Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare His praise? Psa. 106:1-2

It's not happy people who are thankful, it is Thankful people who are happy! Are you happy? Then show it through your thankfulness. Joni Brummel

Using some cardstock and the same craft paper, I also made a few center piece cards with quotes and verses about giving thanks.

He who thanks with the lips thanks but in part; the full, the true Thanksgiving comes from the heart. J.A. Shedd

Fold the cardstock in half and decorate both sides so that folks can read those important words from either side of the table. This could even be done as a cube with all four sides decorated.I am planning to add to these each year.

Give thanks in all curcumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

What traditions do YOU have for giving thanks on Thanksgiving?

Even though taking initiative is not widely discussed in scripture, I believe that it is a scriptural concept and is a good character quality to have – and I want my children to develop that quality...

 Maybe.

You see, taking initiative means seeing what needs to be done and doing it without being asked, but it does not always work out exactly as planned.

For example:
One day, in order to save time before rushing off to soccer practice, I put some frozen meat pies into the oven before the oven indicated that it was heated to the proper temperature. A few minutes later I came into the kitchen and found that the pies had been removed from the oven. Upon inquiry, I discovered that my oldest child had heard the “oven ready” beep, which sounds remarkably similar to the oven timer, and had taken them out of the oven for me! I put them back into the oven and went on about my business. When it was time for the pies to come out of the oven, I was shocked to see that they appeared to be little more than ice cold. Puzzled, I checked to see what could be the problem and discovered that the oven had been turned off the whole time. It seems that my son had not only taken them out of the oven, he had taken the initiative to turn it off at the same time so as not to forget (something which we have done a few times – including a time when we had to go back home after leaving for vacation because I had left the oven on...
With bacon in it!).



Making mommy's bed.



"Helping" Grandma with the dishes

It seems that sometimes when children "see what needs to be done and do it" without asking first, they create more work for mom!

Littlest kitchen helper

I was amazed!

I thanked him, and praised him for taking initiative and doing an excellent job of it, too!

Then I thanked God and praised HIM that all of this hard work in parenting eventually does pay off in our children.

What lessons are you working on with your children? I'd love to hear about them.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galations 6:9

"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children..." *

Children feel that desperate need for Jesus, too! Last week, as I was writing How to Saturate your day with the Word of God, I had a lot of ideas for children as well - - enough for an entire post of their own!


My mom often reminds me about her friend who intentionally plays inspirational music as her children get ready for school because she wants those words stuck in their heads all day.








There is even plenty to choose from for very young children, too. We have loved using the Praise Baby collection with our children. They come in both CDs and DVDs. (TV viewing is not recommended for children under age 2.)

"...Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up..." *

This can be one of the easiest ways to "fit it in" to our children's lives - - in normal conversations with our children on any subject! My mother did this with us, so it has come very naturally to me, but this is a skill that can be developed. Doing this works so well  because "the Word of God is living and powerful... and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) so that makes it relevant to our every day lives!


Sometimes it can seem really hard to find the right time to do "formal" teaching, but recently I was encouraged in this by one of my favorite authors who wrote about how words of scripture are the dessert at every meal in the home of her husband's family - and now in hers, too. (If you only click on one link in this article, make it THIS one!) I have always made some kind of effort to read scripture to my kids, but have always found it difficult to fit it in. I found myself reading several chapters at a time, testing the patience of my children. After reading Ann's story, I realized that a few verses each day was a better choice, and have discovered that if I get the kids up a few minutes early, we can sit together and read the scripture at breakfast.

"...Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates..." *

A few years ago I researched Biblical costumes for a Passion Play that my husband wrote and directed in our church, and I was fascinated to learn that the Pharisees took this verse so literally, that they actually tied little pouches to their foreheads and kept verses in them! I am not suggesting that we write verses on our children's foreheads with magic marker, but keeping scripture before their eyes is really important. Implanting it inside their heads is even more important.


“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

• Get dishes with scripture painted on them (or make some yourself with glass dishes and special paint that adheres to the dishes when placed in the oven). I was thrilled to find coffee cups with scripture on them to give as gifts at Christmas time. They were well received. What a practical, simple way to start the day off right!

• When I was in high school we visited my Aunt and Uncle in Colorado and I learned that my Aunt gets her quiet time in while she is getting ready for work. She told me that she figured out that she remembered the scripture so much better if she heard it rather than reading it – so she bought "Books on tape" of scripture being read out loud and would listen to them while applying makeup and getting dressed each morning.

• My mother in law keeps scripture out all day in the form of an inspirational flip calendar. She keeps it in the bathroom where everyone will see the verse or passage. On occasion, she will ask if you read the verse. (Yes! Yes I have!)

• I love to listen to worship music throughout the day as I do my work. I feel that my life is characterized by re-work - - chores that must be done over and over again ad nauseum. I have found that it is hard to feel sorry for oneself, or even to get bogged down in the tedium of it all when you are feeling inspired by wonderful worshipful music. Get passages of scripture set to music, hymns, or modern worship music. My favorites include Micheal Card and  the Brooklyn Tabernacle choir for good doctrinally-sound, worshipful music. Exercise is not even terrible with Hymns in the House!

• For as long as I can remember, my mom has had 3x5 cards with scripture hand-written on them taped above the kitchen sink. What better way to absorb it than when you are chained to the kitchen sink? I had a conversation with her years ago after she read,

"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. When the LORD your God brings you into... a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant--then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD..." from Deuteronomy 6:6-13

• My next door neighbor was in a Bible study and read that same passage of scripture. She took it literally and painted scripture on her walls! Of course, she is a professional artist so it was lovely. I don't know that I could do so well, so I was excited to discover Quote the Walls where you can find wall decals like these.

• If you have a large family like I do, you may find that your husband or children (or you!) disappear into the bathroom for a few moments (or an hour) of peace and quiet. What better way to sneak in some Bible time? It beats reading the labels on the shampoo bottles! Stock the bathroom with paperback devotionals, an inexpensive Bible, even Christian magazines.

You are a stay-at-home mom. "A noble occupation!" you say out-loud as you drive home, startling yourself as your sharp comment breaks the silence.

Yes it is!

But have you ever thought of Homemaking as a job? Over the years I have encountered many women who stay home with their children and have been surprised how many of them think of it as only that - staying home.

I have been thinking about this for a week or so - ever since I read what one woman wrote about why she does not facebook. She said that she is such a social person that it would consume large amounts of her time. Time that is better spent in her home. She said, "I know working mothers who are better homemakers than stay-at-home moms because when they get home, they are fully engaged."

Shocking, but true. I know some my self. Sometimes I AM one of those dis-engaged women. I have had to learn to see this as a real job and, from time to time, I have had to remind myself to be more professional about it.

I thought about some of the "rules" that would keep a person from getting fired at any other job and wondered how much better our homes would run if the concepts were applied to this job as well!

So. For those of you who consider yourselves Professional Homemakers...



Get up in a timely fashion. Just because you don't have to get up, does not mean that you should not get up early! I find that I can accomplish the most in the morning. By the afternoon I feel sleepy and have to make a point of pushing on until I stop feeling tired. By the time I get all six (or seven) children to bed, I am wiped out. Any intentions that I had to get more done, fly out the window.

I also have to force myself to go to bed instead of vegging in the evening, because it does not help to stay up late and start off the next morning tired. Get the rest you need to do your job well!
 If you are not a morning person, you still have a job to do! My husband does not like to be spoken to first thing in the morning and he cannot eat when he first wakes up. He does not want me to get up and make him breakfast! He gets up a little bit early just so that he can get a cup of coffee and watch the news for a 1/2 hour before getting dressed for work. By the time he gets there, he is able to face other people.

You might also need to get up a little bit earlier so that you can face your family and your job in the morning.

Schedule one day each week to sleep in. Snuggle, take it slow, savor the warmth of the comforter and hubby's precious snoring. Welcome the kids into the bed for some cuddle time, too. Or lock the door and enjoy a few moments with just hubby. Having one day each week to savor the moment will make it more special, and give you something to look forward to without sliding into a lifestyle of laziness and lack of prodictivity.

2. Dress the part.





3. Do your job.

Start out by getting Organized. (See Organize Your Day {the Mary and Martha Way})

Tithe your time. (Spend some time with the Lord.)

Make a schedule that works for you and your family - and stick to it!

Make a (realistic) list of the things that you need to accomplish, and set out to do them. As you complete each task, cross it off and savor that sense of satisfaction! Remember to factor in interruptions and spur-of-the-moment needs of your small children. Get back to your tasks as soon as you can or, if needed on a particular day, scrap it and start fresh tomorrow!

4. Don't do personal things on company time.

You don't have someone else restricting your time - you have to do it for yourself.

Schedule those things in at nap time or while you are nursing your infant. Set a timer. Stop when your time is up - don't "give your-self permission" to do what you know is not right because then it becomes sin. Think of these "me-time" things as "break-time," or do it for a little while in the evening after you "Clock Out" - (just don't stay up too late and miss out on sleep time or hubby time).


5. Go above and beyond.

This is one area in which my husband excels. He really knows how to see what needs to be done and do it without being asked. He hates being bored at work so he will organize shelves and drawers in common areas, clean things, or invent projects for himself to do during slack times. Last year, he wrote a "procedure manual" for his entire department. His boss was amazed and asked him when he had found the time to do such a large (and much-needed) project. He had simply squeezed it in during all of his spare moments.

As Homemakers, we often feel like our jobs are plagued by re-work. We wash the clothes - and the next week we wash the same clothes. We vacuum the carpet,  and the next day we vacuum the same carpet. We wash the dishes, and three hours later we wash the same dishes... It can become easy to dream about a different job - one with exciting new tasks around every corner - and hard to remember that most jobs are one kind of re-work or another. So change that Stinkin' Thinkin' and remember "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Thessalonians 5:18

One way to spice it up is to occasionally do something that will stay done so that months later you can point to it and say "I painted that wall, I sewed that dress, I made that afghan, I took that picture (and framed it and hung it)..."

Look for those extra things that need to be done and do them.

But...

If you are the mother of a newborn, caring for an elderly parent, shuffling a dozen kids to sports and music lessons.... If you are sleep-deprived and holding on by a thread? Find things to NOT do. It might be on your list. You might want to do it. But maybe it simply does not need to be done - or at least not right now, or today, or this week. You do not have to make home-made cinnamon rolls, you can pick some up at the market. You don't have to re-paint that room, just put out a fresh vase of flowers.

You might need to practice some "responsible procrastination."

6. Seek to please your Clientele!
"Who's that?" you ask.

Why, your family, of course!

Don't think of your husband as a "boss," think of him as a client. Pay attention to what he likes. Sometimes he won't really say it, but that does not mean that you don't know..

I heard someone on the radio say that if you pay attention to what people complain about, you can find out what is important to them.

Listen.

Does he complain about the hasitly prepared TV dinners, the untidiness of the bedroom, or how the dishes never quite seem to be done? AHA! You have just discovered what he values! Now start trying to please your most important client!

So, professional homemaker, what about you?

Are you simply "staying home"? Or are you "Making Home"?


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Olivia and a friend coloring in our last kitchen.

Before- a poor arrangement and avocado walls. Yikes!

I currently have a tiny kitchen with little cupboard or counter top space AND no room for the table (but the rest of the house meets our needs very well, so it is worth the inconvenience!).




Now - a better arrangement and navy walls to display my Blue Delft

 




Another view - the other side of the room




Aunt Katie and Claire cookin' it up!

3. Prioritize your priorities.

This is the time to personalize YOUR kitchen.

The most coveted space in the kitchen is a spot with a large section of counter top space and a large cupboard/storage area. THIS is your work station.

* If you are a baker, keep your mixing bowls, hand held mixer, counter top mixer, measuring cups and spoons, sifter, rolling pins, etc. in this area. You may even want to store your flour, baking powder/soda, sugar and other baking ingredients here if you have the storage space. That way, your most - used items will always be at your finger tips.

* If you are more of a chef, priority will be given to your stove top cooking items such as cutting boards and knives, vegetable peelers, and spices and seasonings. Keep these things in easy reach for prep times without delays.

* If you don't have the time to cook or interest in cooking and prefer to have ready-made or easy-to-prepare meals, this is still your work space, but your cupboards will be stocked with pantry items and the things that you need to prepare these easy meals such as salad/ mixing bowls, scissors, stirring/ serving utensils, etc.

This is YOUR kitchen. Set it up for YOUR convenience.

When my sister in law moved into her first home, a dear friend helped her unpack and set up her kitchen. After living in the house for a year, she decided that it would work better to store some little-used items in her walk in pantry on the other side of the dining room, and have her food items in the kitchen cupboard where they would be more easily accessible. So she made the switch!


4. Think it through.

I love it when am helping in someone else's kitchen and I can find everything I need because it is where I expect it to be.

 Look at your kitchen logically. What makes sense?

* Store pots and pans, stirring utensils, and pot holders near the stove.

* Put plates, bowls and drinking glasses in a cupboard near the sink/dishwasher or the table that you use for family meals. Even better if that cupboard is convenient to both!


5. Other bits of advice.

* Keep similar items together. For example: don't put dishes and food items in the same cupboard.

* Store little-used items in harder to reach places and most-used items in easy to reach places.

I have a very deep lower cupboard where I keep my cake pans, waffle iron, crock pot, and other things that I do not use every day. I may have to stand on my head to reach them when I do need them, but at least the things that I use the most are in easy-to-reach places.
* It can be very frustrating to work in your kitchen when you have to search for an item because it does not have it's own place. Place labels on the shelves or inside the cupboard doors for the things that belong there. This is particularly useful if you have children who help in the kitchen. You do not have to go out and buy labels, simply print or type words such as "plates," "glasses," "cereal," and "pans" on a piece of paper, cut them out, and tape them where you need them. (I did this with my light switch and garbage disposal switch so that I would not mix them up!)

* Control "junk" drawers with dividers. If you cannot afford to buy them, use other things like small plastic food storage containers or cardboard strips.

I cannot promise you the kitchen of your dreams, but if you try these things, I CAN promise that working in your kitchen will be much more efficient!

Happy cooking!