This House Speaks

What a disaster this previous month seems to have been!  Everywhere I looked these past few weeks there were visual reminders of what I felt was going on in my heart-- cluttered table-tops, laundry baskets full of dirty (and clean-- but unfolded!) clothes, paper and book piles in just about every corner...whew!  You know the verse that states, "...Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks?"(Luke 6:45)  Well, I think maybe the verse could also be stated, "out of the overflow of the heart, the house speaks."

We've all been here before, discouragement sets in and we don't pay attention to the whisperings of His Spirit and so we go on about our days doing this and doing that and we keep wondering why we feel so...so...disconnected and overwhelmed.  Sometimes we "get it" early on and change our ways, sometimes we don't.  Well, after a month of serious disconnectedness (which = overwhelmed-ness, which = discontented-ness, which = self-pity, which = self-centeredness...you can see how this goes!), I've come back to my understanding that I seem to grasp for oh too short a time and I finally sat down with the Lord this morning.  One of my favorite ways to redirect my focus is to sing praises to Jesus while playing the piano.  Some times I use the Scriptures to direct my words and some times I use other people's words & music.  Last night, in my attempt to straighten some of the piles in my corners, I found a folder of Keith & Kristin Getty's music.  These people are truly led by the Spirit when they write music and I often will play their music to comfort my wandr'ing soul so this morning, this is the music I sang and played.  I trust God received it as a humble offering from a child of His who was seeking His forgiveness for forgetting how good He truly is to me (to ALL of us!) and I know the praise for Who He is will be honored.

Here are a couple of those songs for you to enjoy.

Lord, my You be the center of all we think, do, and say and may our lives not revile You, but may they been seen as tesimonies of Your daily, abundant, and sufficient grace.

Momma's Misson of the Month for September:  I failed in all accounts! (That's what I get for thinking I was doing so well!!!!)




October's Mission: To love the Lord through spending time with Him in the Word and allowing His presence to be my focus throughout the daily tasks I have at hand.

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Mama's Mission, September

Hey, fellow Mamas!  So how did you all do?  I think I did pretty good.  Let's see:

* Waking up before kids at consistent time: HALF check (it's the "before kids" and "consistent" part that was a little tricky some days=)

* Daily Time with the Lord: I'd say about 70% of the month I did-- and that's 70% more than in July so, I'm giving myself a CHECK with that one, too!  (Oh, and it was such sweet time I truly missed it when I did not get that done in a day.)

* Kitchen counters cleaned: CHECK!  (sad to say, but this happened like 90% of the time and I don't think that should have happened more than spending time in the Word but...it sure did make every morning go better.)

* Bedroom cleaned before bed: Half Check, and a good one at that.

Overall I feel like I'm in a much better place routine and discipline -wise than i was at the beginning of the month, so although I didn't do all things 100% of the time, I'm giving myself a Mission Accomplished sticker for the month!

I'm feeling a little more routine-like starting to happen around here.  I told several people at my church that we've been schooling for 5 weeks now and I just had the two best days so far=)  At least it's going in the right direction, right?

For this month, I'd like to purpose that I add in exercise to the routine and stick with the three other areas I struggled with and are most important:

1)  Waking up before the kids (if I HAVE to, sigh...)
2)  Daily Quiet Time
3)  Daily exercise (started C 2 5k today=) at least 30 min.

OH-- and one more I find very important to my mental life:

4) get this blog in order! =)




What about you!?!  Drop me a comment and let me know what you are hoping to accomplish this month.

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Mama's Mission Update; Everything For HIS Glory

Even before this latest release from Steven Curtis Chapman came out, I have been able to see a distinct change in my perspective just due to getting into God's Word on a more regular basis.  (I'd say daily, but these last couple days of have been crazy and to be honest, it just hasn't happened!)  But I most noted the change yesterday when I was, for the 7th time during the day, once again filling the washing machine and I caught myself quoting the very verse that SCC's new song is based upon: I Corinthians 10:31 "So...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  I also read earlier this week one of Paul's writings (I've been all over the place in Scripture, so I'm not sure at this very moment as I'm trying to just write a quick post where exactly it was=) as he says he is spending himself for his children...that he is giving all of himself for his spiritual children for their growth and edification.  Whew.  I'm not sure I always (or even more often than not) spend myself for my biological children!  Needless to say, I sure have been in need of a change of perspective.  And I'm thankful the Word gives that to us as it promises to do when we seek THE TRUTH.

If you haven't already heard his newest release, here is the official video of SCC's "Do Everything."  Enjoy!

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If You Always Do What You've Always Done...

... you’re gonna get what you’ve always gotten.”  I’m not sure if this is the official quote, but it’s something like that.  I’ve been spending the last week thinking over what my mission for this month would be—and coming up with nothing really concrete.  Oh, there’s much to be done, but nothing that I could say was my “mission” (that word carries a heavy connotation for me.)  Well, today, as I was once again frustrated by the state of me and the state of my home, it became REALLY clear what my next month’s mission needs to be: daily disciplines.  (This is going to take far longer than just a month to “accomplish”!)  There are spiritual disciplines (which are definitely important to develop) and then there are just plain ol’ “every day disciplines”; such as not going to bed with a pile of laundry on the floor at the foot of your bed! =) 

The daily disciplines I’d like to develop are:

·     Waking up at a consistent time before the children get up (I absolutely abhor this one – I was not designed to face the world before 8 am—not sure why God gave me children that all love to wake up an hour earlier than that.)

·    Daily quiet time with the Lord (I will extend grace to myself to allow this to be even just 15 minutes!  That’d be a good start, anyway, as long as it’s DAILY!)

·    Kitchen counters cleaned before bed

·    My bedroom cleaned before bed (all clothes/shoes put away – you know, anything that may cause harm or personal irritation if tripped over during the night/ next day like two of my children did this last week=)

I could list several others, but I think this is a good start.  Perhaps more for next month, right?  Love to know YOUR monthly mission, mothers!  Accountability is good.

** As for last month’s mission, I feel pretty good about where I got.  (I’d show pictures, but my lovely new camera was just broken due to an accident including falling from a counter.  Even in it’s case, it didn’t survive real well.)  I did three new Montessori activites with the two littles this past week, the last of the school forms/ plans will be finished this weekend and the school room design is completed.  We also just brought in the last of the boxes from the garage and they will be unpacked today.  Yea for surviving the first month after a move!!!! **

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Mama's Mission of the Month

Well, here's my update on Mama's Misson of the Month.

The pics aren't the best, but as you can see, just two weeks after move date, we're not looking TOO shabby!  (Yeah, yeah, I know!  Stop looking at the mess on the table!)  One more for your viewing pleasure.

Happy school organizing to all you fellow homeschooling moms!  I've got quite the bit of work to do in the next 4 days before school starts for us!  (Oh, and anyone else going to join me this next month on having a "mission for the month"?  let me know!  I'd love to keep up with you!-- after I fix my comment bar, I guess!=)

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Mama's Mission

SET UP HOUSE!

Only recently have I really discovered this crazy world of blogging.  I still waver in my belief of if what I do on here really matters, but as in one such blog ( Mama Jenn's ), I was reminded of one benefit of blogging- whether or not it makes a difference to the world.  I thought I'd take my stab at it.  And here it is: accountability.  Every month, (or so shall we see), I'll post my mission for the month and then at the end of the month come back and check in to see how I have done.  Others are welcome to join in (I think they refer to that as "linking in" or something like that! =) and I'd love to hear how you are all doing so as to encourage one another. 

But this is my month's goal: to move and set up house/school with all the prep. for beginning montessori-type activities with my littlest, all the while beginning school (August 1st! BTGOG-- by the grace of God) with my older four.  Setting up house seems kinda small...but it's the getting ready for the montessori activities that is the bigger, more lofty goal.  We'll see how we do!

(Now to learn how to "grab a button," as "they" say...)

Well...I left that part on there just to prove I DIDN'T learn how to grab a button yet...but time has run out, I'll have to try again tomorrow!

UPDATE: IT DID WORK!!!!! What new tricks...

Enjoy the night!

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