Every year, we hear about Christmas four months before it arrives, while it's arriving, when we are almost there, when it finally arrives, and then how to get ready for it again as soon as it is over. Four to eight weeks of gradually increasing pressure to experience one day of the year, followed by a huge Boxing Day Sale and a hangover. The lie that things will make you happy, especially if you give them, followed by the reality that you could have bought it half price 24 hours later.
I am guilty of Holiday Sarcasm. I think too much about why I give something, try to hard to make gifts, and generally hate that feeling like I am just another sheep in the line up at Walmart. Holiday pressures have turned me into a bit of an emotional and financial Scrooge. And I'm not the only person out there who waits to buy next years cards out of the 75% off discount bin, as well as wrapping paper, tape, decorations, and anything else I can get a deal on.
With all the hype, preparation and layers of socializing and spending, one can lose focus on what Christmas is, and what it has become.
Christmas is a chance to finally take one whole day off. If you don't work at Starbucks or Walmart.
Christmas is a chance to buy loads of clothes that are 80% off, with a 10% off sticker. 'Cause there are never any good sales the rest of the year, right?
Christmas is a chance to get together with the family and friends that you haven't had the guts or the time for all year.
Christmas is a chance to stay up way too late, watch too much TV, and eat snack food at meal times.
Christmas is a chance to drink lots of holiday alcohol, whether you need it to get through something or not. We can control ourselves throughout the year and drink modestly and appropriately..or at least talk like we do......but Christmas?
Christmas is a time for Christians to stand knee-deep in the consumerism tsunami, against the flow of rigid religious expectations and shout as loudly as they can that Christmas is about CHRIST! Did you hear me? It's about CHRIST!
Many of the usual Christmas indicators, like non stop Christmas music and light up decorations often lull me into thinking that I need to really genuinely prepare my heart for Christ and the "Spirit of Christmas". I am finding more and more that the pressures of Christmas for a Christian are often that we need to somehow be squeezing more emotion or heartfelt spiritual experiences out of these four weeks leading up to December 25. It's no wonder I feel like a tired spiritual failure this time of year: Did I cry enough thinking of Poor Mary in labour? Did I marvel at the idea of a newborn baby? Did I search for deep meaning in every gift I gave and received, as if it was Jesus Himself giving or getting it?
After listening to another song that asks if the world could hold itself back when Jesus was born, I realized that for me, the beauty of Christ coming to earth was that he most likely did NOT bring with him the power packed aura and subconscious spiritual thrills that the songs written today like to say. He was probably another beautiful, healthy baby, blessed with loving, tired parents. I don't think he conversed with animals, or had a lordly self righteous demeanour, or a glowing halo. The truth about why it is so unbelievable that He came to earth is, I think, that he left behind the scent of holiness and aura of power and supernatural attraction powers.......and was All God crammed into a plain vessel. God demands our holiness, and we cannot stand before Him. Jesus, when he came, was dependant on others, embroiled in family and friend hierarchies, and had no respect in his hometown. The bible says that he had nothing that would attract us to him, no beauty that would cause us to instantly be drawn to Him. And He still came, and still died for me. He still chose to suffer being cramped in a slowly aging, dirty embarrassing body for 33 years, for me. He was born quietly, lived passionately, died horribly, and was raised gloriously. That is what Christmas means to me.
Don't get me wrong, I still treat Christmas as a holy holiday. Like a birthday party. There should be special food, fun drinks, great presents, parties and friends and family. We should spend time resting and relaxing. we should talk about how much we love Jesus and why. We should sing carols and decorate and stay up late...
But we should remember that Christmas is not a day for repeating things just to get through the season. We need to take a break from the pressures and worship the Risen Lord, let Him rest in our hearts each day and bring us new revelations that will propel us into the new year. So that we are ready to move on when the stockings are empty and the wrapping paper has been recycled, and not just ready to move on, willing to move on, looking forward to a new year, and work and family and getting things in order.
After all, Easter and all its trappings are lying in wait just around the corner....
Pass the Baileys....
Friday, December 23, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
I Am A Mom, Can You Tell?
I have been storing up all the little signs that tell me I am a Mom, and wanted to share them with my loyal followers. If you feel the urge to add some things to my list, go ahead!
PHYSICALLY
I wear those workout pants because they keep my butt in the right spot....up three inches and separated.
I love my hot tub because it makes my breasts look like they did 15 years ago
Day off translates into No Bra and Whatever is huge and shapeless
Losing weight now shows up as wrinkles and sag
Date night is never over soon enough to go to bed
MENTALLY
Talking to myself is a hobby, I can be very motivating!
Staring is my smoke break
I have acquired a Nothing Box in my head, which makes my husband easier to understand
There is no Impossible, just I Can Wear Them Down With Repeated Callbacks
EMOTIONALLY
Crying is unacceptable and at the same time unavoidable. Bummer
The cute pep talks for kids and husbands have evolved into "Do you want to hear the talk about _____?" Funny, nobody does....not even me
Chocolate and Wine are now Prescriptions that I fill every week. Faithfully
SPIRITUALLY
I listen to God more when I pray because I have often fallen asleep....
I think more about what God wants to do only because what I do seems to suck more and more
"Protection" is the number one prayer request after "provision" and "lift my boobs three inches"
Listening to my children pray makes me cry.....
The other day I was longing for a Real Day Off....again....and I realized that if I did get one, I wouldn't even know how to take it off! I would catch up on all the work or fun or projects that I love to do....and many of them involve my children and my husband. Love, in all of its forms, is the most easily expressed when we integrate our lives with others, spend time with them, enjoy them. It's the gifts and the hugs and time spent- and I believe that it's the open heart behind it that is the love that changes our lives.
Guess I'd rather have my sag and mental lapses and chocolate prescription than an empty house and empty arms. My battle scars in every area of my life are tangible ways for me to trace the passage of time...they are the rewards of a life spent trying to love more openly in real ways...
I think it's worth it, staring bouts and all.....
PHYSICALLY
I wear those workout pants because they keep my butt in the right spot....up three inches and separated.
I love my hot tub because it makes my breasts look like they did 15 years ago
Day off translates into No Bra and Whatever is huge and shapeless
Losing weight now shows up as wrinkles and sag
Date night is never over soon enough to go to bed
MENTALLY
Talking to myself is a hobby, I can be very motivating!
Staring is my smoke break
I have acquired a Nothing Box in my head, which makes my husband easier to understand
There is no Impossible, just I Can Wear Them Down With Repeated Callbacks
EMOTIONALLY
Crying is unacceptable and at the same time unavoidable. Bummer
The cute pep talks for kids and husbands have evolved into "Do you want to hear the talk about _____?" Funny, nobody does....not even me
Chocolate and Wine are now Prescriptions that I fill every week. Faithfully
SPIRITUALLY
I listen to God more when I pray because I have often fallen asleep....
I think more about what God wants to do only because what I do seems to suck more and more
"Protection" is the number one prayer request after "provision" and "lift my boobs three inches"
Listening to my children pray makes me cry.....
The other day I was longing for a Real Day Off....again....and I realized that if I did get one, I wouldn't even know how to take it off! I would catch up on all the work or fun or projects that I love to do....and many of them involve my children and my husband. Love, in all of its forms, is the most easily expressed when we integrate our lives with others, spend time with them, enjoy them. It's the gifts and the hugs and time spent- and I believe that it's the open heart behind it that is the love that changes our lives.
Guess I'd rather have my sag and mental lapses and chocolate prescription than an empty house and empty arms. My battle scars in every area of my life are tangible ways for me to trace the passage of time...they are the rewards of a life spent trying to love more openly in real ways...
I think it's worth it, staring bouts and all.....
Saturday, December 10, 2011
I Love My Dishwasher
Have I ever told you how much I love my dishwasher? I really really love it. I can load it up and go for a nap and it does the work for me while I sleep....actually, sometime the best naps are when the washer and dryer are going, as well as the dishwasher, breadmaker, crockpot, phone charger, and any other appliance that will work quietly while one sleeps. Awakening to fresh bread, clean clothes and dinner made is heaven for a mother.
These times are busy for moms.
I think that a mom from 100 years ago would die under the stress that we moms get up and shoulder through every day. Yeah, we have more amenities, but we also have layers and layers and layers of social media and cultural expectations and personal hangups and generational mess ups to work through. One stroll through a Christmas mall would bring that Victorian Mother to her knees...
Thing is, we all have messes, either in our houses or in our lives, and probably more in our lives if we were honest.
Many of my friends these days are carrying heavy loads: ours, our husband's, our children's, our family's....
And for some reason, when we get together, especially at Christmas, we trot out one of our dialogues that covers up these messes in our lives: you know these, ladies: I Am So Tired, I Am So Busy, My Children Are Driving Me Nuts, My Husband Is An Idiot, Have You Seen My Brand New _________, and the one I hear the most My House Is So Dirty.
Sometimes I can just hear the undertones...
If only I could get a nap in today, maybe I could cope with my family better
If only I could just stop for one day, maybe I could rest
If only I could get away from my children, maybe I could get my head on straight
If only I could have a moments peace with my husband, maybe we could reconnect
I love my _______________ but my heart is empty
Won't someone please come and clean me up?!?!?!
Christmas is a time when we should be expecting Jesus. this year I abhor the commercialism even more, since it brings no joy, no feelings of happy anticipation, and no peace. Except for the special baking, cooking, liquor consumption and excessive gift buying, this could be October or even May, as far as my heart can tell.
But it is the traditional celebration of Christ's birth, and THAT is worth thinking about, singing about and praying about. It's worth baking cookies for, and gathering with family for, and having lots of chocolates for. It's worth cleaning my house for.
See, I clean houses. Lots of houses. I think that they are all lovely, and unique, and full of people's beauty and trash. And I have realised that I can clean up people's things really well. But what they need more is their lives cleaned up, or even just set in order to bring peace.
And that is what Christmas is celebrating for me. The Great Heart Housekeeper, come to visit our Messes here on earth. Come to say I think your house is lovely, and there is beauty here and trash. Let me come in, give me your heart and I will set it in order! I am the King, and with me, you are acceptable, trash and treasures! Rest in me and there will be peace, even in the messes. And strength, even in the trying times. And joy, even in the tears. Because I can come and give salvation, and eternal life, which will overtake your good and bad and ugly....Merry Christmas, loved one.
I hope that if I come to do your house, that you find more time to worship Christ in your day. Like the dishwasher, you can rest while I work, and hopefully there will be more peace in your heart.
And if I hear you saying one of those catchphrases, I may ask how I can help you so that you can do what is really on your heart....and I challenge all of you moms out there to do the same: listen carefully to your friends and support and pray for them!
Merry Christmas, loved ones!
These times are busy for moms.
I think that a mom from 100 years ago would die under the stress that we moms get up and shoulder through every day. Yeah, we have more amenities, but we also have layers and layers and layers of social media and cultural expectations and personal hangups and generational mess ups to work through. One stroll through a Christmas mall would bring that Victorian Mother to her knees...
Thing is, we all have messes, either in our houses or in our lives, and probably more in our lives if we were honest.
Many of my friends these days are carrying heavy loads: ours, our husband's, our children's, our family's....
And for some reason, when we get together, especially at Christmas, we trot out one of our dialogues that covers up these messes in our lives: you know these, ladies: I Am So Tired, I Am So Busy, My Children Are Driving Me Nuts, My Husband Is An Idiot, Have You Seen My Brand New _________, and the one I hear the most My House Is So Dirty.
Sometimes I can just hear the undertones...
If only I could get a nap in today, maybe I could cope with my family better
If only I could just stop for one day, maybe I could rest
If only I could get away from my children, maybe I could get my head on straight
If only I could have a moments peace with my husband, maybe we could reconnect
I love my _______________ but my heart is empty
Won't someone please come and clean me up?!?!?!
Christmas is a time when we should be expecting Jesus. this year I abhor the commercialism even more, since it brings no joy, no feelings of happy anticipation, and no peace. Except for the special baking, cooking, liquor consumption and excessive gift buying, this could be October or even May, as far as my heart can tell.
But it is the traditional celebration of Christ's birth, and THAT is worth thinking about, singing about and praying about. It's worth baking cookies for, and gathering with family for, and having lots of chocolates for. It's worth cleaning my house for.
See, I clean houses. Lots of houses. I think that they are all lovely, and unique, and full of people's beauty and trash. And I have realised that I can clean up people's things really well. But what they need more is their lives cleaned up, or even just set in order to bring peace.
And that is what Christmas is celebrating for me. The Great Heart Housekeeper, come to visit our Messes here on earth. Come to say I think your house is lovely, and there is beauty here and trash. Let me come in, give me your heart and I will set it in order! I am the King, and with me, you are acceptable, trash and treasures! Rest in me and there will be peace, even in the messes. And strength, even in the trying times. And joy, even in the tears. Because I can come and give salvation, and eternal life, which will overtake your good and bad and ugly....Merry Christmas, loved one.
I hope that if I come to do your house, that you find more time to worship Christ in your day. Like the dishwasher, you can rest while I work, and hopefully there will be more peace in your heart.
And if I hear you saying one of those catchphrases, I may ask how I can help you so that you can do what is really on your heart....and I challenge all of you moms out there to do the same: listen carefully to your friends and support and pray for them!
Merry Christmas, loved ones!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Life at the Barre
Most of my friends know that I have been taking an adult Ballet class lately....a childhood dream of mine coming to fruition now that ! am old enough to pay for myself.
I love it. I look old and droopy and fat in front of the full length mirror, but my love of this form of dance has overcome most of my insecurities. It also helps that there are usually only four of us, and I am usually the youngest one...
Every class, we warm up, do core work, leg work, and work at the barre.
The barre is my favorite. It is where we do our five positions, our plies, and all of the other french words that mean "your butt is really going to hurt tomorrow"! At the barre, I feel like a ballerina. The barre is where every ballerina starts to work on her form and her repertoire as a dancer. It involves holding onto a barre with one hand, and using it to support yourself as you move through the moves that the teacher asks of you. Eventually, when you are strong enough, you do the positions free form, but generally speaking, a ballerina spends a lot of time at the barre.
Lately, I have been meditating on the faithfulness of God. I turn the concept of a faithful God over and over in my head as I compare who God says He is, to how I act in life, especially under trials. God is faithful when we are not....I am so unfaithful, how can I begin to understand how faithful god is?
The Seventh Day Adventist Church here on 16th has a lettered sign up with the verse "You never change; thy word is settled in heaven, O god, and I will hasten to obey". Every time I drive by, I read it and think about how God is always there, unchanging.
He's like the Barre in the dance of my life......no matter what steps I do, or where I fall, he is faithful, unchanging. He is the thing that I can hold onto to help me get my steps and my form right. He demands holiness from me, something I can never achieve without His son Jesus, or His Holiness itself.
It seems like a childish comparison perhaps, but one that comforts me these days. I need to know that God is faithful, and that He is also available to me through Christ. If He never changes, if His word never changes, then I can trust that He is always there, no matter where I go or what I do. I long for stability in my life, and a love that never changes. This Christmas season that longing for a faithful love is stronger than ever in the face of the trials and problems that I struggle. Every time I screw up, I need to return to Christ and ask him to help me walk in his way again.....and even though it is work, in my heart and spirit and life, it is good work, work that I want to do...
I can't imagine how I would do in Ballet if I showed up this week and found the barre missing, and the teacher expecting some free form work. I'd probably fall over.
I can't imagine how I would do if I woke up one morning and didn't have Jesus to trust for the day...and God watching and expecting holiness. I'd die.
This Christmas, I need Jesus.
Bring on the sore butts...
My love for ballet is keeping me going today, what is keeping you going?
I love it. I look old and droopy and fat in front of the full length mirror, but my love of this form of dance has overcome most of my insecurities. It also helps that there are usually only four of us, and I am usually the youngest one...
Every class, we warm up, do core work, leg work, and work at the barre.
The barre is my favorite. It is where we do our five positions, our plies, and all of the other french words that mean "your butt is really going to hurt tomorrow"! At the barre, I feel like a ballerina. The barre is where every ballerina starts to work on her form and her repertoire as a dancer. It involves holding onto a barre with one hand, and using it to support yourself as you move through the moves that the teacher asks of you. Eventually, when you are strong enough, you do the positions free form, but generally speaking, a ballerina spends a lot of time at the barre.
Lately, I have been meditating on the faithfulness of God. I turn the concept of a faithful God over and over in my head as I compare who God says He is, to how I act in life, especially under trials. God is faithful when we are not....I am so unfaithful, how can I begin to understand how faithful god is?
The Seventh Day Adventist Church here on 16th has a lettered sign up with the verse "You never change; thy word is settled in heaven, O god, and I will hasten to obey". Every time I drive by, I read it and think about how God is always there, unchanging.
He's like the Barre in the dance of my life......no matter what steps I do, or where I fall, he is faithful, unchanging. He is the thing that I can hold onto to help me get my steps and my form right. He demands holiness from me, something I can never achieve without His son Jesus, or His Holiness itself.
It seems like a childish comparison perhaps, but one that comforts me these days. I need to know that God is faithful, and that He is also available to me through Christ. If He never changes, if His word never changes, then I can trust that He is always there, no matter where I go or what I do. I long for stability in my life, and a love that never changes. This Christmas season that longing for a faithful love is stronger than ever in the face of the trials and problems that I struggle. Every time I screw up, I need to return to Christ and ask him to help me walk in his way again.....and even though it is work, in my heart and spirit and life, it is good work, work that I want to do...
I can't imagine how I would do in Ballet if I showed up this week and found the barre missing, and the teacher expecting some free form work. I'd probably fall over.
I can't imagine how I would do if I woke up one morning and didn't have Jesus to trust for the day...and God watching and expecting holiness. I'd die.
This Christmas, I need Jesus.
Bring on the sore butts...
My love for ballet is keeping me going today, what is keeping you going?
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Washing Cycle Dirty
Seems like my life lately is getting bashed up like crazy....kids have been sick, husband is sick, I've been sick......never mind work and the rental and school and ten thousand other things riding on us.
After another day of feeling the awful nauseous up and down stomach...the sweating... the tiredness...the apathy about what is happening around me, I thought about a friend that I had in high school. She told me one day that she loved to put her cat into the dryer and turn it on, just to bug the cat. She was shockingly delighted to tell me that, and I was shockingly silent when she did so. Her poor cat was a crippled, jumpy, freaked out animal that didn't deserve that treatment, and I was always uncomfortable about that story.
Sometimes the events in my life feel like I am being put into the washing machine by forces beyond my control; life fate, Satan, whatever. I know that there are ups and down, but sometimes when it rains, it freakin pours!! I forget about my choices, my plans, my life....and fall face down into a huge pity party. Sometimes I even think that I deserve this chaos...sometimes I think that god is like a crazy 15 year old who loves to torture helpless beings.....
After all, if it doesn't kill you, it should make you stronger, right?
I'm not sure that I really believe that anymore.
The trials in my life that come from brokenness and failure and weakness....they bring about times for me that make me look very hard at what I have to give, and what I really need to get through. Honestly, I actually have very little to give the world at all. But God has so much more. He is great, a loving God who has great plans for me and my family and my faith...
Often, when problems in my life arise, I find a way to make it better, even if only for a little while. And I do this for friends too.....I clean up, or bake, or get a haircut, or a massage, or have little wine...and for a while, I feel better, I have something to give, I move on.
Many times in the last few years though, I find that I have nothing to give. Not to my spouse, not to my clients, not to my extended family. I had to quit my whole life at one point, when I came to the end of myself. Where does one go from there?
I have found now that if I go right to God, first, there is strength, or comfort, or even grace for a day ahead of me that I previously could never face. Instead of covering up the bumps in my life with cupcakes and coming out of a mess with icing on my face, I look very intently into the Word, the face of my Jesus when things are coming apart, and I ask what He wants me to learn so that when this washing cycle is over, I can come out with another part of me cleaned off instead.
In essence, when i find myself in the washing machine of Life, I make sure and pray that God is leading me, teaching me, and keeping me there until the cycle is completely done. As I get older, I don't really feel like learning the same lesson over and over. Do you? Let's get it done, Lord, I say.
These days, I am learning to be dedicated in my devotions with God, and to trust Him every day with the worries of my heart. He is testing me every day, through my Baby, my illness, my crazy schedule.....but I am determined to stick this out for the prize He has for me....Peace. Peace that He gives, that passes all understand and isn't dependant on a fresh baked brownie or a sympathetic pat from a friend....it is upheld by a deep salvation and an eternal perspective on life...
The washing machine cycle always ends....but do you know who is helping you do the dirty laundry in your life?
Eternity is keeping me going today, what is keeping you going?
After another day of feeling the awful nauseous up and down stomach...the sweating... the tiredness...the apathy about what is happening around me, I thought about a friend that I had in high school. She told me one day that she loved to put her cat into the dryer and turn it on, just to bug the cat. She was shockingly delighted to tell me that, and I was shockingly silent when she did so. Her poor cat was a crippled, jumpy, freaked out animal that didn't deserve that treatment, and I was always uncomfortable about that story.
Sometimes the events in my life feel like I am being put into the washing machine by forces beyond my control; life fate, Satan, whatever. I know that there are ups and down, but sometimes when it rains, it freakin pours!! I forget about my choices, my plans, my life....and fall face down into a huge pity party. Sometimes I even think that I deserve this chaos...sometimes I think that god is like a crazy 15 year old who loves to torture helpless beings.....
After all, if it doesn't kill you, it should make you stronger, right?
I'm not sure that I really believe that anymore.
The trials in my life that come from brokenness and failure and weakness....they bring about times for me that make me look very hard at what I have to give, and what I really need to get through. Honestly, I actually have very little to give the world at all. But God has so much more. He is great, a loving God who has great plans for me and my family and my faith...
Often, when problems in my life arise, I find a way to make it better, even if only for a little while. And I do this for friends too.....I clean up, or bake, or get a haircut, or a massage, or have little wine...and for a while, I feel better, I have something to give, I move on.
Many times in the last few years though, I find that I have nothing to give. Not to my spouse, not to my clients, not to my extended family. I had to quit my whole life at one point, when I came to the end of myself. Where does one go from there?
I have found now that if I go right to God, first, there is strength, or comfort, or even grace for a day ahead of me that I previously could never face. Instead of covering up the bumps in my life with cupcakes and coming out of a mess with icing on my face, I look very intently into the Word, the face of my Jesus when things are coming apart, and I ask what He wants me to learn so that when this washing cycle is over, I can come out with another part of me cleaned off instead.
In essence, when i find myself in the washing machine of Life, I make sure and pray that God is leading me, teaching me, and keeping me there until the cycle is completely done. As I get older, I don't really feel like learning the same lesson over and over. Do you? Let's get it done, Lord, I say.
These days, I am learning to be dedicated in my devotions with God, and to trust Him every day with the worries of my heart. He is testing me every day, through my Baby, my illness, my crazy schedule.....but I am determined to stick this out for the prize He has for me....Peace. Peace that He gives, that passes all understand and isn't dependant on a fresh baked brownie or a sympathetic pat from a friend....it is upheld by a deep salvation and an eternal perspective on life...
The washing machine cycle always ends....but do you know who is helping you do the dirty laundry in your life?
Eternity is keeping me going today, what is keeping you going?
Monday, November 7, 2011
A Mind Like a Sieve
Monday had broken, sunny and cold....all of my children headed off to school....my devotions got done before I left the house, and all was well with the world according to my personal inner balance.
Three hours later, work done, groceries gotten, recycling finished, spine adjusted, I landed at home, still on the positive side of the personal thermometer...
How long will it last today, Lord? The last week has been the edge of the knife for me when it comes to inner balance; all the prayers in the world didn't seem to make a dent in the worry, and there was an alarming upswing in "medicinal" doses of red wine....
So why is today so good? Who knows. I don't care, at this point. I have been praying and praising God in the rough days, so I have enjoyed praising and praying today without the heaviness in my spirit.
Today is like the full scoop of ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. The full scoop. No half scooped, half melted, half freezer burned, low fat monstrosities.
Other days, it's like someone gave me my helping of goodness with a sieve. A really really holey one. Most of the goodness seems to have escaped before it even gets to my bowl! Who wants to wake up to that?!!! The whipping cream can is clogged, the sprinkles jar is empty, there is no chocolate sauce to be had.....
Thing is, if things aren't going well for me, do I turn around and scoop up my helpfulness and patience and love for others with the same sieve? Does my bowl of goodness have to be full in order for my heart to be full of goodness to share? Do I give from the overflow of my heart or do I give a little from what I feel that I have? Am I waiting for God to move first, so that I can thank Him for what He is doing, or am I thanking Him and trusting that He is moving for me....
Whose bank account am I drawing from today: mine or God's? I want to be generous when I can........I hate stingy people, and I hate to be found stingy in my heart too.
If my heart is to be full of Christ, then it should figure that He should be footing the bill for this scoop today, I think. In fact, I think that He should foot the bill for all the scoops of all my days every day. If I can trust Him and depend on Him to come through with all I need, for myself and for others, before He does, isn't that Faith? No matter how small my faith, Jesus should be able to transform it into a banquet of provision like he did with the loaves and the fish. He should be able to meet my every need. I want to start living like I truly believe it, like Christ is truly changing my life.
I want to put away the sieve and get out the big honking ladle and give what I sometimes feel that I don't have: all my worries, all my cares, and ALL my praise... let Christ take care of the rest.
So, all you who are weary and heavily laden....I encourage you, come to Christ, who will give you rest, and don't be stingy with your prayer and praise as you come. Pour it all out as you do, and let Him take care of the filling upness....He is faithful...
This good day is keeping me going, what is keeping you going?
Three hours later, work done, groceries gotten, recycling finished, spine adjusted, I landed at home, still on the positive side of the personal thermometer...
How long will it last today, Lord? The last week has been the edge of the knife for me when it comes to inner balance; all the prayers in the world didn't seem to make a dent in the worry, and there was an alarming upswing in "medicinal" doses of red wine....
So why is today so good? Who knows. I don't care, at this point. I have been praying and praising God in the rough days, so I have enjoyed praising and praying today without the heaviness in my spirit.
Today is like the full scoop of ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. The full scoop. No half scooped, half melted, half freezer burned, low fat monstrosities.
Other days, it's like someone gave me my helping of goodness with a sieve. A really really holey one. Most of the goodness seems to have escaped before it even gets to my bowl! Who wants to wake up to that?!!! The whipping cream can is clogged, the sprinkles jar is empty, there is no chocolate sauce to be had.....
Thing is, if things aren't going well for me, do I turn around and scoop up my helpfulness and patience and love for others with the same sieve? Does my bowl of goodness have to be full in order for my heart to be full of goodness to share? Do I give from the overflow of my heart or do I give a little from what I feel that I have? Am I waiting for God to move first, so that I can thank Him for what He is doing, or am I thanking Him and trusting that He is moving for me....
Whose bank account am I drawing from today: mine or God's? I want to be generous when I can........I hate stingy people, and I hate to be found stingy in my heart too.
If my heart is to be full of Christ, then it should figure that He should be footing the bill for this scoop today, I think. In fact, I think that He should foot the bill for all the scoops of all my days every day. If I can trust Him and depend on Him to come through with all I need, for myself and for others, before He does, isn't that Faith? No matter how small my faith, Jesus should be able to transform it into a banquet of provision like he did with the loaves and the fish. He should be able to meet my every need. I want to start living like I truly believe it, like Christ is truly changing my life.
I want to put away the sieve and get out the big honking ladle and give what I sometimes feel that I don't have: all my worries, all my cares, and ALL my praise... let Christ take care of the rest.
So, all you who are weary and heavily laden....I encourage you, come to Christ, who will give you rest, and don't be stingy with your prayer and praise as you come. Pour it all out as you do, and let Him take care of the filling upness....He is faithful...
This good day is keeping me going, what is keeping you going?
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Seasonal Updates
TIPS FOR FLU SEASON:
- Wipe down everything that you touch with Lysol wipes
- Wipe down everything your spouse touches with Lysol wipes
- Wipe EVERYTHING with Lysol wipes
- Pour the Lysol wipe juice into the bathwater your kids are using..(I'm kidding, but maybe you should disinfect your mouth and GI with some nice red wine frequently)
People, please don't have me over if you or your kid has been puking all over the place in the last 24 hours!!
I don't want to bring it home, I don't want to take it to other houses, I don't want to see it! I can help you bring order to your house, but not at the cost of the order in mine.
Anyways, Killer Clean is amazed to announce that there are now no spots open for booking until after Jan 1, unless you want to pay an exorbitant $50/hour rate. And yes, some people are...
So, a couple of requests to those who know me and are reading this blog: brag about what I do for you, but smile in satisfaction as you tell others that I am full up!
And let me know when you are singing in the porcelain toilet......I will send out good thoughts, but wish to refrain from singing a duet!
For those of you who are friends, with a little negotiation, I can try to fit you in, I really will. I want to do my very best for those that I know personally....
My triple pack of Lysol wipes is keeping me going today, what's keeping you going?
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Sometimers Disease Strikes Again
I suffer from Sometimers once in awhile, when I'm really tired. This disease is when you sometimes forget things and sometimes don't...
It's helpful when you are avoiding someone (Oh, I forgot that it was your birthday) and really bad when you need to be taking care of something important, like, your body..(Oh, I forgot to eat today while I was painting with highly toxic fumes in a basement suite that has no openable windows....)
My Sometimers seems to be triggered by a lack of sleep, huge and overwhelming task list and a poor eating regime brought on by Halloween and its diabetic inducing snacks....Sometimers makes me tired and grumpy and ready to bash heads in at Home Depot.
Is there a cure?
Probably: 48 hours uninterrupted sleep, a full body massage and a partially dressed Hugh Jackman feeding me grapes......I feel very certain that I could concentrate on life if i attained these things...The thing is, I don't have the real budget for any of these items. I could swing a 2 hour nap....a hot tub sit....a glass of wine with my husband....SOLD!
I forgot, what was I talking about?
Anyways, about that thing that I was supposed to remember from driving home from Home Depot again...the amazing thing that God just dropped into my head and my heart and my spirit that illuminated my life for the 20 min drive home.....the thing that I wanted to write down and share....
It left.
Darn Sometimers.
I have faith that that momentary loveliness of spirit that God blessed me with is making its way back through the synapses in my mind, and I have hope that perhaps it will be even more wonderful than I remember because for a moment I lost it..
Thank goodness God never leaves me, no matter how forgetful I am when I am ill and tired and stressed to the max.... in my readings in Deuteronomy this week God reminds the Israelites that they are to move into the promised land, and that He is pushing the people out ahead of them little by little. Because if He did it too fast, the wild would take over the land before the Israelites could. I needed to hear that God is so gracious that He intends to take the renovations in my own heart slowly. So that I am not lost in too much freedom and run wild...but that I also don't stop in my progress and end up never having any change in my heart..
It's like the proverb that says, God give me enough to eat so that I don't have to beg, but not so much that I get lazy and forget your provision...
I might be forgetful today, but God isn't, and He is working out His kingdom in my life and the lives of others around me...
Having a day of rest ahead of me is keeping me going today...what is keeping you going?
It's helpful when you are avoiding someone (Oh, I forgot that it was your birthday) and really bad when you need to be taking care of something important, like, your body..(Oh, I forgot to eat today while I was painting with highly toxic fumes in a basement suite that has no openable windows....)
My Sometimers seems to be triggered by a lack of sleep, huge and overwhelming task list and a poor eating regime brought on by Halloween and its diabetic inducing snacks....Sometimers makes me tired and grumpy and ready to bash heads in at Home Depot.
Is there a cure?
Probably: 48 hours uninterrupted sleep, a full body massage and a partially dressed Hugh Jackman feeding me grapes......I feel very certain that I could concentrate on life if i attained these things...The thing is, I don't have the real budget for any of these items. I could swing a 2 hour nap....a hot tub sit....a glass of wine with my husband....SOLD!
I forgot, what was I talking about?
Anyways, about that thing that I was supposed to remember from driving home from Home Depot again...the amazing thing that God just dropped into my head and my heart and my spirit that illuminated my life for the 20 min drive home.....the thing that I wanted to write down and share....
It left.
Darn Sometimers.
I have faith that that momentary loveliness of spirit that God blessed me with is making its way back through the synapses in my mind, and I have hope that perhaps it will be even more wonderful than I remember because for a moment I lost it..
Thank goodness God never leaves me, no matter how forgetful I am when I am ill and tired and stressed to the max.... in my readings in Deuteronomy this week God reminds the Israelites that they are to move into the promised land, and that He is pushing the people out ahead of them little by little. Because if He did it too fast, the wild would take over the land before the Israelites could. I needed to hear that God is so gracious that He intends to take the renovations in my own heart slowly. So that I am not lost in too much freedom and run wild...but that I also don't stop in my progress and end up never having any change in my heart..
It's like the proverb that says, God give me enough to eat so that I don't have to beg, but not so much that I get lazy and forget your provision...
I might be forgetful today, but God isn't, and He is working out His kingdom in my life and the lives of others around me...
Having a day of rest ahead of me is keeping me going today...what is keeping you going?
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Taking The Stairs
Ever get to the end of a week and wonder how you made it through? Have trouble remembering just what you have all done? This week has been crazier than ever, what with work, school, home, bake sales, parent council stuff, not to mention the thirty thousand other things that one has to get done this time of year.
One of my clients got her Fall cleaning done courtesy of Killer Clean this week. Her curtains were vacuumed, ledges were wiped, art frames washed, cupboards emptied and wiped....tons of things that most of us rarely ever get around to...well....ever!!!
The thing is, this week was doubly tiring for those of us who suffer from paranoia or anxiety (this means me). Not only was I tired from going up and down stairs and ladders and wiping wiping wiping.....in my mind I have been going up and down the levels in my mind and trying to wipe out many of the doubts and anxieties that have been cropping up...
Who isn't worried about finances or our weight, or our children, or Christmas coming around the corner? Who isn't tending their bodies, their mind, their spirit, their emotions, their families....the levels of our lives. With anxiety, I find that tending these levels in my own mind are like climbing stairs between the levels of a house. Exhausting. Compulsive. Demanding. Paranoia Inducing.
How do I get off the stairs? How do I level the levels in my mind so that I can deal with one package rather than what feels like an overwhelming number of intangible things that need to be dealt with?
I don't know.
Seriously.
I don't know what to do anymore in some of these stressful situations.
I'm looking for something lasting.....
I know what won't work in the long run: alcohol, sex, money, movies, chocolate, slurpees, manicures, pedicures, facials, girlfriends, random strangers in the grocery store, speeding recklessly....darn.
In reading Ecclesiastes with my boys this week I was reminded about just how fleeting the things of life are.....as fleeting as my emotions.....like bubbles blown outside in the wind that float off.....then pop!
Centering my mind on Christ, and realizing that He is watching over the things of this world, including me, and it allows me to put all the stairs and all the levels of my life in His hands, even just for a moment....and lets me rest. Beside the still waters..... where He restores my soul....Surely goodness and MERCY will follow me all the days of my life...
I might shoot off again to deal with something else....I might get grounded by some crippling thoughts of sudden injuries inflicted on my children....I might be too tired to produce baking for school or paint for a ceiling project....BUT, I have found a place to rest now. And I am practising returning to that place as often as I can to keep the peace in my heart and mind...and in my life...
My little piece of heaven is growing in my heart..and it is keeping me going today...what is keeping you going?
One of my clients got her Fall cleaning done courtesy of Killer Clean this week. Her curtains were vacuumed, ledges were wiped, art frames washed, cupboards emptied and wiped....tons of things that most of us rarely ever get around to...well....ever!!!
The thing is, this week was doubly tiring for those of us who suffer from paranoia or anxiety (this means me). Not only was I tired from going up and down stairs and ladders and wiping wiping wiping.....in my mind I have been going up and down the levels in my mind and trying to wipe out many of the doubts and anxieties that have been cropping up...
Who isn't worried about finances or our weight, or our children, or Christmas coming around the corner? Who isn't tending their bodies, their mind, their spirit, their emotions, their families....the levels of our lives. With anxiety, I find that tending these levels in my own mind are like climbing stairs between the levels of a house. Exhausting. Compulsive. Demanding. Paranoia Inducing.
How do I get off the stairs? How do I level the levels in my mind so that I can deal with one package rather than what feels like an overwhelming number of intangible things that need to be dealt with?
I don't know.
Seriously.
I don't know what to do anymore in some of these stressful situations.
I'm looking for something lasting.....
I know what won't work in the long run: alcohol, sex, money, movies, chocolate, slurpees, manicures, pedicures, facials, girlfriends, random strangers in the grocery store, speeding recklessly....darn.
In reading Ecclesiastes with my boys this week I was reminded about just how fleeting the things of life are.....as fleeting as my emotions.....like bubbles blown outside in the wind that float off.....then pop!
Centering my mind on Christ, and realizing that He is watching over the things of this world, including me, and it allows me to put all the stairs and all the levels of my life in His hands, even just for a moment....and lets me rest. Beside the still waters..... where He restores my soul....Surely goodness and MERCY will follow me all the days of my life...
I might shoot off again to deal with something else....I might get grounded by some crippling thoughts of sudden injuries inflicted on my children....I might be too tired to produce baking for school or paint for a ceiling project....BUT, I have found a place to rest now. And I am practising returning to that place as often as I can to keep the peace in my heart and mind...and in my life...
My little piece of heaven is growing in my heart..and it is keeping me going today...what is keeping you going?
Thursday, October 27, 2011
I Think I Killed My Rentor....
Yes, today is the 9 month mark of my dream to have a "baby". Here she is, in all of her Fall glory...
I was over yesterday afternoon to do more touch ups and whatever. Suddenly, the phone rings and I am reminded that I need to clean off the floors of all the rooms to get the carpets cleaned. Darn.
I rescheduled the cleaning.
Then I went downstairs to let the downstairs guy know that there is kitchen instllation coming, lots of painting, and then cleaning.....
He is a really nice grandpa who has been working 12 hour graveyard shifts at the feed plant in Picture Butte. He's like the grandpa I have never had, offering beer and yakking for hours.
I started complaining about how tired I was and how much work needed to be done and how our rentors fell through....he looked at me and said 'No kidding you're tired, you're pretty much killing me with all this activity! Gawd, every time I turn around you are here working.."
I stopped short and thought about what he said. This project is not all about me, it's about him too, and his life and his comfort zone. Sometimes I can focus on my discomfort so much that I forget that others are affected by my choices, very strongly, in fact.
God forgive me for complaining and treating others like their pain is less important than mine...
I will have to bring Al a beer this weekend, when I clean his suite for him on Saturday. I already sent over a tray of goodies from Lauren's bake sale pile.....
Anything to keep him going....
Sugary treats are keeping me going today, what's keeping you going?
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Babysitting Appreciated Greatly
Slumlorddomness is not the ideal fantasy life I was anticipating....
You could say that this rental property has taken our lives by slow storm, creeping in with it's hidden needs and messes.....something that we thought we were prepared for two weeks ago...
Around day 9, both my husband and I looked at each other and asked ourselves what we were doing. One day off a week was not going anywhere near to reviving us from work/home/work/sleep/repeat.
Day 10 brought us face to face for a heart to heart talk about money, relationships and priorities. The Big Three. The outcome of the exhausted conversation, complete with a few tears and hysterical laughing....was that we needed some babysitting for this new baby.
Actually, the outcome of the conversation was that we both agreed it's cheaper to hire someone to work at our investment property than pay someone for mental health support and divorce.
I am very proud of my husband for asking someone else to install the kitchen I just spent Saturday putting together in the living room. Someone else will paint the smoked in basement suite. Someone else will fix the eaves troughs. Thank God, someone else is hauling away the garbage, I don't care how many times BFI has to come over....
Funny thing is, Craig and I have been working on a sermon he has to give this weekend at his J-Men's retreat. And the more that we talk about how God provides....the more we think about this house and all the aspects of it; the renting, the fixing, the purpose of it all. It has prompted my husband to encourage me to let the house rest while we rest, trusting God to help us get what we need to get done, done in time. That was a gift in itself, a new part of our relationship, something I value deeply right now.
This is a good time for this kind of reflection on God, as our prospective awesome clients have now pulled out and there are only 6 days left in the month.......I tell myself, if God can look after the birds, who don't give a damn about anything.....He is surely big enough to look after my needs....the ones that I really care about and spend my time thinking about.
Today, I am going to trade all the time that I would spend on worrying about the rental property and it's needs...and I am going to spend that time worshipping a God who loves to lavish his children with gifts they don't deserve....like awesome spouses, beautiful Fall colors, gorgeous stars in the sky, sunsets that make me breathless, free salvation, and of course, the miracle of chocolate. I am going to accept the gifts that God wants to give to me like peace, and joy and love and security in Him....and even the growing pains that come with letting Him teach me how to be more like him in the midst of a stressful new baby....
My God is a provider...and that is keeping me going today.....what is keeping you going?
You could say that this rental property has taken our lives by slow storm, creeping in with it's hidden needs and messes.....something that we thought we were prepared for two weeks ago...
Around day 9, both my husband and I looked at each other and asked ourselves what we were doing. One day off a week was not going anywhere near to reviving us from work/home/work/sleep/repeat.
Day 10 brought us face to face for a heart to heart talk about money, relationships and priorities. The Big Three. The outcome of the exhausted conversation, complete with a few tears and hysterical laughing....was that we needed some babysitting for this new baby.
Actually, the outcome of the conversation was that we both agreed it's cheaper to hire someone to work at our investment property than pay someone for mental health support and divorce.
I am very proud of my husband for asking someone else to install the kitchen I just spent Saturday putting together in the living room. Someone else will paint the smoked in basement suite. Someone else will fix the eaves troughs. Thank God, someone else is hauling away the garbage, I don't care how many times BFI has to come over....
Funny thing is, Craig and I have been working on a sermon he has to give this weekend at his J-Men's retreat. And the more that we talk about how God provides....the more we think about this house and all the aspects of it; the renting, the fixing, the purpose of it all. It has prompted my husband to encourage me to let the house rest while we rest, trusting God to help us get what we need to get done, done in time. That was a gift in itself, a new part of our relationship, something I value deeply right now.
This is a good time for this kind of reflection on God, as our prospective awesome clients have now pulled out and there are only 6 days left in the month.......I tell myself, if God can look after the birds, who don't give a damn about anything.....He is surely big enough to look after my needs....the ones that I really care about and spend my time thinking about.
Today, I am going to trade all the time that I would spend on worrying about the rental property and it's needs...and I am going to spend that time worshipping a God who loves to lavish his children with gifts they don't deserve....like awesome spouses, beautiful Fall colors, gorgeous stars in the sky, sunsets that make me breathless, free salvation, and of course, the miracle of chocolate. I am going to accept the gifts that God wants to give to me like peace, and joy and love and security in Him....and even the growing pains that come with letting Him teach me how to be more like him in the midst of a stressful new baby....
My God is a provider...and that is keeping me going today.....what is keeping you going?
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Whipped Cream, Anyone?
Who doesn't like whipping cream and butter? I know at our house the whipping cream disappears fairly quickly into the three kids, who, after eating some on pumpkin pie, promptly ask us to fill their mouths with it until it comes out their nose....and butter...with all the fresh gorgeous corn this year we went through a few blocks. Both of these products can go with so many things.....
The Creative Cleaver posted this thought on butter vs margarine;
"I trust a cow more than a chemist"
Just a thought...
Do you know how butter is made? Or whipping cream? It's been awhile since I read up on it for a speech I was preparing for, but apparently the fat molecules in cream have a hard casein shell.When you agitate a large portion of cream, like when you shake a container of it, or whip it, the shells break off and the fat globules begin to stick together-butter is born......in whipping, the air creates the light pockets in the dreamy fatty blobs....as the mixture melts in your mouth the air pockets pop, letting the fat burst on your tongue......leaving that great taste in your mouth and the nerves endings in your brain singing....
Ever feel like you jostle so many people in a day you want to scream? Your kids, your husband, people in Walmart clogging the self serve aisle with 45 items...a screaming youth group? In Max Lucado's book It's Not About Me, he says that God sends people who are challenging in ours lives to teach us how to love like Christ......
Sounds like the Butter Principle. Let the jostling of others in our lives remind us constantly to "Love one another as I have loved you..." (Christ) Let the people God sends across our paths break off our hard shells so we have something we can stick to them with....empathize with....identify with....
As I am standing in line today buying new flooring at Costco, I want to be butter...or whipping cream....a compliment to someones life, a good taste left in the mouth..
The kindness of others is keeping me going today....what's keeping you going?
The Creative Cleaver posted this thought on butter vs margarine;
"I trust a cow more than a chemist"
Just a thought...
Do you know how butter is made? Or whipping cream? It's been awhile since I read up on it for a speech I was preparing for, but apparently the fat molecules in cream have a hard casein shell.When you agitate a large portion of cream, like when you shake a container of it, or whip it, the shells break off and the fat globules begin to stick together-butter is born......in whipping, the air creates the light pockets in the dreamy fatty blobs....as the mixture melts in your mouth the air pockets pop, letting the fat burst on your tongue......leaving that great taste in your mouth and the nerves endings in your brain singing....
Ever feel like you jostle so many people in a day you want to scream? Your kids, your husband, people in Walmart clogging the self serve aisle with 45 items...a screaming youth group? In Max Lucado's book It's Not About Me, he says that God sends people who are challenging in ours lives to teach us how to love like Christ......
Sounds like the Butter Principle. Let the jostling of others in our lives remind us constantly to "Love one another as I have loved you..." (Christ) Let the people God sends across our paths break off our hard shells so we have something we can stick to them with....empathize with....identify with....
As I am standing in line today buying new flooring at Costco, I want to be butter...or whipping cream....a compliment to someones life, a good taste left in the mouth..
The kindness of others is keeping me going today....what's keeping you going?
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Death By Renovation
In running, "hitting the wall" is defined as the time when your muscles run so low on glycogen stores that they are physically unable to continue moving. You stop. Sometimes literally. You rethink what you are doing, and how to finish it.....which can be difficult when you are in a racing situation. I know from experience that the last mile in a long distance race is the longest....
I hit the wall last night, headfirst, after two days working on my baby.
Maybe it was two hours of piling in and out of a minivan with four other fabulous ladies as we did a city wide scavenger hunt.
Maybe it was an hour of ballet on Saturday.
Maybe it was the in depth cleaning of a smoked in house, scrubbing window frames, vacuuming the laundry room out, hauling junk.....tearing the rotten carpet off of the front steps.
I know it wasn't from ordering in Wing King.
I was so sore this morning that after three minutes of sitting at the breakfast table, I almost passed out and fell off the chair. I gave up and went back to bed.
The last time I was this sore was after 15 hours of undiluted labour, having Alex......and he was worth it, every minute of the work and the pain and soreness.
I have to keep reminding myself that this house project is worth it, the work, the pain, and the soreness. Transforming my freaky fifties kitchen into a new functional one will be worth it. Replacing the rotten, peeling, paint smeared bathroom floor will be worth it. Painting the spacious dungeon of a laundry room will be worth it. Someone else may get to enjoy it, but it will be worth it when it's done.
Kind of like my kids. Kind of like my heart.
If I embrace the work, the pain, and the transformation process, I believe with my whole heart that the product will be worth it, and not just for me. For others too....God will be faithful to finish what He has started, and He has promised that if I seek Him first, everything else will be added to my life.....
I did eventually get up this morning, and the first thing I did was feed my body and my heart: scrambled eggs and "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen......." Hebrews 11:1,2.
Sounds like the principle of sowing and reaping, doesn't it? I sow a little faith, or some calories, or some work in an older home.....and I choose to believe that in the end there is more Christ in my life, a good run without too many pit stops, and a solid investment....
I believe it will be good for me, my family, and my circles of influence....
Bring on the renovations!
My reno plans are keeping me on my toes today, what is keeping you on yours?
I hit the wall last night, headfirst, after two days working on my baby.
Maybe it was two hours of piling in and out of a minivan with four other fabulous ladies as we did a city wide scavenger hunt.
Maybe it was an hour of ballet on Saturday.
Maybe it was the in depth cleaning of a smoked in house, scrubbing window frames, vacuuming the laundry room out, hauling junk.....tearing the rotten carpet off of the front steps.
I know it wasn't from ordering in Wing King.
I was so sore this morning that after three minutes of sitting at the breakfast table, I almost passed out and fell off the chair. I gave up and went back to bed.
The last time I was this sore was after 15 hours of undiluted labour, having Alex......and he was worth it, every minute of the work and the pain and soreness.
I have to keep reminding myself that this house project is worth it, the work, the pain, and the soreness. Transforming my freaky fifties kitchen into a new functional one will be worth it. Replacing the rotten, peeling, paint smeared bathroom floor will be worth it. Painting the spacious dungeon of a laundry room will be worth it. Someone else may get to enjoy it, but it will be worth it when it's done.
Kind of like my kids. Kind of like my heart.
If I embrace the work, the pain, and the transformation process, I believe with my whole heart that the product will be worth it, and not just for me. For others too....God will be faithful to finish what He has started, and He has promised that if I seek Him first, everything else will be added to my life.....
I did eventually get up this morning, and the first thing I did was feed my body and my heart: scrambled eggs and "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen......." Hebrews 11:1,2.
Sounds like the principle of sowing and reaping, doesn't it? I sow a little faith, or some calories, or some work in an older home.....and I choose to believe that in the end there is more Christ in my life, a good run without too many pit stops, and a solid investment....
I believe it will be good for me, my family, and my circles of influence....
Bring on the renovations!
My reno plans are keeping me on my toes today, what is keeping you on yours?
Friday, October 14, 2011
A New Baby IsTiring....
WARNING: I CRIED WHEN I WROTE THIS AND YOU MIGHT TOO....
Many people have heard my baby story over the last three weeks, but I thought that I would blog it for posterity.
I want to be very clear up front here: I am not talking about a real baby, so if you are surprised by this news and wondering how I could be looking so svelte, keep reading!
For starters, only people really close to me know that I have been recovering from the darkest years of my life, crippled and broken by severe depression. My life went from Most Likely To Be Named SuperMom of the Universe to zero. All I had left was my shell of a body, a fragment of my mind, and a family who watched from the outside. Oh, and Jesus. Let's not forget that when we are weak and helpless and broken, he never walks away.
I decided that I would take Christ's hand, and walk with Him every day through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, for as long as it took for Him to bring me to a place of healing. Rather than run from the pain in my life, I wanted to deal with it.
It's taken meds, no meds, massage, chiropractor, thyroid replacement, hormone balancing, immunity boosting, oversleeping, crying, counselling, vacationing, journalling, praying, take out dinners, Bible reading, cell grouping, church moving, running, and the thousands of prayers of friends to bring me to a place today where I can share the best thing that has happened to me in 7 years.
A house.
February end of this year, God gave me a dream, the first that I have had in years. He gave me a vision in the night about bringing a baby to term, and I wanted this baby! I knew it was not a pregnancy baby, but a revival of hope in my life that only God can bring..so I started praying....
God, give me this baby! All of it! Whatever it is! Whatever comes with it! The good and the bad! I want all that you have for me! I'm waiting to see what it is! I can't wait! Bring it on, Jesus!
After years of having no dreams, no emotions, nothing I cared about in my heart....this baby dream brought a flood of prayers and hopes and emotions that I thought I would never feel again. After living in the dark for so long.....it was and is like I have really truly woken up, and my life is so sweet and good that I can't believe it...
Last month, by a Total God Connection (TGC), I heard that the guy behind us in the alley was selling the house, a revenue property. I phoned Craig immediately, we looked at it, offered on it and got to work. Today, 6 days short of a month, we took possession of the house.
October end, when we move in renters, it will have been 9 months.
This house is my baby. It is the hopes and dreams and plans and wishes and desires of my heart and my husband's for many years now......ones that died in me these last number of years.........but it has come about this year for us, in an awesome symphony of TGCs that boggle my mind. We have received encouragement, support, advice, care, discounts, blessings, and so many wonderful things in the last 24 days that I am overwhelmed. Everywhere we turn, we find favor. Unexpected favor. Undeserved favor.....
This is the great story of my life right now. I tell everyone about the baby that I have, and how God has brought it about for me. As it has unfolded, I have started to tell others that God has a baby for them too; A TOTALLY UNEXPECTED BLESSING THAT WILL CHANGE THEIR HEART!
God's undeserved favor for me today is His salvation....His unexpected favor for me is this house we have bought...but it is more than a house. It is layers of His affirmation of my desires, His direction in my life...His total love.
I would be happy with just His love....but He isn't happy with just giving that....He has so much more for me....and I want it all!
God's favour is keeping me going today; what is keeping you going?
Many people have heard my baby story over the last three weeks, but I thought that I would blog it for posterity.
I want to be very clear up front here: I am not talking about a real baby, so if you are surprised by this news and wondering how I could be looking so svelte, keep reading!
For starters, only people really close to me know that I have been recovering from the darkest years of my life, crippled and broken by severe depression. My life went from Most Likely To Be Named SuperMom of the Universe to zero. All I had left was my shell of a body, a fragment of my mind, and a family who watched from the outside. Oh, and Jesus. Let's not forget that when we are weak and helpless and broken, he never walks away.
I decided that I would take Christ's hand, and walk with Him every day through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, for as long as it took for Him to bring me to a place of healing. Rather than run from the pain in my life, I wanted to deal with it.
It's taken meds, no meds, massage, chiropractor, thyroid replacement, hormone balancing, immunity boosting, oversleeping, crying, counselling, vacationing, journalling, praying, take out dinners, Bible reading, cell grouping, church moving, running, and the thousands of prayers of friends to bring me to a place today where I can share the best thing that has happened to me in 7 years.
A house.
February end of this year, God gave me a dream, the first that I have had in years. He gave me a vision in the night about bringing a baby to term, and I wanted this baby! I knew it was not a pregnancy baby, but a revival of hope in my life that only God can bring..so I started praying....
God, give me this baby! All of it! Whatever it is! Whatever comes with it! The good and the bad! I want all that you have for me! I'm waiting to see what it is! I can't wait! Bring it on, Jesus!
After years of having no dreams, no emotions, nothing I cared about in my heart....this baby dream brought a flood of prayers and hopes and emotions that I thought I would never feel again. After living in the dark for so long.....it was and is like I have really truly woken up, and my life is so sweet and good that I can't believe it...
Last month, by a Total God Connection (TGC), I heard that the guy behind us in the alley was selling the house, a revenue property. I phoned Craig immediately, we looked at it, offered on it and got to work. Today, 6 days short of a month, we took possession of the house.
October end, when we move in renters, it will have been 9 months.
This house is my baby. It is the hopes and dreams and plans and wishes and desires of my heart and my husband's for many years now......ones that died in me these last number of years.........but it has come about this year for us, in an awesome symphony of TGCs that boggle my mind. We have received encouragement, support, advice, care, discounts, blessings, and so many wonderful things in the last 24 days that I am overwhelmed. Everywhere we turn, we find favor. Unexpected favor. Undeserved favor.....
This is the great story of my life right now. I tell everyone about the baby that I have, and how God has brought it about for me. As it has unfolded, I have started to tell others that God has a baby for them too; A TOTALLY UNEXPECTED BLESSING THAT WILL CHANGE THEIR HEART!
God's undeserved favor for me today is His salvation....His unexpected favor for me is this house we have bought...but it is more than a house. It is layers of His affirmation of my desires, His direction in my life...His total love.
I would be happy with just His love....but He isn't happy with just giving that....He has so much more for me....and I want it all!
God's favour is keeping me going today; what is keeping you going?
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Multitasking Is Another Word For ADD....
This weekend was Thanksgiving, and like most people who love to cook, I was really looking forward to some serious kitchen time. Kitchen time presents only one real problem for me, though. It's called Suggestive Cleaning Syndrome.
Suddenly, as you begin cooking, the floor looks dirtier, the cupboards have smudges, and you remember that you haven't bought a real tablecloth yet to replace the one that got trashed last year....
As you prep the turkey, and bake pumpkins, you begin wiping things you never intended to wipe. Passing by the fridge to get cranberries out, you detour to the laundry room to start some more wash, just to have clean sheets on your bed....just in case that female relative actually went to check the sheets...
SCS can turn an hour of dinner prep into a morning of Fall cleaning a pioneer woman would be proud of....and it can steal your sanity. I have found myself cleaning under the sink when I should be sitting down to enjoy pie with family after dinner. Or with three projects on the go when I should be visiting with my husband...
My friend blogged about taking it easy and PLANNING how to dial down the holidays.
I took her advice and dialed down my inner ADD cleaner...
This year, we ate turkey before the weekend.
We used a tablecloth that was stained.
I put most of the second Thanksgiving dinner on timer and in crockpots.
I bought pumpkin pies at Costco. And whipping cream in cans.
And most importantly, I PLANNED my cleaning day to happen after the holiday weekend.
When I knew that there were leftovers to eat in between purging and organizing and cleaning.
I enjoyed my weekend.....the pie, the turkey, and the dirty cupboards...my family...
SO.....in the pirit of passing on a helpful cleaning tip each month, I will pass this one on: You pick the task, don't let the task pick you! If the little voice in your head is telling you that you really need to get something done, ask it why: and wait for the answer......social pressure? personal standards? OCD? Put them all down if they will interfere with a chance to sit and eat and chat with those that you love...who knows, maybe this year someone will be thankful that they came first in your life before a meal or a chore!!
We will always have dirt, but we will not always have our family members around like we do on the holidays...
My family is keeping me going today...what is keeping you going?
Suggestive Cleaning Syndrome is a sickness that crops up in the Fall when the first big family holiday meal rolls around. It is compounded by the lowering rays of the sun, the unusually long time that you spend in the kitchen, and the impending visits of female relatives.Suddenly, as you begin cooking, the floor looks dirtier, the cupboards have smudges, and you remember that you haven't bought a real tablecloth yet to replace the one that got trashed last year....
As you prep the turkey, and bake pumpkins, you begin wiping things you never intended to wipe. Passing by the fridge to get cranberries out, you detour to the laundry room to start some more wash, just to have clean sheets on your bed....just in case that female relative actually went to check the sheets...
SCS can turn an hour of dinner prep into a morning of Fall cleaning a pioneer woman would be proud of....and it can steal your sanity. I have found myself cleaning under the sink when I should be sitting down to enjoy pie with family after dinner. Or with three projects on the go when I should be visiting with my husband...
My friend blogged about taking it easy and PLANNING how to dial down the holidays.
I took her advice and dialed down my inner ADD cleaner...
This year, we ate turkey before the weekend.
We used a tablecloth that was stained.
I put most of the second Thanksgiving dinner on timer and in crockpots.
I bought pumpkin pies at Costco. And whipping cream in cans.
And most importantly, I PLANNED my cleaning day to happen after the holiday weekend.
When I knew that there were leftovers to eat in between purging and organizing and cleaning.
I enjoyed my weekend.....the pie, the turkey, and the dirty cupboards...my family...
SO.....in the pirit of passing on a helpful cleaning tip each month, I will pass this one on: You pick the task, don't let the task pick you! If the little voice in your head is telling you that you really need to get something done, ask it why: and wait for the answer......social pressure? personal standards? OCD? Put them all down if they will interfere with a chance to sit and eat and chat with those that you love...who knows, maybe this year someone will be thankful that they came first in your life before a meal or a chore!!
We will always have dirt, but we will not always have our family members around like we do on the holidays...
My family is keeping me going today...what is keeping you going?
Monday, August 29, 2011
Fall Cleaning Tip
Fall is just around the corner, and you know what that means: the lower lying sun shines in at the most opportune angle to showcase every dust mote and dirt smear and cobweb that you have been ignoring all summer.
And who can blame someone for ignoring the inside of the house this summer? The weather has been awesome, the beaches pretty good, the camping great.
We have managed to get away four times this summer, a new record for us. This is of course due to the fact that my husbands parents park a motorhome out at Waterton for the summer and we get a chance to go out on weekends. Think better sleeping but the same amount of housework when you leave.....still great.
But.....it's time for school, and Fall, and for me that means Fall Cleaning!!
Time to wash the curtains, the screens from the windows, the outside of the windows..
Time to declutter the bathroom drawers, the closets, the storeroom.
Time to ditch all those "leftovers" you've been saving in the freezer since last Christmas.
Time to wash bedding, vaccuum under furniture, dust walls, wipe lights, wash light switches, organize bookshelves.....
There is an endless list of things that could be done......but the best one that I have done this summer is overhaul my eating: We eat Clean at my house now as much as we can. Losing a nice chunk of weight and feeling better overall has contributed greatly to my personal optimism and the general feeling of preparedness that I long for when Fall arrives. I even wore my bikini at the pool all summer....even though I really need a new one....
My Fall Cleaning Tip is this: start with one thing......and then move on to another. Start with the junk drawer.....then move to the linens closet tomorrow....
Make your list....then only do one thing on it....save others for other days.
You will never be overwhelmed, and if you work at it three times a week, all those hiddens spots will get attended to in record time.
Or, give me a call!
My love of dirt fighting is keeping me going today? What is keeping you going?
And who can blame someone for ignoring the inside of the house this summer? The weather has been awesome, the beaches pretty good, the camping great.
We have managed to get away four times this summer, a new record for us. This is of course due to the fact that my husbands parents park a motorhome out at Waterton for the summer and we get a chance to go out on weekends. Think better sleeping but the same amount of housework when you leave.....still great.
Time to wash the curtains, the screens from the windows, the outside of the windows..
Time to declutter the bathroom drawers, the closets, the storeroom.
Time to ditch all those "leftovers" you've been saving in the freezer since last Christmas.
Time to wash bedding, vaccuum under furniture, dust walls, wipe lights, wash light switches, organize bookshelves.....
There is an endless list of things that could be done......but the best one that I have done this summer is overhaul my eating: We eat Clean at my house now as much as we can. Losing a nice chunk of weight and feeling better overall has contributed greatly to my personal optimism and the general feeling of preparedness that I long for when Fall arrives. I even wore my bikini at the pool all summer....even though I really need a new one....
My Fall Cleaning Tip is this: start with one thing......and then move on to another. Start with the junk drawer.....then move to the linens closet tomorrow....
Make your list....then only do one thing on it....save others for other days.
You will never be overwhelmed, and if you work at it three times a week, all those hiddens spots will get attended to in record time.
Or, give me a call!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
A Cure For A Small House
This last week our family hosted two 16 year old Japanese girls. The house got dirtier every day and the kids got more tired.....and we haven't had this much fun in a long time.
There's nothing like having two strangers live in your house to make you look at your house under the microscope......
I wish we were farther along in our Lifetime Renovation Plan. Like, at the end.
I am sure that that rug was clean(er) yesterday!
Where did that dust bunny come from!
Who pooped in the toilet and didn't flush!!!!!!
That's right, here comes Momma.....flush that toilet. Be quieter! Please go to bed, it is midnight! I know you don't know what that is on your plate, but eat it anyways...
The girls spent the week at school, in our car, in our shopping malls, and in our house. They ate our food, used our bathrooms, sewed a bag and a pillowcase, made cards, jumped on the trampoline, had s'mores, played with the dogs....and finally left, scrapbooks in hand and email addresses exchanged.
Then I cleaned the house.
NOT>
I booked a hotel in Great Falls Montana, and took the whole family there to get away for 24 hours. The shopping sucked, the weather sucked, the sleep sucked, and I was never happier to get away.
Thing is.....I always clean up when people leave. Always.
But this time, the dirt didn't matter.
Time with my husband and my kids did.
I could have chosen to stay home, clean up, get everyone helping, and be grumpy.
But I chose to spend some time away, so I could come home and be happy to do it.
Travelling can do that for me.
Take some time for the people that matter, before you go and do the things that have to be done.
Then thank God for those people.
Then go clean that toilet....
There's nothing like having two strangers live in your house to make you look at your house under the microscope......
I wish we were farther along in our Lifetime Renovation Plan. Like, at the end.
I am sure that that rug was clean(er) yesterday!
Where did that dust bunny come from!
Who pooped in the toilet and didn't flush!!!!!!
The girls spent the week at school, in our car, in our shopping malls, and in our house. They ate our food, used our bathrooms, sewed a bag and a pillowcase, made cards, jumped on the trampoline, had s'mores, played with the dogs....and finally left, scrapbooks in hand and email addresses exchanged.
Then I cleaned the house.
NOT>
I booked a hotel in Great Falls Montana, and took the whole family there to get away for 24 hours. The shopping sucked, the weather sucked, the sleep sucked, and I was never happier to get away.
Thing is.....I always clean up when people leave. Always.
But this time, the dirt didn't matter.
Time with my husband and my kids did.
I could have chosen to stay home, clean up, get everyone helping, and be grumpy.
But I chose to spend some time away, so I could come home and be happy to do it.
Travelling can do that for me.
Then thank God for those people.
Then go clean that toilet....
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Spring Magic Draw
Just in case you are wondering....only three people posted and got into the draw for a two hour clean....
and the winner is..
Sarah!
Congratulations Sarah, I know that you and your toilets will enjoy a few free hours!
and the winner is..
Sarah!
Congratulations Sarah, I know that you and your toilets will enjoy a few free hours!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Spring Cleaning Facelift
Since Friday, I have caught myself looking repeatedly into the mirror to examine my "new skin".
I paid good money for a microdermabrasion treatment, and it came complete with a paraffin treatment for my feet, a hand/arm massage, heated blankets, low lights and an hour of facial bliss. All I needed was a glass of red wine....
I felt guilty the whole time.
I should be working.
I should be at home with the kids.
I should not be paying for this.
I need to have a run today.
She is going to tell me my skin is terrible.
Where did that come from? Regular maintenance of my face is good health practice. Good mental health practise, that is. Why do I need to justify an hour of specialized cleaning?
Most of my clients don't, and they get more than one hour!
My lady cleansed and scrubbed and masqued and massaged....
I clean and scrub and polish and fluff...
If it's good for the house of brick and wood, it should be good for the house of flesh!
In the end, my skin was glowing. It was bright and blemish free and looked years younger. I still keep looking at it in the mirror. I have waited so long to reveal the natural beauty of my face...what was I waiting for?
Perhaps my heart is the same way. I wait a long time to spend some quality time with Christ, let him scrub and cleanse and polish and fluff. And not so that I look beautiful: He already thinks I am beautiful. So that I become more like him and reflect Him to the world.
Why do I wait so long?
Time with Christ reveals the true beauty of my heart.
I can always use a little more true beauty.
Love, Forgiveness, Patience, Kindness.....
Christ is keeping me going today. What is keeping you going?
I paid good money for a microdermabrasion treatment, and it came complete with a paraffin treatment for my feet, a hand/arm massage, heated blankets, low lights and an hour of facial bliss. All I needed was a glass of red wine....
I felt guilty the whole time.
I should be working.
I should be at home with the kids.
I should not be paying for this.
I need to have a run today.
She is going to tell me my skin is terrible.
Where did that come from? Regular maintenance of my face is good health practice. Good mental health practise, that is. Why do I need to justify an hour of specialized cleaning?
Most of my clients don't, and they get more than one hour!
My lady cleansed and scrubbed and masqued and massaged....
I clean and scrub and polish and fluff...
If it's good for the house of brick and wood, it should be good for the house of flesh!
In the end, my skin was glowing. It was bright and blemish free and looked years younger. I still keep looking at it in the mirror. I have waited so long to reveal the natural beauty of my face...what was I waiting for?
Perhaps my heart is the same way. I wait a long time to spend some quality time with Christ, let him scrub and cleanse and polish and fluff. And not so that I look beautiful: He already thinks I am beautiful. So that I become more like him and reflect Him to the world.
Why do I wait so long?
Time with Christ reveals the true beauty of my heart.
I can always use a little more true beauty.
Love, Forgiveness, Patience, Kindness.....
Christ is keeping me going today. What is keeping you going?
Friday, April 1, 2011
Black Market Bartering
Ever want something but don't want to pay for it?
I got our dog for a couple of sessions of housecleaning.....I always think that was a good deal; I didn't have to pay-they got clean toilets.
My sons will trade me gift cards from birthdays for cash, when they want something else. Apparently one of them got the app he wanted by giving his Dad the $5 Marble Slab gift card he received at a birthday party as a treat. Sweet! Those things are worth almost double...
Anyways, it got me thinking....what would you trade for something. Would you engage in what economists call Black Market Bartering in order to get something?
Here's what I would take instead of money for my services (seriously)
1 Hour:
6 dozen cookies (what? we eat a lot of cookies!)
A complete meal: meat, starch and veggies (I love meatloaf)
Any giftcard worth $25, especially if it is to a store that sells food, a restaurant, a kids clothing place, or the Dollarama
Canadian Tire Money
Bottles. 3 Garbage bags worth. Black garbage bags.
25 assorted chocolate bars
2 Hours:
12 dozen cookies
Any giftcard of $50 value (you know you can get them with Airmiles......)
One hour massage
One set of gel nails
Canadian Tire Money
Bottles
Anything else you can think of? I love to bargain, if you do, and want your house cleaned, you should call me.......maybe your Airmiles can get you an afternoon off....
No dogs though. I have two already. Maybe a lizard......
Sometimes a good deal keeps me going. What is keeping you going?
I got our dog for a couple of sessions of housecleaning.....I always think that was a good deal; I didn't have to pay-they got clean toilets.
My sons will trade me gift cards from birthdays for cash, when they want something else. Apparently one of them got the app he wanted by giving his Dad the $5 Marble Slab gift card he received at a birthday party as a treat. Sweet! Those things are worth almost double...
Anyways, it got me thinking....what would you trade for something. Would you engage in what economists call Black Market Bartering in order to get something?
Here's what I would take instead of money for my services (seriously)
1 Hour:
6 dozen cookies (what? we eat a lot of cookies!)
A complete meal: meat, starch and veggies (I love meatloaf)
Any giftcard worth $25, especially if it is to a store that sells food, a restaurant, a kids clothing place, or the Dollarama
Canadian Tire Money
Bottles. 3 Garbage bags worth. Black garbage bags.
25 assorted chocolate bars
2 Hours:
12 dozen cookies
Any giftcard of $50 value (you know you can get them with Airmiles......)
One hour massage
One set of gel nails
Canadian Tire Money
Bottles
Anything else you can think of? I love to bargain, if you do, and want your house cleaned, you should call me.......maybe your Airmiles can get you an afternoon off....
No dogs though. I have two already. Maybe a lizard......
Sometimes a good deal keeps me going. What is keeping you going?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Spring Magic
Need a little magic in your life this Spring?
Killer Clean
is offering a chance to win 2 hours of housecleaning…INTERESTED?
To Enter:
1. Visit my blog - killer clean.blogspot.com
2. Click on at least 3 of my posted ads (just click, you don’t have to buy)
3. Post a comment and leave your name!
DRAW DATE: April 9
You will be entered into the draw as many times as you click on ads & post your name
Feeling generous?
Let your friend enter by passing on this information and getting her to do the same!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
How Cheap Am I?
Ever wonder just how much you are paying for something? This week I decided to go to Mr Lube and get an oil change, something I can write off. This is also a chore that Craig could do...if there were 30 hours in a day and at least 10 of them were sleeping ones..
SO I pulled into the place, got settled with my free paper and water, and listened as my "Service Manager" launched into the speil...welcome....have you been here before....blah blah blah. I was wishing I could jump the menu like when you do telephone banking: just press the number you want and you go right to where you want to be..skip the bilingual junk.
The nice young man disappears for 10 seconds under my hood and returns with my air filter and some sort of valve thingy, which he waves about, pronouncing dirty and awful and they need to be changed..Hmmm. Dirty? Gotta go. Let's check the price list. $50 total. He got to it in 10 seconds, that means I could too....I could do it at home for half price. Then the young man informs me that I may need a new fuel filter, something that they can do quickly while they are under the car in their custom built, comfy little pit. Hmm. Dirty? He didn't even go under to get it. Gotta be a tougher one. Let's check the price list. $74. Does Craig want to crawl under the car and do it himself? Sure. I could do that at home for half price too! Envigorated by the prospect of do it myself, I decline the add ons and smile as I pay and leave.
Sure enough, I changed my own air filter and valve thingy for half the price.
That alone almost justifies buying a Starbucks coffee once a week, don't you think?
And Craig will do the fuel filter for me! And he works a lot cheaper than Mr Lube does. For peanuts, even. And beer!
The thing is....if you can do it, and you want to save money...do it!
And if you are having a hard time.....what's the shame in finding a professional to do it for you? There are some things that you just should not do on your own. Like root canals and open heart surgery.
How cheap am I?
Cheap.
I buy Dollarstore cleaning supplies, I make many of my own things, and I love to shop on the discount rack.....
I will buy one meal for two of my kids at a restaurant and make them split it.
I will go to Costco for supper even though it only serves Heart Attack certified food, because I can feed everyone for $12.
I will buy $4 shoes for my kids 4 times a year on the sale rack rather than one good pair of $45 ones.
But when it comes to important things....if I have to pay, I want to pay once, get it done right, and be happy.
Don't you?
Sometimes, saving money is what keeps my budget going. Sometimes, it's spending it that does. What is keeping you going?
SO I pulled into the place, got settled with my free paper and water, and listened as my "Service Manager" launched into the speil...welcome....have you been here before....blah blah blah. I was wishing I could jump the menu like when you do telephone banking: just press the number you want and you go right to where you want to be..skip the bilingual junk.
The nice young man disappears for 10 seconds under my hood and returns with my air filter and some sort of valve thingy, which he waves about, pronouncing dirty and awful and they need to be changed..Hmmm. Dirty? Gotta go. Let's check the price list. $50 total. He got to it in 10 seconds, that means I could too....I could do it at home for half price. Then the young man informs me that I may need a new fuel filter, something that they can do quickly while they are under the car in their custom built, comfy little pit. Hmm. Dirty? He didn't even go under to get it. Gotta be a tougher one. Let's check the price list. $74. Does Craig want to crawl under the car and do it himself? Sure. I could do that at home for half price too! Envigorated by the prospect of do it myself, I decline the add ons and smile as I pay and leave.
Sure enough, I changed my own air filter and valve thingy for half the price.
That alone almost justifies buying a Starbucks coffee once a week, don't you think?
And Craig will do the fuel filter for me! And he works a lot cheaper than Mr Lube does. For peanuts, even. And beer!
The thing is....if you can do it, and you want to save money...do it!
And if you are having a hard time.....what's the shame in finding a professional to do it for you? There are some things that you just should not do on your own. Like root canals and open heart surgery.
How cheap am I?
Cheap.
I buy Dollarstore cleaning supplies, I make many of my own things, and I love to shop on the discount rack.....
I will buy one meal for two of my kids at a restaurant and make them split it.
I will go to Costco for supper even though it only serves Heart Attack certified food, because I can feed everyone for $12.
I will buy $4 shoes for my kids 4 times a year on the sale rack rather than one good pair of $45 ones.
But when it comes to important things....if I have to pay, I want to pay once, get it done right, and be happy.
Don't you?
Sometimes, saving money is what keeps my budget going. Sometimes, it's spending it that does. What is keeping you going?
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Cleaning Fairies Don't Get Sick
I was recently dubbed "The Cleaning Fairy". Another client, whose children are in a Francophone school, ask where "Madame" put their stuff. Sometimes, the only response I get is "Thank goodness you are here. My husband was wondering when you were coming!"
I like the Fairy title the best. I may have to sew wings on my scrub tops....
After all, I have magic. Erasers, that is.
And a wand. It's fluffy and yellow and white and has Swiffer on the handle.
I wear a special outfit-it is very washable and one of them is Hello Kitty I Love Nerds.
And I do sing while I clean. Loudly, but only when I don't realize someone's adult university student daughter is home in the basement.
And I can appear at your door when summoned, just like magic. It just takes money and a phonecall.
I like to think that I can fly, but perhaps that is only in my dreams. In a house, it's stairs.
But the best thing of all-I am special and unique.
No one does what I do the way that I do it.
I can make things sparkle, smell good, and look nice.
And I like doing it, go figure.
So, even though I have been sick this last week, and stayed home one day, The Fairy in me did not rest. I clipped the dog, washed out the car, sewed a huge ladybug floor pillow for the school librarian, made bread, homemade mayonnaise, washed bathrooms.....then downloaded Netflix and settled in to watch The Dark Crystal (1980!!)
I was sick; my Fairy alter ego never is.
I looked terrible; the Fairy in me didn't.
When I needed to leave the house presentable, I dressed up like the Fairy that I am, and got back in the ring with dirt and grime and let 'em have it!
This whole alter ego is great.
The Fairy in me is going full steam...What is keeping you going?
I like the Fairy title the best. I may have to sew wings on my scrub tops....
After all, I have magic. Erasers, that is.
And a wand. It's fluffy and yellow and white and has Swiffer on the handle.
I wear a special outfit-it is very washable and one of them is Hello Kitty I Love Nerds.
And I do sing while I clean. Loudly, but only when I don't realize someone's adult university student daughter is home in the basement.
And I can appear at your door when summoned, just like magic. It just takes money and a phonecall.
I like to think that I can fly, but perhaps that is only in my dreams. In a house, it's stairs.
But the best thing of all-I am special and unique.
No one does what I do the way that I do it.
I can make things sparkle, smell good, and look nice.
And I like doing it, go figure.
So, even though I have been sick this last week, and stayed home one day, The Fairy in me did not rest. I clipped the dog, washed out the car, sewed a huge ladybug floor pillow for the school librarian, made bread, homemade mayonnaise, washed bathrooms.....then downloaded Netflix and settled in to watch The Dark Crystal (1980!!)
I was sick; my Fairy alter ego never is.
I looked terrible; the Fairy in me didn't.
When I needed to leave the house presentable, I dressed up like the Fairy that I am, and got back in the ring with dirt and grime and let 'em have it!
This whole alter ego is great.
The Fairy in me is going full steam...What is keeping you going?
Friday, February 25, 2011
Denial is not a place in Egypt
Recently I discovered that I have been living in serious denial about a very important part of my life. I opened the door under the sink to do garbage detail again...and found a horrible smell emanating from the dark recesses. I recall sort of smelling this over the last week, but with all the working, cooking, cleaning, Valentine's day crafts......I figured I could just change the garbage and it would be gone! Right? Wrong.
Desperate times call for rubber gloves and a full bottle of Lysol Disinfecting Spray.
After pulling out the garbage, the box of garbage bags, the garlic holder, the Cascade, the massive container of flour....the bin of onions.......other things....I discovered that one of the laws of physics had obviously been at work under the sink. That's the law that say that any piece of garbage that is thrown in on top of a fuller than full garbage will immediately fall behind everything into the dark recesses of the under the counter area and make friends with everything else that has been doing the same. And then it will mold into a science fair worthy experiment. This recently discovered law also states that the person most likely to create the optimum situation is the one who has the least desire to change the garbage. Me.
This state of denial has cost me an hour of the morning, scrubbing the mats under the sink, Magic Erasering stains off the white cupboards, changing the garbage, throwing out old potatoes....but there is no longer any magical smell coming from under the sink, just a lovely whiff of Lysol 4 in 1 Lemon Antibacterial Cleaner.
My denial of garbage protocol has led to some festering messes. Sometimes my denial of my own basic needs for rest and devotions and prayer time have led to the same mess. I keep throwing garbage into the full container of my heart...it spills over...things get messy. This week has been a holiday for me and my children, and I have finally discovered time to rest in the Word...and recuperate. Jesus and me changed the garbage today, and I am going to try to keep it clean now.
Devotions are keeping me going. What's keeping you going?
Desperate times call for rubber gloves and a full bottle of Lysol Disinfecting Spray.
After pulling out the garbage, the box of garbage bags, the garlic holder, the Cascade, the massive container of flour....the bin of onions.......other things....I discovered that one of the laws of physics had obviously been at work under the sink. That's the law that say that any piece of garbage that is thrown in on top of a fuller than full garbage will immediately fall behind everything into the dark recesses of the under the counter area and make friends with everything else that has been doing the same. And then it will mold into a science fair worthy experiment. This recently discovered law also states that the person most likely to create the optimum situation is the one who has the least desire to change the garbage. Me.
This state of denial has cost me an hour of the morning, scrubbing the mats under the sink, Magic Erasering stains off the white cupboards, changing the garbage, throwing out old potatoes....but there is no longer any magical smell coming from under the sink, just a lovely whiff of Lysol 4 in 1 Lemon Antibacterial Cleaner.
My denial of garbage protocol has led to some festering messes. Sometimes my denial of my own basic needs for rest and devotions and prayer time have led to the same mess. I keep throwing garbage into the full container of my heart...it spills over...things get messy. This week has been a holiday for me and my children, and I have finally discovered time to rest in the Word...and recuperate. Jesus and me changed the garbage today, and I am going to try to keep it clean now.
Devotions are keeping me going. What's keeping you going?
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
3 Steps to the Perfectly Clean House
Ha ha...I got you reading, didn't I? You actually clicked on the title and were halfway to your pencil and paper when....darn. You don't have a pencil. Maybe there's a pen...hmmm.....nope. Two dried out Crayola felts, one broken crayon (yellow), two rubber bands..a whatsit tool from the last piece of put-it-together-yourself furniture.... yeah!!! There's a pen! It's red, but it should wor...nope. It's dead too. Give up? Resorted to using that eyeliner that you never use anyways? Bummer.
In every house is a drawer just like the one I was rooting through. You know the one, that drawer where everything that you are sure you will use later or put back in its proper place goes. Bread twist ties, drawing things your kids leave around, the opened box of staples...business cards....You throw stuff in there that you want to hold onto...and after awhile, you need something...and you can't find it.
Why do we keep these things? Why can we not just throw out the pens that don't work, the crayons that break, the stray rubber bands? Why do we watch the Ikea commercial where the teenage girls opens the pristine bathroom drawer and pulls her clean lip gloss out of a perfect little organizer....and want to cry? Get serious!
Reality #1: Clutter happens.
Reality #2: Unless you booked me to come over, you will have to deal with it.
So do yourself a 10 minute favour: Go to that drawer, open it, and throw away anything that is broken, mismatched, useless, dried out and generally ugly. Then, if you don't have a child to use it daily, a container to put it in regularly, or you can't replace it at the Dollar Store- THROW IT! A clean clutter drawer is one simple step to reinforcing order in a chaotic world...
Oh, and there are 3 steps to a perfectly clean home:
1. Call me
2. Book an appointment
3. Have a coffee
Work is keeping me going...What's keeping you going?
In every house is a drawer just like the one I was rooting through. You know the one, that drawer where everything that you are sure you will use later or put back in its proper place goes. Bread twist ties, drawing things your kids leave around, the opened box of staples...business cards....You throw stuff in there that you want to hold onto...and after awhile, you need something...and you can't find it.
Why do we keep these things? Why can we not just throw out the pens that don't work, the crayons that break, the stray rubber bands? Why do we watch the Ikea commercial where the teenage girls opens the pristine bathroom drawer and pulls her clean lip gloss out of a perfect little organizer....and want to cry? Get serious!
Reality #1: Clutter happens.
Reality #2: Unless you booked me to come over, you will have to deal with it.
So do yourself a 10 minute favour: Go to that drawer, open it, and throw away anything that is broken, mismatched, useless, dried out and generally ugly. Then, if you don't have a child to use it daily, a container to put it in regularly, or you can't replace it at the Dollar Store- THROW IT! A clean clutter drawer is one simple step to reinforcing order in a chaotic world...
Oh, and there are 3 steps to a perfectly clean home:
1. Call me
2. Book an appointment
3. Have a coffee
Work is keeping me going...What's keeping you going?
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Laziness is contagious
Ever have a surprise day off? Like, when you get the flu, but you are the only one home, so there you are, home for once, alone, and with nothing to do...
I've begun to wonder why there really is no in between gear for Moms sometimes. The lawnmower goes from Turtle to Rabbit, but if you have a slider type adjuster.....you can kind of get in between those two settings...to something like Dog At A Good Trot. Why do we find ourselves always swinging between "32 dozen cookies/Parent Council/Work/Dinner/Lobotomy" to "under the electric blanket with tea"? Can't we find a way to balance out the day? You know that as soon as you sit down for 10 minutes that there is going to be something that you could do.....but after an hour of TV reruns, when no one from the Lazy Mom Police shows up to kick your butt off the couch....well, the realization sets in that nothing needs to get done right away, and the dirt will still be there tomorrow, so just relax...
This short period of time will of course be followed by crazed cleaning packed into a seemingly shorter period of time.
When I was young, my family (minus my Dad of course) would clean the house on Saturday morning, then walk to the corner store for a little treat. I like that idea. Many hands make light work is most likely a Mennonite saying, and if it works, use it! Some of the balance that I find in my home life when it comes to cleaning is to delegate chores regularly and work together with my kids for an hour to get things done. They have been practising for so long that they just fall in line and get the job done 'cause it's a lot quicker than complaining and getting an extra chore..and I remind them as much as myself: It's just an hour of work....and then we will move on to the things that we want to do. The book is better when the room is tidier, I think...
So, when I have a sudden day off, and there are things I should do.....I know that there are helpers in my house that I can utilize if push comes to shove...so relax!!!
My kids are keeping me going these days.
What's keeping you going?
I've begun to wonder why there really is no in between gear for Moms sometimes. The lawnmower goes from Turtle to Rabbit, but if you have a slider type adjuster.....you can kind of get in between those two settings...to something like Dog At A Good Trot. Why do we find ourselves always swinging between "32 dozen cookies/Parent Council/Work/Dinner/Lobotomy" to "under the electric blanket with tea"? Can't we find a way to balance out the day? You know that as soon as you sit down for 10 minutes that there is going to be something that you could do.....but after an hour of TV reruns, when no one from the Lazy Mom Police shows up to kick your butt off the couch....well, the realization sets in that nothing needs to get done right away, and the dirt will still be there tomorrow, so just relax...
This short period of time will of course be followed by crazed cleaning packed into a seemingly shorter period of time.
When I was young, my family (minus my Dad of course) would clean the house on Saturday morning, then walk to the corner store for a little treat. I like that idea. Many hands make light work is most likely a Mennonite saying, and if it works, use it! Some of the balance that I find in my home life when it comes to cleaning is to delegate chores regularly and work together with my kids for an hour to get things done. They have been practising for so long that they just fall in line and get the job done 'cause it's a lot quicker than complaining and getting an extra chore..and I remind them as much as myself: It's just an hour of work....and then we will move on to the things that we want to do. The book is better when the room is tidier, I think...
So, when I have a sudden day off, and there are things I should do.....I know that there are helpers in my house that I can utilize if push comes to shove...so relax!!!
My kids are keeping me going these days.
What's keeping you going?
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Cleansing is good for the soul....it's the food that sucks
Ever done a cleanse? I'm on the last day of a 14 day cleanse to clean out my digestive track and make me healthier and more energetic this year. It's been tough, but if you like to be clean on the outside, think about getting clean on the inside.
Here are some tips and things to think about when you are considering a cleanse:
1. Don't follow a cleanse whose instructions include "Make sure you do not have to leave the house for the next 12 hours"
2. Plan your meals before hand. Waking up on day three of a Veggies Only cleanse and finding out that the only things in the fridge are pudding and sweetened condensed milk is really bad. For you and the family.
3. How long do you want the cleanse to last? Three days? Until the first craving hits? One day after you start threatening your husband with violence if he eats another cookie in front of you?
4. Remember to follow the directions for the cleanse. Read the instructions every day, just to remind yourself that Poutine and Costco hotdogs are still not in it.
A two week cleanse can be challenging....even for someone with experience....and here are some of my own personal helpers:
The Food Channel
Duct tape
Blogging
Working (you can't eat at someone else's house)
I'm less than 12 hours away from being done....and that thought alone is keeping me going...
What's keeping you going?
Here are some tips and things to think about when you are considering a cleanse:
1. Don't follow a cleanse whose instructions include "Make sure you do not have to leave the house for the next 12 hours"
2. Plan your meals before hand. Waking up on day three of a Veggies Only cleanse and finding out that the only things in the fridge are pudding and sweetened condensed milk is really bad. For you and the family.
3. How long do you want the cleanse to last? Three days? Until the first craving hits? One day after you start threatening your husband with violence if he eats another cookie in front of you?
4. Remember to follow the directions for the cleanse. Read the instructions every day, just to remind yourself that Poutine and Costco hotdogs are still not in it.
A two week cleanse can be challenging....even for someone with experience....and here are some of my own personal helpers:
The Food Channel
Duct tape
Blogging
Working (you can't eat at someone else's house)
I'm less than 12 hours away from being done....and that thought alone is keeping me going...
What's keeping you going?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Welcome to my world
After much deliberation, procrastination, and general laziness, I have indeed formed a blog to make connections with customers and friends alike! Thank goodness for premade idiot proof templates and free blogging sites.....if only some of my endeavours in life were as easy to deal with!
Like a dirty bathroom, for instance. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just apply a cleaning template to the bathroom? Just select from whatever level you wanted: Just A Little Tidy, Clean Up After The Men Please, or OMG My Mother In Law Is Coming Over!!! Then click, and watch the magic loading button on the screen......Beep Beep Beep. My reality alarm just went off.
Cleaning up is a necesary part of life, and there really are no shortcuts, just personal preference and training. My preference is for Ultimate Clean With Disinfection Maximum Let's Hear Those Germs Scream!!! And I'm willing to put the work into it to get that result. It's quicker that dreaming, more satisfying than reading about it, and burns calories.......it's what keeps me going...
What is keeping you going?
Like a dirty bathroom, for instance. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just apply a cleaning template to the bathroom? Just select from whatever level you wanted: Just A Little Tidy, Clean Up After The Men Please, or OMG My Mother In Law Is Coming Over!!! Then click, and watch the magic loading button on the screen......Beep Beep Beep. My reality alarm just went off.
Cleaning up is a necesary part of life, and there really are no shortcuts, just personal preference and training. My preference is for Ultimate Clean With Disinfection Maximum Let's Hear Those Germs Scream!!! And I'm willing to put the work into it to get that result. It's quicker that dreaming, more satisfying than reading about it, and burns calories.......it's what keeps me going...
What is keeping you going?
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