Home Sanctuary

Top O' the Table to Ya

I hope you all had a great time being FUN girls....I know I did!  I was a fun Hockey Mom at an out of town tournament, cheering for my favorite team and smiling at my favorite coach.  Dang, he's cute over there on the bench! :)

It's one of those mornings that I need something really, really small to do.  A WEE thing!  A thing which even the most sluggish among us can manage.  

 

(this photo is from hgtv...love it!)

Today's Small Thing is to clean off your table top.

Why, that's so insignificant!  Shouldn't we do something HARDER?

Um, no.  Not today.  

I don't know what the top of your table looks like, but there is a chance that it could be stacked with books and papers, sticky with honey and crunchy with toast crumbs.  It could have last night's plates on it or place mats that could use a nice wipe-down.

I believe that you are going to feel oh so fabulous after you wipe off your table, maybe lay a fresh tablecloth down and perhaps set a vase on it!  You could straighten up the salt and pepper shakers, the sugar bowl and napkin holder, if that's where they live, and move the excess clutter to another part of the house.

So CLEAN!  I'm going to enjoy looking at my table today!  Even if it only stays nice until the next meal, I will cherish it.

POINTS: 40 for simply clearing and cleaning off your table top today

What?  You have more than one table?  OK, if you insist on complicating this today, you can clear off any additional tables in your house.  End tables, coffee tables, dining room table, game table, work table.  

BONUS POINTS: 10 for each additional table, but only because you asked for it!  You girls are so ambitious.

All the Fun

Today's Small Thing is really simple, but might not be easy to pull off in one day.  You'll get the whole weekend to work on this one.

It's this: Have fun with your man.  BE fun with him.

See, somewhere in the middle of organizing children and budgets and cleaning and committees, we find ourselves being more like our husband's mother than his cute 'n sexy wife.

I can already hear some of you grumbling.  I've gained weight!  We just lost a job!  My kids are sick!   Yes, those are all excellent reasons to be frumpy. To be glum. To snap at your man. 

And if I thought being the resident grump would help your situation, I'd encourage you to continue on.

But let me just share something I've learned along the way, and I'll bet a hundred dollars that you know this to be true too:  Men are just like boys.  They want to have fun!  And they secretly want their wives to be fun!

Ah, NOW with the protests.  Girls, you've got to stop this! 

If you only knew what my husband thinks is "fun!"  Yeah, I've got a good idea.

If you only knew that my man would throw all our money away on a boat!  Well, you don't have to be foolish.

If you only knew the stress we are under!  Been there, done that.

He's been such a knucklehead, I'm really mad at him.  And your point is.....?

So let's quantify "fun," and see if it will give you some hope:

Your husband's FAVORITE fun is only going to take about 14 minutes, so what's the big deal?  I mean, come on.

And it wouldn't kill you to sit and watch an action movie or a football game.

You could tease him like you used to, just for fun.

You could give him a break on his chore list and let him do something he'd like to do instead.

You could flirt with him on the phone.

You could say sweet and silly things to him.

Play.  Wink.  Smile.  Nudge.  Be goofy.  Be attractive.  Lordy, put some makeup on!

Say, aren't we just encouraging manly irresponsibility?  Perhaps. 

But in the big scheme of things, a man who feels loved and has a little fun with his wife is far more likely to shoulder his responsibilities gladly than one who is beaten down and discouraged by her. 

And all joking aside, I DO realize that this Small Thing may seem like a Huge Impossible Thing for some of you.  I will ask you all to pray for each other, that we can simply lighten up in our marriages.  That we will find a way to have fun, BE fun together and enjoy each other.  If it's been a long, dry while since you've had any fun with your man, then just take a small step today.  Let bitterness go, and let fun pave the way to forgiveness.

POINTS: 50 for being a fun girl with your guy

BONUS: 20 for sharing....but keep it tasteful :)  You can either leave a comment or link up for coffee.

Company Girl Coffee

The highlight of my week was celebrating my birthday with my sister Katherine, who treated me to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.  We were joined by cute little Company Girl, Ruthie, who helped us polish off a White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake for dessert.



It was hard to tear ourselves away from each other, but we did so with a PROMISE to meet for lunch once a month.  It shouldn't be that hard, should it??

Thank you, Katherine, for a wonderful lunch and for being an amazing sister!

Well, I did pretty well on my Minimum Maintenance, if you don't count the Back Room.  I never did get the laundry folded that's been there for (ahem) several days, and I pretty much ignored the rest of the clutter in there.  But the REST of the house looks great!  I'm always amazed at what 5 minutes can do. 

OK, now it's your turn!  You do not have to have a deep, thoughtful or polished post prepared in order to invite us over.  We're just coming over in our sweats, anyway.  Just push the dog out of the way, move some of the newspapers that are on the couch, and open your door!  We want to get to know you!  Grab the Coffee logo by copying and pasting the code (make sure you get it all) into your post, and introduce yourself. 

Besides, I really need to get out of the house.

Bad Boys

As I tried to cram fresh groceries into my refrigerator yesterday, I hoped that there would be enough room so I wouldn't have to confront the containers that were getting shoved to the back.  I knew it wouldn't be a good scene.  Those boys loitering back there are up to no good.

But the rotisserie chicken refused to fit, and I was forced to remove the gang of plastic containers filled with remnants of meals gone by.  I felt a chill of foreboding in the pit of my stomach.

When WAS the last time we had pot roast??

This congealed chicken and rice soup looks a little like.....barf!

That didn't help my gag reflex.  Nor did the fuzzy refried beans, which were in a covered dish that I couldn't bring myself to throw away.  Darn!  I had to wash it out!  But I turned my head so as not to, you know, barf.

I fought off the rest of the containers by throwing them in the trash.  Those hardened criminals were beyond redemption.

Today's Small Thing is to remove the questionable and the obviously delinquent food from your fridge.  The rotting tomatoes, the wilted celery, the spotty zucchini.  The leftovers that you knew you wouldn't actually eat, but because you were raised to be frugal, got put into storage containers.  The half eaten yoghurts that are now soupy, and the tough macaroni and cheese.

You don't have to wipe down the inside of the fridge if you don't want to, just get rid of the bad boys and be done with it.  If you WANT to wipe it down, now would be a great time to do it, because it never gets any easier to clean up grime than when those rebels are gone.  But you can save that for another day.

POINTS: 40 for showing those no-gooders the door!

BONUS POINTS: 20 for wiping down the shelves

Creating Sanctuary from Chaos - Where Do I Start???

If you're mired in chaos and on the verge of a meltdown due to the state of your home, this is the post for you.  Come now, dry your eyes and read on:

First, you are in good company.  Millions of smart, capable and attractive people struggle with creating order in their homes.  Lack of organization does not mean that you are less intelligent or less worthy than those whose homes seem spotless at any given moment.  Let's just say that we ALL have our issues.

Organizationally Challenged people are often perfectionists, needing the right containers, proper storage and ample time to put things in order.  When none of these planets align, they cannot complete the tasks at hand. I fall into this category.

Messy people are often "People" People.  Our social obligations and personal desire to meet the needs of others outweigh the need to clean.  If someone needs a shoulder to cry on, this is the person for the job because organizing can always wait. 

We are savers.  We want to hold on to precious memories of our children, so we keep burp cloths and broken toys, and every scribbled picture and craft they ever made.  We keep old Halloween costumes and Christmas outfits, just because they were soooo adorable in them.  We hang on to Grandma's baking pans and Aunt Martha's sewing machine because we are keepers of the family mementos.  But all that stuff can keep you from enjoying life when it starts suffocating you.

We are busy.  Family activities are important, but they can wreak havoc on household management.

OK, we have some bad habits.  We think of our homes as a place to "relax and hang out," like when we were kids.  We let things go so long that it seems impossible to even begin.  We see housework as drudgery.

And maybe we lack focus.  We start cleaning one thing, see something else that needs our attention, and before you know it, the original item is long forgotten.

Sometimes we simply see housekeeping as not worth the effort.  It will just get messy again, so why bother? Besides, there are so many more important and interesting things to do, it is hard to take the time to do such boring, menial tasks.

There can be scores of reasons that your house gets out of control, but the result is almost always the same.  Disorder affects your family's ability to function, it brings friction to your relationships, and robs your family of peace.

If it's any comfort, most people struggle in this area to some degree.  But we Company Girls want to be free of this, and that's why we're here!

So where do we start??

Today, we'll start with a prayer.  If you are like me, you might be sick of bringing the same "GOD HELP ME!" prayer to Him, but we need to realize that He really does care about us.  He wants us to come a million times to Him, if that's what it takes, because He knows that dependence on Him is a good thing.  He WILL help you.  He wants you to have peace and joy in your home.

Next, institute Minimum Maintenance.  Minimum Maintenance is the simple idea that:

There is a minimum amount of effort that goes into each day to make it work. 

It's not a LOT of effort, but it IS effort.  I'm really liking the word "minimum" right about now, how about you?

I've talked about this before, but we could all stand to review it regularly because it's easy to forget.

The outlines of Minimum Maintenance are here and here.  Take a few minutes to read about it, and then get out a timer.  It is important to keep your activity swift, short and consistent.  Don't hyperventilate: Did you notice the word "short?"

What I'm telling you is this:  In about 20 minutes a day, you can have your house whipped into shape.  If you have able-bodied helpers around, you can actually divide and conquer, cutting your MM time down even further.  Now, I'm not talking about a germ-free level of clean here.  This is just NICE.  TIDY.  GOOD.  I can live with that!

When staring at a full-blown explosion in every.single.room. of your house, I realize that the first few times might take a little longer than 5 minutes per room.  But here is my challenge:

Today's Small Thing is to see how much you can get done in 5 minutes.  Make a game out of setting a timer, and move like you've got a fire lit under your butt feet to straighten/put away/remove/and tidy. 

THAT'S IT!  Once things are tidy, it is SO MUCH EASIER to keep it nice. 

POINTS:  50 for doing a 5 minute blitz in one room

BONUS POINTS: 30 for simply reading the posts about Minimum Maintenance

BONUS BONUS POINTS: 40 for doing a 5 minute blitz in at least one other room.

Golly, Rachel Anne!  That's 120 points for about 15 minutes worth of effort!

I know.  But this is the 15 minutes that's gonna rock your world!

Visit Works for Me Wednesday today!

Your Own Little Corner

Our old cat, Buttons (God Rest His Soul), was quite a cat.  You can read about him here in this tribute, written sometime after his disappearance from our Barn House.  Since then, there have been several "Buttons Sightings"  around this place, the most recent being last summer in the old shed.  My man was cleaning it out when he heard some rustling behind some boxes.  Thinking it was one of the many pesky raccoons, he raised a shovel over his head and approached slowly.

And suddenly, darting out from the shadows, was a striped gray cat.

"BUTTsie???" Tom called. "Is that you?"

But he was gone.

And the legend of Buttons lives on.

Buttons had his favorite spots to curl up in.  Mostly, he loved places where the sun came in and warmed his soft fur.  The back of the couch, the girls' bed, a window sill.  There, the light was just right for inspecting paws for dirt and for giving himself a bath.  He could think clearly about the state of the world, and contemplate whether to sleep or simply rest.

I've long admired the way cats "own" certain pieces of territory.  We could learn something from them.

Do you have a special place in your home that is "your own?"  I've never had the luxury of a pretty sitting room, craft room, or a reading nook, but there are a couple of places that I think of as "mine."

1) My side of the bed, where my stack of magazines, hand lotion and reading glasses live.

2) The end of the couch by the table and lamp, where I like to read and blog on the laptop.

3) The upstairs loft, which is currently a MESS of boxes and stuff I don't know what to do with.  I dream of really making it "mine" with pretty furnishings....someday.  For now, it is a catch-all.

Today's Small Thing is to stake a claim on some real estate in your own home.  You may not have any "extra" space for a personal area, but find a spot where you like to be and pay a little attention to it.  Set out some hand lotion, a pretty coaster and bring a soft throw to make it comfy.  Dust off your nightstand, organize your books, and set out a candle. 

My nightstand on a good day:

Carve out a little corner that speaks to your soul, even if it's right in the middle of a busy living room or bedroom.  You've got to nourish your own need for sanctuary before you can truly make it happen for everyone else.

POINTS: 40 for paying attention to your own little corner

BONUS POINTS: 20 for enjoying it for at least 10 minutes today! :)

Where is YOUR little corner and how will you make it special?

November's Verse - Zephaniah 3:17

This month's verse is chock full of comforting promises.  I'm going to enjoy getting these words into my heart every time I read it.

Let's go phrase by phrase, and if you aren't feeling good by the end, simply start over and read it again!

The Lord your God is with you.  

The Lord, Jehovah God, the Great I Am.  He is our all-powerful defender, provider and protector. Just like David said....you cannot escape from his presence.  In your darkest moment, in your deepest sorrow, and in your greatest triumph, He is surrounding you with his very Being. 

He is with you right now.

He is mighty to save.  

MIGHTY to save! In your time of distress and need, He is ready to move on your behalf to rescue you. We are not constrained by our own weakness when we are trusting in the Creator of the universe to come to our aid.  

He is mighty to save you.

He will take great delight in you.  

The thought of God taking delight in me is almost more than I can comprehend.  I can understand "thoughtful care," and "righteous leading," but DELIGHT?  The very word brings to mind a whole side of God that I rarely consider.  It is His joyful Father's heart that is made happy by His children as we follow in His footsteps.   Does He chuckle at our silly antics?  A Father who delights in His children loves to laugh with them.  

He enjoys you.

He will quiet you with his love.

Just as a father quiets and comforts a child, I imagine Him saying, "SSshhhh, there now.  It's alright, I'm here."  He picks us up and enfolds us into strong arms and carries us to a safe place. Gone is the need to obsess over the "what if's" and the "if only's."  We can rest in the security of his deep and abiding love.

Rest in Him today.

He will rejoice over you with singing.

If the thought of God taking delight in me is amazing, then the idea of Him singing over me is just....over the top!  If only we could open our ears to hear the sound of heavenly choirs echoing the joy of the Lord over us!  What would that be like?  Would we be forever changed?

God rejoices over you.

Today's Small Thing is to print out Zephaniah 3:17 (or put it on your computer desktop) so that you can be reminded to God's promise to you.  Wherever you are in your spiritual journey, would you take a moment to ask Him to make Himself known to you?  That's the prayer of my heart.  The Bible tells us that He is faithful to those who humbly seek after Him.  That he is eager to be found and ready to be known.  Let's take steps in His direction by putting our faith in Who He is, and trust in His unchanging word.

POINTS: 50 for putting Zephaniah 3:17 where you will see it! Download November verse  

How will God show Himself mighty to you?

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For those of your who receive Home Sanctuary by email or in a reader, today's song is "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong (the album version with Laura Story).  I hope you'll download it into itunes or listen to it on my site today.  It's amazing!

Skin

Isn't skin amazing?

Only God have come up with the idea of wrapping our bodies in an elastic layer that would not only hold our guts together, but would also give us our identities.  Genius!  From beautiful inky black, to mocha brown, milky white and freckled, skin is like pretty wrapping paper on a present.  It stretches and moves, protects us and even changes as we go through stages of life.

Skin breathes and absorbs, is durable and yet tender.  It feels and senses and renews itself.

Why is it that we take skin so for granted?

You know, without it we'd be a mess.

Today's Small Thing is to pamper your skin.  This is perhaps the best Small Thing we've ever done, and there are probably many of you jumping up and down for joy at this very moment.  I know I am.

You KNOW you should take better care of your skin, but who has the time, really?  I'm in and out of the shower, throwing makeup on without moisturizer, pulling socks up over scratchy legs and washing dishes like I'm on KP duty in the army.  I ache for a little personal luxury, but I press on like dried up old martyr. Shriveled, parched and in severe need of exfoliation.

• You could give yourself the Supreme DeLuxe: a facial, a soak in a tub and body buttah from head to toe.

• You could give yourself the Royal Hand Treatment:  Globs of lotion, massaged in, layer after layer.

• You could concentrate on feet, elbows and knees.  These are the athletes of the body, always working but never getting pampered.

• Try a new moisturizer, lip balm or scalp treatment.  Find something that smells yummy!  

Do whatever you want, just make your skin feel good to be alive.

POINTS: 50 for taking a few minutes to take care of your epidermis. Remember, you need to create a little bit of sanctuary for yourself, too!

Let us know: what's your favorite lotion, moisturizer or skin treatment?  How will you spoil your skin today?

Company Girl Coffee

I've noticed that several Company Girls have some fun things going on in the blog world.  Here are a few off the top of my head, and if you would like me to link to something happening at YOUR blog, just let me know.  You can email me, and/or link up below.

Heather - Giving Thanks by linking up on November 24th with personal testimonies here.

What a wonderful idea!  

Sallie - The Great November Giveaway - she's got some great stuff!

Homemaker Barbi - Saturday Giveaways: a way to let people know about giveaways on your own blog, and find other giveaways going on!

Madrid Mom - helping you approach the holidays "one bite at a time."

I'm STILL having internet problems, so I was not able to comment on Coffee blogs last week.  I was with you in spirit!  After wasting hours and hours with AT&T, hopefully we can get this resolved.  It's driving us CRAZY!

Today, I am in Houston at a "Church Facilities Expo."  I'm gathering product information and making contacts with people in the construction/facilities/media/furnishings industries, but I'd soooo much rather be planting fall flowers or baking something delicious.  (sigh)  I guess the Lord knows what He is doing by taking a "home" girl and putting her into a business setting, but sometimes I do wonder!

Now, link up, my friends!  Take me from the misery of walking the convention center floor, with a 20 pound bag of literature, away to your lovely lives, far and wide!  It's the only way I'll survive!

Company Girls Coffee Participants

1. Michelle Craft 2. Samantha 3. Claudia

4. Erin & Finding the Funny 5. Melissa 6. Lindsay

7. Rebecca 8. Marie 9. carol

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Trash Talkin'

Every now and then, I just HAVE to talk trash.

Oh, yeah.  Uh Huh.  Garbage. Yeah, I said it.  Stinkin Garbage.

I said that while making intimidating signs with my hands, like these scary rappers:

I could make rumbling with trash a "Small Thing" every single week, and there'd still be trash left over.

Oh, you wanna take this outside?  Do ya?  Huh?  Do ya?

Yeah, I BET you do.  C'mon MAKE ME!

If my son were reading this he'd tell me to never blog in trash talk again. He's quite clear in letting me know I am an embarrassment to his teenage sense of "cool."

Today's Small Thing is to do some Trash Talking with me.  Whoop up on all those little wastebaskets in bathrooms and bedrooms that mostly contain old kleenexes and receipts, and don't get emptied regularly.  It's time for a smack down.  They've been riding low under the radar of the trash police, but get ready to smoke 'em out and gather up the trash for a trip to the pen.

POINTS: 10 per trash can emptied, no limit!  Last time we did this, I think I counted 11 wastebaskets in my house.  Baby, that's a lotta trash to crunk.