We need to put off those bad habits and arm ourselves with new ways! We want to look well to the ways of our households. We need to develop our self-discipline if we want to be keepers at home. Being a procrastinator is a form of laziness or a lack of self-discipline. Today, I want you to get a sheet of paper and look around each room of your house and write down those things you are not pleased with. Whether it be, stacks of books, clutter, dingy door jams, or peeling paint – write it down. This will be your “go to” list later in the challenge. Next, in preparation for putting together your Notebook you will need to gather these supplies: 3 ring binder with clear plastic window on cover Legal pad White cardstock 3 ring hole punch A box of sheet protectors (optional) In your prayer journal today, I want you to write about your feelings toward your home and housework. Write down what you would like to see happen in this area of your life. Ask God to give you a heart that is willing to work cheerfully. Click To Listen Press play to listen or click here. Here’s an image you can use on your own blog or pin to Pinterest or Facebook. Of course, you are welcome to use the image above as well, and I can’t thank you enough for helping spread the word! This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here.