tina's snippets!

Keeping It Simple

I have been thinking a lot about simplicity in my life. I have really embraced running my home and family. In order to be an effective leader (yes, even at home I am a leader - once a leader always a leader regardless of the task!) I have been simplifying various areas of our home and lives.

Recently a new blog friend - Lori - blogged about progress she was making with this idea in her life. I was inspired by some of her ideas and it has  been making me think!

Here are some areas where I've simplified our lives:

Housecleaning - I have established routines for cleaning and home care now. Here's is my simple weekly schedule:

Monday – Laundry Day

Tuesday – Marketing, Bills

Wednesday – General Cleaning

Thursday – Mini Laundry & Cleaning

Friday – Special Projects

Saturday – Daily Care

Sunday – Day Off

**yes, I take this day off completely. 

I adapted this from the amazing and truly inspirational book Home Comforts. I really needed some sort of organization to not feel completely overwhelmed by the home, especially since we are currently selling our home. What has been an amazing transformation is that after a month, you can see the difference!

In the laundry area, we just had tons of it all the time. It seemed like the piles were never decreased and eagerly more clothes added to the piles. I took a Monday and got it all done. Then a few days later, evaluated how large of loads I had - a complete load of darks and not really that many whites - so I did a load of darks and left the whites until the big laundry day - Monday.

While this sounds so simple, the emotional results are very freeing! I feel a great sense of accomplishment and satisfied that the laundry is done. I don't leave the house with a weighed down feeling of what I am walking back into - this needs done and that needs done - will it ever end? Hmmm do you know that feeling? I do and I was tired of it.

The other thing that makes this work so well is that it creates boundaries. I have boundaries with my different areas of the home. I needed this because I am a kitchen cleaning nut - food safety nazi - I couldn't do anything in the house until the kitchen was perfectly spotless. So you guessed it I had a beautifully clean kitchen but the rest of the home was CRAP! Now I can walk by the kitchen on say - Wednesday and go 'Nope I have general cleaning today, it's not kitchen time, toilets are waiting!' Then I walk away from my sparkling bowls and say 'ahhhhh' that boundary felt good!

My other boundary is truly simple. I caught myself in the cycle of 'I never have a day off' syndrome. I have worked outside the home since I was a child. I did not learn home care naturally. So when I had a day off from work outside the home. I had a place to go that wasn't work. Well, being home FT, I have no where to go for my day off or feel like I have a day off - I was still at HOME!

My solution was simple for me. At the end of each work day say 4:00 pm, I stop the cleaning & care for the day. My job is over for that day. I cannot keep working. I step back and think 'did I get the job done?' Sometimes yes and sometimes no, but the point is that I worked on the daily task and I am calling it quits for the day. And what I accomplish is good. Then I mentally clock myself out of that day, refresh my mental health and focus on the evening ahead with my family. Yes, I still have to cook dinner, but my focus isn't on cooking, it's on the idea that soon my family will gather around and look at each other maybe for the first time that day. It's time to connect.

Also, I have found I am able to fully concentrate on the relationship with my husband Larry when he comes home. I can communicate and LISTEN WELL to his day.  Frequently,  he shares about a leadership struggle at work. We work through the issue and I am able to counsel him well. If you know me, I thrive on counseling through an issue. Currently, we have been working on recognizing our stressors and really trying to understand if it is something to truly be stressed about - is this someone else's stress being put on us unknowingly or is this really our problem to solve. It's been amazing in evaluating this area how much of our stress really doesn't belong to either one of us.

Sorry about moving off topic a little with that - but I wanted you to see the results this simple little boundary with home care has moved into freeing relationships! Now I am inspired to write some more about the boundaries with home care and marriage - yep that could be another long one, but it's really good!

So, what have you done to simplify lately? Feel free to grab the image up above to decorate your post and link up below..we can visit each other's blogs to see the great ideas of simplicity!

I am causing trouble!

I know this will not come as a shock to many. But I am causing trouble in the bloggy world.

What else may surprise you is that I am loving it!

Here's the scoop:

I stumbled onto this blog a few days ago with the posters - I thought they were supporting the emergent church and then I backed up a few pages and left thinking they were produced as satire. Then I was just left with the 'yuck' in my spirit. Again, followers criticizing followers. Again, my theology is right and should be your theology.

Now keep in mind, there is BAD theology and BAD Christian practices.

But I am a follower of Christ who is sick and fed up with the rhetoric and desperately seeking a faith that is full of grace and application of Christ's truths. I left the blog and my distaste for what the theology bashing causes in everyday followers. I am talking about everyday followers being intelligent, hard working individuals who are looking to their church leaders to lead them well. Yet, in my ministry experiences, I have seen and worked with these folks who were truly mistreated by their churches.

I am an adult follower of Christ. I did not grow up in a church. I used to think that meant I was somewhat handicapped or retarded in comparison to other Christians who grew up in the faith, went to church camps and knew hymns (which I love hymns when sung and read with the deep meaning and love they convey). But over the last year, I've been challenged completely the opposite. I feel that I have a clear picture of who Christ is and what he was about. I do not have to sift through wads of rhetoric to understand theological concepts or as I read various theologians, I can see where & why their images of Christ were accurate or skewed a certain direction.

Honestly, it all comes back into alignment with Scripture. Has the piece of Scripture in question been dealt with accurately, thoroughly and whole - listically (i.e. not taken out of context). So what does all that have to do with trouble in the bloggy world? I commented that right now my theological view of Christianity is slanted like this:

“you like Jesus - me too - share with me what you know and I will share with you”.

Which began the post - I heart Jesus

Which left me feeling like that handicapped retarded Christian again and I couldn't swallow the commentary humbly. So I embraced it in my response and thought you would like to see a little piece of bloggy world that isn't just all about sunshine and flowers. Conflict is good, have some!

Irreverently Me!

I have to say one of my quirky abilities is to be totally irreverent on an issue and still be seriously respectful at the same time! Here's an example:

This really fits the kind of people I like - I like those that aren't looking for a crowd or trying to one up each other - I need people who are themselves. Typically if you have cool hair - you are yourself!

This is from a site where it's their take on the emerging church through these posters (whatever - oh yeah motivational posters)

Enjoy!

Your Life Path Number is 3

Your purpose in life is to express your unique self. You are a creative and artistic person with an interesting view on life. Witty and outgoing, you enjoy sharing your crazy ideas with anyone who will listen. A total social butterfly, you're the life of any party. In love, you inspire and enchant your partner. You are often an object of fantasy and desire. While you are very talented, you sometimes lack the ambition to put your talents in play. And while your wit carries you a long way, you occasionally use it to mask your true feelings. Your natural abilities can bring you all the success in the world ... if you let them

What Is Your Life Path Number?

A man who....

Quinten is the delight in our house when his mood is pleasant. During an impromptu photo session after dinner one night - this was his new smile!

Larry is a man who always plays with the kids. I love this. When he plays he is really there with them and they know it.

Thanks Larry for being a real daddy to these kids - you definitely fit the bill for the fatherhood campaign - It takes a real man to be a Dad!

Laugh and know I am only 3/4 serious...

Daily Thought:  SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES.
NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN PUSHED DOWN THE STAIRS.

I found this idea on the web. Taking some time to reflect on the week in different areas of life.
The focus on Family, Food & Thankful is a great way to wrap up the week!

Feel free to snag this image if you would like to join me. I made it myself! The image is from flowers growing on my porch. Aren't they gorgeous? They are the most beautiful shade of pansies I've ever seen!

Family

• Rebekah finished school on Friday. Since we are looking at moving, it was also possibly her last day at Hallsville Elementary. This really is kind of sad for me. It has been a fabulous elementary. I am glad she has had such a positive school experience. She won 3 awards - physical fitness, music and a citzenship award. She is such a well accomplished student. I cannot tell you how big her future is in my eyes.
• Quinten has had a growth spurt. A little less chubbiness starting to happen around the middle. He still has his big chubby thighs and solid through and through! He also has had a mental growth spurt - he has been telling me stories of his day and getting chronology in there, he has started singing songs about events that are happening such as getting dressed and playing buzz lightyear. The songs are my favorite - they are just set to a tune in his soul and he lets it loose! His personality has chilled out quite a bit - although he does take energy still!
• Larry has been a cheerleader this week! If you know Larry, then you know he is the reserved and realist in our relationship. I was dealing with a huge emotion at the end of the week and facing a huge fear of rejection. He cheered me on and gave great reassurance! It was nice to let someone else do that role for me instead of doing it myself or feeling like I had to maintain energy for the relationship.

Friends

• I am adding this category to reflect on because I have some GREAT friends and I don't think they realize or know how dearly I think of each of them....if your name is not mentioned...don't worry it will be soon I am certain!
• Donna has had a terrible week in her family. She is such a woman of soul care. She really gets what is going on inside a person and how it affects them. This week it was such an honor to serve her and her family by helping out. I am so grateful for watching her son (who is a delight to interact with...he's got his own personality..I love kids like that!), taking McDonald's to her and Allison and praying for her!
• Janet - love ya sister! Janet got to see all my feelings on rejection in her kitchen this week. She was so gracious as always! Her name means Gift of God and that is her - she gives herself as a gift in her relationships - it's so fabulous and truly who she is! thanks for letting me meltdown!
• Mindi - Mindi you're on my blog! You are so noticed! OK - internal joke! Seriously, I am very grateful for this girl! She's got the spunk and fun thing going on - as well as a deep spirit. She is not afraid to ask the  tough questions or push on me. I so respect anyone who will push back on what I am thinking and feeling. It was a great week to have her walk in fear with me and keep my toes accounted for! Thanks Mindi!

Food

• What to do here? I have fallen off the menu wagon. Well really it's been so crazy here that the menu  is the last thing on my mind. It was great to not run to the store for impulses because we had food. I just changed things around and ate what sounded good out of the freezer. In the food dept, this week I wanted lots of comfort food. I think I've cooked and eaten enough cream of mushroom soup! I want creamy goodness when I need comfort food. Check out the crock pot recipe a few days ago.
• Thinking of new recipes for our freezer group - will post my ideas soon - so you can share and so I don't forget!

Thankful

• Wisdom - I am grateful for God's sweet wisdom when it comes into my life. This week it came in huge through a local banker in helping me understand mortgages and financial decisions. I had never met him before and I asked for solutions and ideas - wow - he rose to the challenge. I think it was a mutual respect for being proactive that made this a successful meeting.
• Openness
• My spiritual home and family
• Flowers - the sweet beauty they offer delights me!
• Justin Cobb - he provides great lawncare, not only that he's a got a huge heart, I just like the guy - KWIM??? But having him care for our lawn has taken such a stress load of Larry & I that I get grateful each time the yard gets mowed!

 
 

So I decided to play around on the internet instead of cleaning my living room today. Frankly, I haven't played on the internet for about a month. I found this site extremely interesting ... it's my visual DNA - the site takes you through a brief photo personality test and then configures your personality based on the images you chose. It's pretty freaky how close this is to the truth - ummm - it's real close! So go have some fun and link me your DNA!

Give it some thought..

I'm not sure how I got to this site - but I love it! Creativity Central

Honestly, I need to be taking a nap right now..but here my mind is wandering around the web looking for something to do.

I thought I would try one of their stretch-ercices to help stimulate some creative thinking. You can go to their downloads page and download a sheet. On the sheet there are categories on what area of creativity you would like to expand. I chose improvising. Not sure why, because I can naturally BS through anything but I thought this sounded good:
    Carry on an imaginary conversation between two items like a fishing lure and a fish; a bee and a flower etc..

So I chose a bed and a blanket. Here's my conversation I overheard...

Bed: hey, blankie, what do you think your larger purpose in life might be?

Blankie: oh beddie-boy - I have lived many adventures and I like a lot of them, why?

Bed: you seem to get around and I am always stuck in the same room, just wondering if you thougth there was anything more out there for me than being in this room.

Blankie: I hear you, but it's strange, I always come back to this room. Have you ever thought you might be so in the middle of the purpose for your life that it doesn't seem right for you? I mean, I may go out and fly through the air or wrap up a sick child, but I always come back here - it's good here.

Bed: You mean I don't have to leave here and go for a grand adventure to find my purpose..I don't have to live so FAR out of myself that i am lost and confused in order to find purpose and meaning?

Blankie: Nah, I think you are really close to your purpose. I think you are very grounded in who you are and are confident in your pupose. It's just that you're so close to it - you can't see it.

Bed: I never thought of it that way before. I guess because I am not glamorous like you, that my purpose seems boring.

Blankie: Are you kidding me? I may go to a lot of fancy places, but I don't have any say in where I go or what I do!! I am totally at the mercy of others - BUT YOU! Ahhh now you get to offer a place for people to rest and restore their souls every night and occasionally during the day. That's a big purpose for you to fulfill.

Bed: I feel proud of my purpose, thank you for your insight. I can rest on it.

Blankie: Yeah, I'm warm and fuzzy on the inside too! I'm glad we're soul mates!

Give it a try! Find a creative stretch for yourself.

Man that felt good!

for your heart....

Nurturing your love

is like tending a small garden.

If you keep pulling up the plants

to see if the roots are growing

you will not harvest anything

Lao Tzu
Ancient Chinese Philosopher