So, it has been a while since I've posted and many things have transpired over the past two weeks. One of the biggest reasons for my silence was originally the slow computer. We went from a 2007 laptop that quit to an old 2003 that someone had given us and I was struggling. Then, recently, we were blessed (litereally out of the blue gift) with a new laptop and my husband has since resumed school work, so I haven't had a chance to enjoy. The other big obstacle has been, I'm trying to live with right priorities. I am trying to stay to a schedule and make better use of my time. That has meant waking early and keeping busy and being too tired to blog at night. I have to bring order into my life now, because I am feeling the need to raise consistent, hard working young men who will serve with joy. I also need to break the bonds of laziness. I have been busy preparing my homeschooling schedule and a house cleaning schedule and soon, I believe, I will begin making those infamous slow cooker freezer bags that everyone I know keeps talking about. You just buy your groceries and when you get home, put the raw meat, sauce, seasoning and veggies right in a big freezer bag and put it right in the freezer. Every morning, all I have to do is take one out, put it in the Crock-Pot, turn it on and keep it moving. I love it.
Ok, so in this case, I'm speaking to disorganized, somewhat lazy home schooling moms like myself who are THROUGH with the way things haven't been working. I put together a binder with printables. You can search the web and find many printables. Many of the printables came from www.donnayoung.org/forms/. She has lovely weekly planner pages, as well as menus and everything you need. I am a visual person, so I searched out a menu that was a bit more my style. I am homeschooling multiple children, so I may use the weekly forms as daily, that remains to be seen. I printed a Goals sheet to set some benchmarks for myself for our History because I tend to cover the essentials and that gets partial coverage. But I buy the comprehensive, more expensive curriculum and love it, so I'm determined to do it well. We find that if one thing is done well, another suffers, such as the clean house. Well, I have an answer for that. Just Mommies has monthly cleaning calendar at http://www.justmommies.com/articles/home-organization-plan.php. It is very helpful. A simple calendar can be found at www.timewarpwife.com. It is easy to follow, assumes for major daily cleaning of one room per week with some minor, daily upkeep. I've used both, and I love both, so both are in my binder. You may also consider a supply list, a Bible reading schedule, a daily schedule for mom and kids. I have older children as well as younger, so I have attendance charts and a yearly calendar. I also have a place to schedule field trips. I am picky and have decided to be thrifty. That means I am not purchasing a professionally done planner this year.
Finally, I have to say that none of this matters if you don't spend some alone time with the Creator. I am sincerely striving daily, to meet with Him first and ask for His grace and His mercy. I am learning that I need all of His love in order to love my children. I need His control, in order to show self control. I must ask for His fruits of righteousness so that I may have them in my day. How can I encourage if I am not encouraged? How can I love without having a double dose of His love? Where am I accessing these qualities I need to have that my actions may honor Him? You cannot expect a great day and spontaneous organization to come from within you if you've never asked God to put it there. Ask each day and it shall be added. He is faithful. Jesus said, "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Luke 11:9 NIV) Also, If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5 NIV) Then finally, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33 NIV)
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