Home Sanctuary

Wow! Time To Turn in August Points!

The month of August went by so fast that I hardly had any time to moan about the Dog Days of Summer!  I guess maybe it's a good thing when you're complaining about not being able to complain?

I've really enjoyed this month of Small Things.  With summer winding down and school beginning, I've needed the nudges to keep me on track!  And we've had so many new Company Girls join in!  It's great to have you here.

Since many of you are new, let me tell you how this works. At the end of each month, I ask you to tally up the points you've earned and email the totals to me for a chance to win a prize.  BUT DON'T WORRY IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF POINTS!  You are still eligible to win a Random Drawing prize, even if you only participated in the Small Things once.

Let's review:

The Most Points Winner will receive a $30.00 gift certificate to Sam Moon.  You can use it to purchase super-cute stuff like this:

The Random Drawing Winner will receive a copy of Not So Fast, by Ann Kroeker.  This book has really inspired me to find ways to slow down the pace and truly connect with my family.  It is a Must-Read!

Today's Small Thing has two steps:

1.  Email your point total OR a brief note to tell me to enter you in the Random Drawing.  Everyone who participated is eligible for the Random Drawing.

2.  Leave a comment, telling us which Small Thing was your favorite task this month.  Or you can share something positive about being a Company Girl, or creating sanctuary for your family.  The purpose here is to encourage the "fence-sitters" to join in!  There are hundreds of girls who read along each day, but haven't yet jumped in to start "doing" it.  I'd like to see everyone start participating in September because reading along is only half the fun!!

That's all you have to do, and you get 30 points for it! 

I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes

Yea, I will lift up mine eyes unto the heights; from whence cometh this dust?
The dust cometh from the Other Guy, who also made germs and despair.

Hezekiah 4:12

One advantage of being sorta short is that I can't see much of the dust and grime that settles in my house because it is above my eye level.

My husband has asked me on several occasions if I ever clean the top of the refrigerator and I just stare back at him blankly.  Why would I do THAT??  Duh, I can't SEE it!

Sometimes he misses the obvious.  See what I have to put up with?

But it's not just the top of the fridge.

Cabinet shelves that are up in thin atmosphere.

Ceiling fan blades.

Tops of door frames.

Ceiling lights.

Valences and curtains.

Picture frames.

Tall bookshelves.

Upper corners where cobwebs like to hang out.

It pains me to have to lift my eyes up to the dirt that is above my head.  I've got my hands full with the dirt I CAN see down below, thank you very much.

But, on the rare occasion that I've cleaned off the top of my fridge or dusted the fan blades, I've notice a distinct spring in my step and a lightness in my soul.

By golly!  I'm cleaning things that don't matter and I like it!!

Today's Small Thing is to clean ONE thing that is above eye level.  Oh, once you get down from the chair or step ladder, you'll never see it again, but you'll know in your heart how clean it is!  And that knowledge is power, honey.  You're gonna feel invincible!

POINTS: 40 for lifting your eyes to see the grime...and cleaning ONE thing on high

BONUS POINTS: 20 for cleaning an additional upper area

Don't forget to link up for coffee in the next post....and a chance to earn 50 extra bonus points!

Company Girl Coffee 8.28

Where did THIS week go? Mercy me.

First things first:  I totally forgot to let you know who won Not So Fast from the Newsletter Game last week!

The winner is: Evelyn Zodtl!  Evelyn, email your address to me and I will send you the book!  Congratulations!!

I'm beginning to wonder about myself...yesterday alone I forgot my purse THREE times, a camera one time, and a school supply list once!  This is scaring me!

Last weekend I only made it around to about half of the blogs who linked up and had great intentions of finishing my rounds through the week.  Well, I apologize if I did not stop by...this week totally blew past!

It was the first week of school for my "baby," Grayson, who started 10th grade.  We always take a photo on the first day of school and we marveled how much he's grown since last year!

Maybe by the time he's a senior I'll figure out to put some makeup on for the first day photo!

On Fridays, everyone is invited to link up for a little "Koffee Klatch" time!  It's an opportunity to get to know other Company Girls and put "faces" to names.  I hope you'll make a point to visit these great gals over the weekend!  (I'm going to do better this time, I promise!).  If you are new around here, don't be shy!  Just join in and have fun.

In fact, how about some extra credit??

If you will visit at least 5 participating blogs and leave a comment on at least 5, I'll give you 50 bonus points! Link up and get visiting!! 

 

Matthew 5:16

For the past three years, I have driven through Ft. Worth to do projects for a major ministry there. The freeway travels through an older part of the city, which is filled with dilapidated buildings, crumbling streets, and tiny, run-down homes.  Most of the houses have burglar bars on the windows, and some are boarded up completely.  It is a depressed area, one you like to get through quickly.

But one day as I whizzed past, I caught a glimpse of a little house right near the freeway, and I was immediately captivated.  It is outstanding!  With crisp, white paint on the exterior and dark green trim adorning its doors and windows, it lives in stark contrast to everything around it!  A sturdy fence surrounds the front yard, which is its crowning glory.

Perfectly manicured grass rolls from stoop to curb, and at the gate stand two tall cylindrical shrubs, tightly clipped into sentinels on each side.  Topiaries shaped into stacked balls greet passersby near the street, and more topiaries stand near the shelter of this small white jewel.  Cone shaped, rectangular and even gumdrop-looking shrubs, are all symmetrically planted and carefully formed.  It looks like a tiny fairy land!

I make a point to look at that little white house every single time I pass by, and I marvel at the care the owners have taken.  These people really take pride in their landscaping, and it shows!

Not long ago, as I craned my neck to glimpse the "topiary house," I noticed a banner on the fence.  It read:

"Lawn Care"

(555)-555-5555

"Ahhhhh!" I said with a nod, and actually chuckled out loud.  "Well, THAT'S no surprise!"

Whoever lives there certainly knows all about lawn care!  With the way they keep their own place, you can be sure they will take good care of their customers' yards.  

What they advertise on the outside comes from what is true on the inside.

The people who own that little house "walk the walk."  For months I'd witnessed the topiaries and lawn care: the lifestyle, if you will.  And when the day came that I saw the advertisement, I was not one bit surprised!  It made perfect sense!  The sign rang true because I'd seen the evidence.

Let me ask you about your lifestyle:  When people find out you're a Christian, are they surprised?  Or do they nod their heads and say, "I could have guessed that!" because your life shines?  Do you stand out in a crowd, or do you blend in with the world around you?

Oh, I want to live in such a way that, even without a banner telling people I'm a Christian, they can see the evidence of it.  It's all about bringing glory to Jesus: how I talk, what I do, where I go, what I watch, how I conduct my business.  The topiary house is a constant reminder to let my life shine for Him.

Today's Small Thing is to put Matthew 5:16 where you can see it.  Think about what you are advertising on the outside.  Is it the same as what's on the inside? 

Be OUTSTANDING for Christ!

POINTS: 50 for posting Matthew 5:16 somewhere

Download Matt5.17

How about a little Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir to inspire your light!....today's song will get your toes tapping!

The Armpit of the House: Laundry Room

Maybe your house is different than mine, but one of the worst areas to go into is the laundry area.  It's like the inner city slum of my home.

Now, I realize that some people have laundry closets.  Or you might have a corner in your basement for your washer and dryer.  Many people have a small space between the garage and the rest of the house, or you might even have a wash machine in your kitchen.

But wherever laundry is done, there is often trouble lurking.

I always seems to have a pile of clothes that are in limbo.  Are they clean? Dirty? Needing repair?  Why have they been here for weeks?

There is usually a gang of empty boxes of detergent or dryer sheets kicking around.  The trash can overfloweth.  And stuff that no one knows what to do with gets shoved in there, too.

Today's Small Thing is to straighten up your laundry area.  Throw out the lint, dust off the appliances, weed through your cleaning products. Get rid of the abandoned items and chase off the criminal element.

Do something with the clothes in the limbo pile.

Take 5 minutes and turn that eyesore into a jewel of revitalization. 

POINTS: 40 for doing some urban renewal in the laundry room!

Just for fun: Here is a video of today's song...

"Window Seal"

 

On my first day in Texas, a girl knocked on my dorm door and asked if I had a "Pop-ann."

I had to ask her to repeat it three times and get her to use sign language before I understood that she needed a PIE PAN!  Ah got it nah.

People here have "Garage Sells," rather than "Garage SALES."  I've actually even seen hand made signs for Garage Sells, made by people who obviously don't know the difference.

And I once had a whole conversation with a woman who was troubled by her "window seals."  I thought we were talking about weather stripping issues, until I realized we were discussing her SILLS!  No wonder she was concerned about the color of her "seals!"

(I hope you are saying these Texas phrases out loud as you read them...it's so much more fun that way.)

For more fun phrases, you can read here.

Today's Small Thing is all about "window seals."  I mean SILLS.

I have a tendency to ignore them because they just sit there and mind their own business as they stare out the window. Maybe they are lost in thought, but they sort of fly under the radar on the cleaning schedule while I attend to other, more pressing issues, like keeping toilet seats clean.

But window sills could use some attention.  I've noticed actual cobwebs in some of mine and I feel bad about that.

POINTS: 40 for dusting/wiping down at least 4 window seals, uh, SILLS.

Veni, Vidi, Vici

"I came, I saw, I conquered," were the famous words of Julius Caesar in 47 BC.  He was describing his victory in the Battle of Zela in his speech to the Roman Senate.  From what I understand, that terse sentence was the full text of the speech.  Wow.

You've gotta admire a man of few words.  He gotter done.

Here are some modern takes on the famous phrase, thanks to Writing 101.

Veni, Vidi, Visa -- I Came, I Saw, I went shopping

Veni, Vidi, V8 -- I Came, I Saw, I went very quickly

Veni, Vidi, Volley -- I Came, I Saw, I played tennis

Veni, Vidi, Vamoose -- I Came, I Saw, I Left

Veni, Vidi, Fiji -- I Came, I Saw, I ran away as far as possible

Veni, Vidi, VCR -- I Came, I Saw, I went home and rented the video

Personally, I identify most with the "Vamoose" version, because when I see a battle coming my way, I like to turn tail and run.

But there are battles to fight every day:  The housework.  The traffic.  The laundry.  The dishes.  Balancing the checkbook. Getting children to brush their teeth, do their chores, be kind to each other.  Fatigue.  The same 5 pounds from last year.

Sometimes, when my M.O. is "I came, I saw, I thought about it," I can think of a million reasons NOT to get in there and conquer.   I'm tired.  I'm busy.  I'm not in the mood.  My pants are too tight. It's not a good hair day.

The longer I consider the situation, weigh my options and think about the alternatives, the less likely I am to just strap it on and get. it. done.

But sometimes you've just got to get your game face on and duke it out. 

Oh Yeah. Brang It!

What's your battle today?  What's mocking you, bringing you down, defeating you before you even start? 

The laundry?  Kick it in the shorts.

Dishes?  Knock 'em out.

Naughty children?  Take em in the bedroom and deal with them.  That's right.  Don't put it off, don't let them convince you not to take action.  Be kind and firm, and just do it.

Today's small thing is to Conquer!  Deal with something you don't want to deal with. It's an "action" mind-set that makes you get moving.  You'll feel victorious and proud of yourself because it takes courage and guts to face the battle.

YOU CAN DO IT!

POINTS:  50 for saying, "Veni, Vidi, Vici!"

Let us know: what battle are you choosing to fight today?

Babies and Fireflies

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Today would have been my due date.

This was the baby I was too old for.  The one I shouldn't have wanted because we were so far past the "baby" stage of life. 

But I did want that little one, even if at first I was afraid. I fell in love with that tiny life in the few weeks I had with it.

And I imagine how different this day could have been: welcoming a small bundle into our almost-entirely grown up family and how it would have changed everything.  Oh, it would have rocked our world.

Instead, we went to a wedding of one of our daughters' childhood friends.  And we were struck by how quickly the time flew from the girls' first grade until now. It was a blink of an eye.

I know starting all over with a new baby would not have been easy. But I loved those years: the binkies and bottles, the tiaras and slumber parties. And I know now how fast those years pass into the memory books and how precious they are.  Maybe this time around I wouldn't have gotten so upset about the toys left out, or the tantrums, or the lumpy sock problems.  I'd like to think I'd have been more patient.  I would have worried less and enjoyed more.

I would have liked another chance.

Last evening, I took a walk down our country road, which meanders through some woods.  I felt restless and confused, and had to clear my head. As darkness fell under the towering oaks, something caught my eyes.  A million fireflies appeared in a small clearing, sparkling and dancing just beyond me.  They twinkled and shimmered like fanciful stars, and the enchanting scene took my breath away. I stopped to experience the wonder of it. 

And I thought of my baby just then.  Like a dancing, sparkling little light.  So quick, so elusive and so utterly beautiful.  It had been a flicker that faded almost as soon as it had sparked, and then it disappeared into the twilight.

I'd caught my breath and held it, those months ago.  Enchanted, hopeful, awed at the wonder.  And in the end, I had to let it go.

But the beauty of that spark will stay with me forever.  Just beyond my reach, but always in my heart.

 

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:16

Pantry Pounce

Just to be clear, this is NOT my pantry. It belongs to these people.

I wanted to have a bowl of cereal and piece of toast before going to bed the other night.  I shuffled to the pantry, and was disheartened to find 3 nearly-empty cereal boxes, and 2 bread sacks with a few dry slices them.

Who maintains this place, anyway?

You'd think they could do a better job.

Anyway, it got me to looking at the other odd things in my pantry, and led me to a quick purge.

I like to call it a "pounce."

I pounced on the chip bags containing nothing more than chip dust. 

The empty granola bar boxes.

The messy honey jar.

The coffee grounds.

The stale cookies.

I turned the cans and quickly rearranged them so I could see the labels.

I did not get any further than that.  The baking stuff and spices are still in disarray, and the dry staples are not in a state that I'm proud of.

But, hey.  This is just a POUNCE, right?  Not a big hairy PURGE.  Not a major pull-everything-out-and-clean-from-top-to-bottom pantry organization.

I'm quite OK with that.

Today's Small Thing is to do a Pantry Pounce.  Quickly pick one area (like bread and cereal) to straighten up.  It will literally only take 5 minutes to make things look pretty good!  Discard empty containers, consolidate what you can, and arrange things so you can see them.  Then close the doors and move on! 

POINTS: 40 for a Pantry Pounce!

Don't forget to link up for Company Girls Coffee!  Scroll down to the next post.

Company Girl Coffee 8.21

My man, Tom, and our son Grayson returned from nearly three weeks in the hinterland of Minnesota this week!  They got their souls satisfied with fishing, hockey and guy time...with plenty of mosquitoes thrown in for fun.

Look at these guys!

Does it get any better than this??

My time here at home was a little less stellar.  I quickly found that I accomplished less than 1/2 in a normal work day without my "better half" here.  I'd hoped for "quiet, uninterrupted Rachel-as-the-center-of-the-universe" time alone, but as it turned out, I only ended up being completely alone for just 3 of those days.  And work took most of the rest of them. (small sigh)

I did not get around to painting my laundry room.

Or finishing my instructional video on painting the perfect Robin's Egg Blue finish, or the one called "Painting Tip: How to tape off perfect stripes with no paint bleeding under the edges."

Or writing my best-selling novel.

I DID, however, eat ice cream directly from the bucket, and paint up a bunch of furniture for a client.

So....I've got THAT going for me.

Let's link up for a virtual cup of coffee!  By entering your blog URL below, you can invite the Company Girls over to catch up on news, share the week's happenings or even ask for prayer.  Then hop around to the blogs to get to know other Company Girls over the weekend!