Home Sanctuary

Make Someone Happy

"What can I do for you?" is a question everyone loves to be asked.  Even small children know it feels good to have someone interested in their needs or wants.  You might be surprised at the answers you receive when you stop down to ask this simple question.

My children have given me answers ranging from "watch me play with my cars," to "help me with my homework."  Sometimes they don't have an answer to "Is there anything I can do for you today that you would like?" but their smile tells me they love the question.  My husband's answers are always interesting, and HIS smile tells me he loves the question, too. 

If you're pressed for time, that's ok.  Say something like, "I only have a few extra minutes right now, but is there anything I can do for you (or with you)?" 

You're already doing so much for your family, why not spend that energy on something they'll really love today?

POINTS: 30 for asking at least one family member what you can do for them, and then doing it!

Then tell us!  How did you make someone happy today?

Say Bye Bye to Some of Yo Stuff

Let's start off the week with something really easy!  Take one kitchen-sized trash bag and fill it with stuff you know you should throw away: newspapers, old magazines, clothes beyond repair, dead flowers in vases, cans and debris from a weekend of football watching.  Plastic containers with no lids, phone books from 2002, shoes with no mates, broken toys you know you'll never fix but you hang on to anyway, things from your junk drawer, under beds, inside closets and under sinks....

Don't deliberate:  if it's a questionable item, don't throw it!  You are only tossing the obvious trash and unusable items, so it's easy to say "Bye-Bye-Bye!"  Bag it up and move it out, baby!

POINTS: 20 for filling one (13 gal) kitchen bag
BONUS POINTS: 20 more for filling two bags

Then let me know: what's the oddest, oldest or best thing you let go of today?

Make a Housekeeping Mission Statement

Today's Small Thing

Write a housekeeping mission statement.

"If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time."

A few years ago, I decided to create a simple mission statement for my housekeeping goals that I could actually DO.   It's helped me feel less guilty about letting some things go, while inspiring me to keep on keepin' on with the things that are important to me.

Feel free to borrow mine, or improve on it with your own goals:

"I would like my home to be clutter-free and inviting.  My goal is to decide which tasks I need to do or delegate each day so we can maintain a better, more organized lifestyle.  I want to honor my husband's greater need (than mine) for orderliness.  I want to be able to invite friends over without having to clean up for three days beforehand."

I simply wrote the first things that came to mind without over-thinking it or trying to make it "perfect."

POINTS: 10  For either borrowing all or part of mine, or writing your own.  Write it down and think about it over the weekend.  Next week, we will do Small Things to start making your mission statement a reality!

Laura at OrgJunkie, is writing about getting our planners and calendars in order for the year.  This will be a timely post before next week's challenges. 

If you want to, share your mission statements!

Company Girls Rock!

Ladies, ya'll have simply overwhelmed me with your response to my invitation to be Company Girls!

I really and truly thought I might have 5 or 6 people along for the "Sanctuary is in the Small Things" adventure.  And just look how many of you have chimed in to create everyday sanctuaries for your families!  It tells me that there is a much bigger circle of friends than I ever thought possible and it just warms my heart. (sniff!)

If you are new to Home Sanctuary, I want to welcome you and make it a little easier to figure out what the Small Things "challenges" are all about.  I can hear you saying, "I thought I heard something about points and prizes....."

Here's what you need to know so you can start participating!

How do I become a Company Girl? 

Simply email me. Tell me you want to join in.  I'm finding that's easier to keep track of than through the comments.  If you left a comment, I WILL get you added, too.

Why Become a Company Girl?

Read here.  The short answer is:  just because we like each other's company and everything is better with a friend along.

Can non-bloggers join? 

Of Course!  Again, leave me an email letting me know you want to join in.  And then participate with your comments and emails!

What are Small Things? 

Read here and here to find out! 

Do I need any special supplies? 

Here's a short list that will help you get things done easily.  From time to time, I will let you know if there is something else you might need to participate.

How do you keep score? 

You are on an honor system to add the points you earn with each Small Thing you do.  Here is a Download SanctuaryJanuary.pdf to make it easier! (Thank you, Elle, for making it.)  If the pdf doesn load, try printing the picture at the bottom of this post.

What happens if I miss some days? 

Don't worry, you can catch up during the month.  I will try and add enough ways to get points that you don't have to stress out over it!

Can I get my kids to help? 

Absolutely, YES!  Families should share ownership in creating their own special refuge.  There's no better team than the home team!

What are the prizes? 

You know I can't tell you EVERYTHING!  Let's just say I've been given some awesome things that I will roll out each month.  You'll want to stay tuned!

What if I can't do a Small Thing on the day it's assigned but I can the next day?  Can I still get points?

No points, sorry.  For now, you can just enjoy that warm feeling that you did a small, but important thing for your sanctuary.  Better late than never!  (Part of MY problem is procrastinating in doing those little things and I'd hate for anyone else to succumb to my nemesis.)

On a final note, the Small Things I am sharing are literally things off of my own "To Do" list.  Like your lives, my life is a juggling act.  I will try and answer emails and update the Company Girls list as best I can in a timely manner, but as I said, I THOUGHT I'd only have a handful of new friends!  You've blessed me immeasurably with your excitement and your hearts for creating home sanctuaries.  I know God will "establish the work of our hands" as we commit this year to Him! 

Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Reintroduce your family to fruit

Today's Small Thing

Is your family still all hopped up on sugar from the holidays?  Personally, I'm just coming out of a sugar-induced coma and can hardly function. 

So here's today's Small Thing: Take the fruit out of your fridge and set it out in a bowl as an edible centerpiece.  Or you can artfully cut it up however you like.  The point is, get fruity for a day and enjoy what is long forgotten in the month of December: things not dipped in goo. 

We recently rekindled a love affair with clementines, simply by putting them in a bowl on the counter!  Even little fingers can peel them and eat them like candy.  A bag of clementines cost me just a little more than a bag of Cheetos.  Both snacks are bright orange, but only one of them makes you glad you ate it afterwards.

POINTS: 10 for setting out some fruit or arranging a fruit plate

BONUS POINTS: 10 per person in the family who eats at least 1 serving (1/2 cup) (long-lost relatives not included)

Clean a Loo!

Today's Small Thing

Since I can hardly wait to try out my handy, under-the-sink bathroom cleaning supplies, I thought today would be a great day to clean the potties!

Or the "Loo's," if you prefer.

Just in case you never learned the "propah" way to clean a toilet, I'm providing you with a step-by-step instructional video clip to help out.  The fact that the instructor is British really makes it feel like you might be cleaning the thrones at Kensington Palace! 

Perfect for the royal behinds at your house.

VideoJug: How To Clean A Toilet

20 POINTS for doing a nice, thorough job on your toilets today.  Make them sparkle!

January's Company Girl Awards!

And now. 

The time has come to announce what this month's awards will be for our inaugural Small Things participation!

Drum-roll, please.

For Most Points by a Company Girl, the winner will receive a 16 x 20 "gallery wrapped" canvas print of this month's theme verse, Psalm 90:17.  It is a professionally finished version of the small copy in the previous post, handcrafted and signed.

Download image.html

People, it's gorgeous and I want it myself.  It comes ready to be hung and will be a beautiful reminder of our heartfelt prayer.  It will look wonderful in YOUR home.... so let the games begin.  Keep (honest) track of your points and make sure you've got your Company Girl button on your blog, if you have one.

For the "Along for the Ride" Company Girl award, which will be awarded randomly from among participants who did at least 5 things AND sport the Company Girl button, the winner will receive:
an autographed copy of He Speaks to Me, by my dear friend, Priscilla Shirer. 

If you are wanting to deepen your walk with God and learn to hear His voice when He speaks, you will love the message of this book.  It is life-changing.  Oh, girls, this is for you.

And the fact that Priscilla is. herself. a Company Girl of the best kind makes this book something to treasure.   You're gonna love it!

Worth playing for?

I thought so!

Happy New Year!

Begin 2008 with a Prayer

Sanctuary is in the Small Things

Start the year off with this verse that has been my prayer for 25 years.

Take 5 minutes to meditate on these words:

"And let:"  Letting means surrendering.  Are you too busy trying to control things that you forget to "Let go and let God?"  Incredible things can happen when we "let" Him work.

beauty: (also translated "favor.")  What would it be like to behold the Lord's beauty?  It is beyond our comprehension, and yet what a wondrous thought to imagine His holy, incandescent beauty within us, upon us, living through us.

the LORD our God:  Jehovah God, our Creator.  Infinitely powerful, yet intimately personal.

"be upon us:"  also translated "rest upon us."  His beauty is not in a hurry to get up and go.  It is laid upon us gently, lovingly, like a parent would cover a child with a warm blanket.

"establish thou:" only God can make our efforts successful.  "Establish" means to make it last, settle it, make it permanent, eternal.  It makes me want to choose the kind of work that lasts forever.

"the work of our hands: " I picture the work of our hands: raising children, making a home, working at a job, following His calling, and I see how we are creating things that reflect His glory.

"Yea, the work of our hands, establish Thou it:"   Oh, how many times I have repeated my heartfelt cries with "YES! Do this thing I'm asking of you!"  Is this your cry also?

Make this your prayer for 2008.   And commit the work of your hands to Him.  Watch His beauty fill all that you are and have.  Experience Him establishing all the work of your hands.

This is my prayer for you and your families this year.

This is a downloadable 4 x 6 print.  Print it out and put it on your fridge or mirror to remind you of your prayer.   You could even frame it!

And about those points:

20 points for putting it up on the fridge or mirror, or in a frame.

10 additional points for committing 3 important "works" to Him to establish for you.  Write them down!

Download JanuaryVerse.pdf