Making Your Home a Haven Challenge Week 2

My peppermint swirl candle has been flickering on the stove.
Love love love the pepperminty aroma! 
I've been praying as often as I remember for peace.
Have you been following Courtney?
I am looking back at week two. 

This week’s challenge:

Play soft music everyday in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that the family enjoys. I’ll be playing Christmas music! Focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. Work on gentleness this week.

Well this first part is pretty easy! 

We have been playing Christmas music the past week! 

Sis pulls up youtube on the wii and has a Christmas playlist that we have been using almost all day, every day! 

I love Christmas music, even singing about snow is fun (regardless of how I feel about real snow, fake snow in songs just goes with the season!).

The second part however.....

It's SO SO SO difficult to use peaceful words when you live with a constant tormenter!

Sarcasm, Defiance, Nit picking, Arguing, Insults, etc.

It's constant. Its annoying. Its a real DOWNER. 

How do you stay happy, cheerful and loving in light of this?

Like Courtney says,

I need to work on

*Guarding my tongue

*Overlooking Insults

*Using tongue to bring Healing

*Guarding my Mouth

*Being Slow to Anger

*Giving Gentle Answers

*Using Restraint

Wow. That is a tall order it seems! 

COUNTRY GIRL

Making Your Home a Haven 2012 Challenge

Running behind schedule as usual, I am just now getting to look at this challenge.

What does that tell you?

 This *IS* a CHALLENGE! 

Once again, I will be joining Courtney over at Women Living Well for this fall challenge.

Here's the challenge for week 1 ~

Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. I will be starting mine in the morning! But you can start yours at dinner time. Do what makes sense for your family. I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home. Each time the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace in your home.  

Peace.

Our home is often anything but peaceful.

There is often so much tension.

But when I look upon a flickering candle...

It's so pretty.

So relaxing.

It is peaceful.

So today I dug out a candle and lit it.
The delicious scent of peppermint has been wafting through the house all day.
Now to be working on praying for peace.

COUNTRY GIRL

Making Your Home a Haven

Candles.

Music.

Peace.

Clutter?

Hmmmm, once again,

I used up my candle.

I've been burning,

ALOT!

So I dug out this one - 

(yes, my glass is broke. My mom used to work in a candle shop and got damaged goods at very good prices. They still burn...lol)
 

So clutter.

Yep. 

I got it.

I've been working on the living room spot as often as I've had extra time.

It hasn't been as much as I'd like.

I have made some progress though! 

I took some before pictures...

but I couldn't bear to post them! 

So this spot is a tv tray, filled top, under and around with various things that need sorted, repaired, filed, and pitched.

While I haven't completed the project, 

I have made a large dent in the mess! 

I've also done a little bit in the dining room.

Not enough,

but a bit.

This weeks challenge is to (of course)

keep going with everything we've been doing

and then

create some tender moments.

Courtney suggests things like pillow fights, classic movies, board games and back rubs.

Everyone - except Einstein - likes loves back rubs.

We love to watch movies,

but I know I need to work more on silliness and touch.

I know I don't give enough back rubs/ scratches.

Einstein of course doesn't like to be touched but maybe if I'm giving them out to everyone he'll allow it?

I'd like to share this quote before I go,

that Courtney had.

J.R. Miller says “The richest heritage that parents can give is a happy childhood, with tender memories of father and mother. This will brighten the coming days when the children have gone out from the sheltering home, and will be a safeguard in times of temptation and a conscious help amid the stern realities of life.”

Isn't that great?

Come check out Courtney at Women Living Well.

COUNTRY GIRL

Making Your Home a Haven

Candles.

Music.

Peace.

Things have gone well this past week.

It's been a cooler week in general,

today has been cold and rainy.

Candle weather.

In fact, 

I used up the French Vanilla so had to dig out another - 

Pumpkin Pie.

There's just something so cozy about a candle burning.

 Music.

It's been on this week, ALOT! 

From Cheri Keaggy to Bob Seger,

Latin for children to Kenny Rogers.

We've been tuning in or turning it on every day.

And we've been dancing.

From whatever the kids were attempting - 

to slow dancing with Good Ole Boy,

we've been having fun.

And it's been more peaceful. 

SO thankful for that! 

So onto this weeks challenge! 

Find a spot that makes you visually stressed.

Buy something (like a basket) to help in that area.

Clean up the clutter.

Throw things away.

Check the clutter in your spiritual life as well.

Hmmm, visually stressed?

That is the WHOLE house! 

Sigh.

Cleaning, purging, donating, pitching,

been doing that all year! 

It's still not where I want it to be.

So no problem working there, 

but this will continue to take me way longer than this challenge.

Currently, I am working:

*Upstairs - getting the kids' play area organized, pitching junk, donating things not needed, and cleaning. 

I will probably need to pick up more totes or some sort for that.

*Living Room - mostly organizing here.

Now that the office is functional (still not finished though), 

I need to get all my paperwork and stuff out of the living room and sorted into filing cabinets, pitched, etc.

*Master Bedroom - needs major organization here.

Other areas that constantly stress me:

*Dining Room Table

* Mud Room

*Kitchen Counter

So I've got lots to do!

lol.

Are you participating in the challenge?

I'd love to hear how it's going for you.

Want to read more?

Check out Courtney's blog.

COUNTRY GIRL

Making Your Home a Haven

Candle?

Peace?

We had some days that were nice and warm and I simply wanted to be outside, so my candle wasn't lit daily. 

Praying for peace - now that WAS a daily occurrence! 

It's since gotten cooler.

Right now its cold and rainy outside, perfect for a candle burning inside to dispel the gloom.

I've updated my candle to French Vanilla so it even smells more like fall (versus the Peony one I had out last week).

 

This weeks challenge - 

Play soft music your family enjoys, and

focus on maintaining peaceful relationships.

 Focus on gentleness with your words and have fun with your family.

I really feel that we are under attack.

That the more we work towards a peaceful home,

the more Satan tries to disrupt us.

I've been working with lots of attitudes and behaviors this last week,

amazingly they started with this challenge.

Coincidence?

I think not.

Satan doesn't want us to have a happy, cozy, loving home.

He wants chaos and anger.

So I will be continuing with lots of prayer, and working on gentleness while having fun with my family.

Today, I'm going to look through my stack of cd's, put something on and love my family! 

How about you?

Women Living Well

COUNTRY GIRL

Making Your Home a Haven - 2011 Challenge

Week 1's Challenge:

Light a candle everyday in your home.

Every time the candle catches your eye, 

say a prayer for Peace in your home.

I also did this challenge last year.

Looking back, I see many of the same challenges I face today.

I want my home to be a peaceful haven.

A shelter.

A cozy (CLEAN) den full of love.

I will say it's better, 

but it's not where I want it to be.

In fact, tonight has been full of screaming kids,

raised voices and arguing.

My head is pounding and I feel anything but relaxed and peaceful.

 Looks like I've got lots of work to do.

I currently have a Peony Candle on my stove,

but I need to get out something more fallish. 

Are you taking part in Courtney's Challenge?

COUNTRY GIRL

 

2011 Schedule

We are SO not morning people!

We are SO not "schedule" people either!

That said, we DO need one...

 Especially with Einstein in public school. 

Or we won't get much accomplished, sigh.

So here is my tentative - tentative because all the "extra's" haven't come in yet - schedule for this year.

Morning - Monday thru Friday

6 am - I wake up (ugh! So early! Thank God for a timer on the coffee pot!)

6:30 - wake up Einstein

7 - Einstein leaves - he has to walk across town to catch the bus

7-8 on Mon, Wed & Fri - I NEED to be dedicated in wii fit then shower

Tues & Thurs - shower & I can play online

8 - girls wake up

8:30 - Breakfast

9 - dress & morning chores

9:30 - School starts

(I hope to always have my Bible time in the morning either while Einstein is getting around or while the girls are eating and doing chores)

Now our school days will look different.

The days I work are ALWAYS stressful and chaotic.

Work Days

9:30 - Math with Hunny

10 - Reading with Hunny

10:30 - Reading with Bug

11 - Get ready for work and leave

(while I am working one on one here the girls can work on individual things, or if finished can read or have free time)

11:30 - 12:15 - one girl on laptop doing SOS 

12:15 - 1 - the other girl gets laptop

(I will alternate days of who goes first. IF math gets finished before their 45 min is up they may play on the computer. If they aren't finished that becomes homework for later)

1 - lunch, computer, free time

2 - Latin

2:30 - Lit with Sis

3 - Hebrew with Sis

(those times are approximate. Will see how the lessons flow)

    Non Work Days

9:30 - Weaver studies

(this will be Bible, prayer, social studies, science, read alouds, spelling, grammar, etc.)

1 - Lunch, computer, free time

2 - Chemistry

3 - Photography (first semester) / Art (second)

 Individuals done when they fit, 

maybe before lunch or maybe as homework.

Evening Schedule

4 - Einstein gets home

5 - Evening chores

6 - Dinner 

7 - Dishes

8 - Rabbits & showers

9 - Girls' phones up! 

Bedtime for Einstein, Bug & Hunny.

Quiet time in room for Sis   

10 - Light's out for Sis

 So this is my goal for our days.

I desire to have as little stress in our home and school life as possible! 

I desire to get our schooling done AND have a relatively clean home AND down time to enjoy each other and our individual interests too! 

Seems like such a HUGE dream. 

I hope we can stick to this schedule and that it really does help us accomplish these things. 

Do you have a schedule?

Today I'm linking up with 

Raising Arrows

COUNTRY GIRL

 

Making your Home a Haven Challenge

Candles - check.

Praying for peace - constant work.

Music & peaceful words - check & constant work.

Organization - constant work. Got more things pitched or ready for GoodWill.

Last weeks challenge of tender moments - went well. We had fun, crazy dance & singing sessions. Girls had a blast although they think we are nuts! lol. :) Einstein of course does not participate. Sigh. I didn't get many backrubs in with the girls but I DID touch them more. Gentle hands on their backs, hands, etc. They did bless each other though.

Einstein however will not let us touch him. Any attempts result in raised fists or screaming accusations that we are hurting him. Double sigh. Overall, we had a great week. 

Now, for this week's challenge -

Week #5 Challenge: Focus on the kitchen, the heart of the home. Cook things with pleasant aromas.

 

UGH! Not my favorite area. 

I know....not the right attitude, huh? I've never cared for cooking. I wish I did. I am not creative, and when I try my family complains. 

Courtney says first we need to be thankful. I do try and thank God for the food he has provided and I remind my children of that frequently. Fresh tomatoes? Yeah, yuck. But I will use them and say God provided we must be thankful! :) This week meals will be pretty blah and/or interesting. It is the last week of our food until our new months budget hits. Perhaps they won't complain as I dig hot dogs out of the freezer but I bet they will if I pulled the lentils out of the cupboard! But I will *try* and make things pleasing. This is such an area of struggle for me. Since I don't like cooking trying to find healthy, yummy meals that aren't over my head or to mundane and served too often is a challenge.

And sitting the table...? Sigh. Another area of issues. Most nights are in the living room since by the time Good Ole boy gets home, he wants to relax in his recliner. We typically eat when he gets home around 8 pm. Definitely an area I need to think about - what can I do here? 

So this week will be a challenge! I had better think about that....and go pull hot dogs out of the freezer! 

http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/10/this-weeks-challenge-is-my-weak-spot.html

 

Making your Home a Haven Challenge

So the candle has been burning. 

Will probably need a new one soon. 

I've been praying for peace.

Hasn't been peaceful lately though. 

I've been playing music and trying to speak quietly, calmly, and lovingly....and reminding those who haven't been.

Last week I found a laundry basket for Good Ole Boy's uniforms and that has been ok. Still doesn't seem ideal but they are off the floor. It's been a very busy week so I haven't gotten as much organized and sorted this past week as I would have liked to.

Now for this weeks challenge.

Give Your Children a Happy Childhood Filled With Tender Moments

 Courtney suggests a pillow fight, back rubs, cozy evenings of hot cider & caramel corn. During some quiet moments ask them about the challenge and how they feel. Are there changes they would like? Then LISTEN. 

So, I have my work cut out for me. :) 

Einstein does NOT like to be touched so that will prove interesting. 

I am going to *TRY* to show them extra love physically this week by hugs, back rubs & holding hands. 

I am going to try and have extra special quiet (or not so quiet) moments with them. A pillow fight? AH.... probably not! (can you say broken ceiling fan, windows & tv?!) But maybe a tickle fest? We'll have to see what I can come up with there. A cozy night of pillows, cider & popcorn does sound very nice though. 

Lots to think about and see what I can implement into our home. 

http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/10/giving-your-children-happy-childhood.html

Making your Home a Haven Challenge

So we started with a candle and praying for peace. That has continued to go well. 

Last week we added music and using peaceful words. The music was easy. 

The peaceful words....not so much! 

But we have done it. :) It definitely got easier as the week went on and I am very happy that I was able to stay calm in situations when Einstein tried to fight; even when he was screaming & swinging fists, I was able to keep my cool. Thank you so much for praying for me! We even worked on adding our second spoke to the Wheel Of Peace - kind, calm & quiet. I thought it fit in very well with the goal of using peaceful words.

This week's challenge: 

Cleaning up clutter! 

Also a two-part challenge.

1. Pick an area of your home where clutter collects and put something there to contain it.

 Courtney asks us to look around and see which spots in our home visually stress us and to put something there to collect the clutter. Ummmm.... That would be the WHOLE HOUSE!! :S 

But this is something we are working on - kinda? 

We have been purging alot. Since we are hopeful that we can sell this house and move we have been going through and getting rid of. It's amazing how much we have taken to Goodwill & Salvation Army! I am motivated to have it look decent should someone be interested in seeing the house. It has been difficult living here. So much has yet to be finished and there isn't places for everything and it does honestly STRESS me out! Good Ole Boy doesn't seem to realize how anxious some things make me feel. But I am at a loss as how to 'fix' that. This has helped in that I *know* I am doing something. As to the specifics in the challenge.... I'm not sure what I'll be doing there. The stair clutter bothers me - and it's dangerous! But we got stair baskets for the girls thinking that would help. Load your things in the basket during the day, take it up at night and bring down in the morning....but they don't do it. So there is unsightly and dangerous clutter constantly on the stairs. Coffee table clutter drives me nuts! But that is mostly Hunny's toys and books that she brings out during the day.  Furniture clutter the same. It drives me nuts to not have a place to sit! But it's loaded with blankets (it's getting cold) and again, Hunny's stuff. I have been working with her on cleaning it up. My dining room table is loaded - with more things to take to Goodwill. I guess maybe I'll work on something for Good Ole Boy's uniforms this week! That might be a good place to start. He has to take them in weekly for cleaning but they are yucky with grease and oil on them so he throws them on the floor. It does bother me that they get strewn everywhere so maybe I can locate a laundry basket for them. Hmmmm....? We'll see what I can come up with this week for this part of the challenge. 

 

2. Now on to the spiritual part -  

   what sin have I not confessed? 

Practice repentance daily - free yourself of spiritual clutter.

I John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

  

I think we ALL have something to work on here. We are sinners by nature. None of us are perfect.

I will be looking at myself daily here.

 

http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/10/cleaning-up-clutter-challenge.html

Making your Home a Haven Challenge

Last week's challenge was to light a candle and pray for peace in our home. 

I have done fairly well there. There were a few days that were crazy busy and we were in and out so that candle didn't get lit EVERY day, but most of them it did. 

And even Sis caught on to the Pray for Peace theme, although I don't believe her prayers were as serious in nature as mine.

And we had a wonderful opportunity yesterday driving home from church to talk about our Wheel of Peace. The sermon was from Matthew 5 about the salt and the light, and just how can we be Jesus to those around us. Well, that applies to our homes just as much as our community! 

Definitely an area that we - *I* - need to continue working on, but thankful for a good start! 

This week's challenge is two-fold also:  

Play soft music everyday in your home. 

Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that the family enjoys.  

Focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. 

Remind your family to avoid seething anger, tattling, criticism or back talk. Role model gentleness this week. 

Hmmm.... music. I can do that. We all like Country. But I also like Contemporary Christian, Classical, Eighties Rock & Nature sounds. I will work on having music playing part of the day - and some of that will be quiet and something other than Country here and there.

 

The next part of the challenge however.... OUCH! 

I'm going to copy Courtney's thoughts here - 

1. When you feel tempted to raise your voice, use a child's name in a snarl, furrow your brow into a scowl or speak rapidly in anger...purposely lower your voice to just above a whisper. Proverbs 15:1 says "A gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger." Focus on gentle words, facial expressions, and touches.

2. Purpose to not let someone else's anger make you angry. Many times as a wife and mom I find myself responding to other's emotions. Someone in the family is grumpy and two minutes later I'm grumpy too. Someone in the family is speaking harshly and two minutes later I'm speaking harshly too. Purpose to stay in control of your emotions and not let the other members of your family dictate your mood.

3. Yelling at a bud won't make it bloom. Your home will not blossom into a haven if you are not controlling your temper.

4. Continue to pray for peace in your home. Persevere in prayer for your family. James 5:16b says, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Wow! This is honestly something I struggle with. 

Einstein is SO ANGRY, and SO HATEFUL, and takes it out on ALL of us that I honestly struggle in keeping happy & peaceful with him being such a BIG downer!

I would appreciate your prayers in helping me with this as I work on this challenge, as I believe it will be one!

 

http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-make-your-home-sing.html 

Making your Home a Haven Challenge

It is week 1 of the Making Your Home a Haven Fall Challenge. 

Here is this week's challenge: Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. 

Each time the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace in your home.

Courtney has a great post on this. What kind of home are you making?  Are you distracted & distant or making a haven in your home? She goes on with lists. Unfortunately, I do have alot of list one going on. 

We are working on the LOVING spoke of our WHEEL OF PEACE. This is a big deal to me. I WANT my home to be a haven. I WANT it to be peaceful. 

I am catching my kids ALOT this week speaking in an unloving tone or acting in an unloving way....but I'm also catching myself too. 

I didn't have to go BUY a candle for this weeks challenge. I have lots of them around! And it's even lit. In fact, I have one in the living room & one in the kitchen right now. The challenge will be - to actually STOP and Pray each & every time I catch a glimmer of that flame. 

Making your Home a Haven Challenge

I have been wondering what to blog about. Thinking how much I liked the Completing Him Challenge. You know, it gave me something to blog about and it gave me things to ponder - to chew over every week. Something tangible to work on in my life. 

This morning I hopped on facebook to discover.... yeah! Women Living Well has a new fall challenge! 

 http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/09/making-your-home-haven-fall-challenge.html

This challenge starts next week. It will be great! :) I know I struggle with the peaceful home issue and we are even working on this in school. This will be a help to me as I try to instill peace into my kids.