Finding Time

There are a lot of excuses for not getting things done, not just the day to day tasks of dishes and washing cloth diapers, but the big things like re-painting the kitchen, bathroom, dining room etc... But the new curtains are mostly up in the dinning room, and the bathroom has its first coat of paint, and even a second on 3 walls. I've begun to realize that it really isn't about having enough time. There is plenty of time. What I have been lacking is enough energy and motivation. These things come from good nutrition, exercise and a good nights sleep. I know, not a revelation for the ages! Not a new concept. Just something that so many of us have a hard time putting into practice.

I get so caught up in taking care of my boys (husband and kids) that I forget to take care of myself! This might sound impossible to some people, or very familiar.... I didn't even realize it was happening! The other day my Dr. told me she thought I looked great, and I laughed, hard. She gave me a funny look and I responded "Its amazing what a bath and some new clothes will do for a girl!"

So recently it has been about finding the time for myself, for prayer, for exercise. The time spent on these simple things makes it seem like there is more time for the day-to-day.

Frugal Friday

There is nothing better then homemade bread; unless its homemade cookies! I've always loved homemade bread. My dad attempted it a time or two during his running, health food, raw veggies for dinner phase. I loved the running, and the homemade bread, the fact that my dad had a weakness for hot dogs and that there was a great hot dog stand not to far away. Then in college I had a roommate who was also a running health food fanatic. She at least made stir fry with her veggies. She also made wonderful bread. I have just never had the patience. It isn't the labor involved in kneading the dough. I hand mixed clay in my ceramics class; great stress reliever. Bread just never worked for me. Until bread makers became widely available and reasonably priced. I just never thought I'd be able to buy one for $7.10. Yup! That's right. The cost of two good bakery loaves of wheat bread and I can now make my own at home!



Happiness is homemade bread! Especially at this price! Did I mention that it is an expensive brand that would have retailed for more then $200? Yup! I NEVER would have spent that much for a bread machine! Used machines of this brand sell for $150 or more on Amazon! So I saved $200 and get home made goodness! I think that is a pretty frugal find don't you!?

WIP

Welcome to Work In Progress Wednesday! I finally attempted socks this past week! I had a child free day to wander through a few yarn stores, a book store or two, as well as a fabric store. I found a lot of inspiration for WIP posts! Aprons from some lovely fabric are sure to follow. But for now, its socks.

Yeah for my little green sock! It wasn't very hard at all! I would definitely recommend the book Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. I also found another book at one of those wonderful stores I visited last week, that does two socks at one time on circular needles. The instructions in the Sensational Knitted Socks book are for 4 dpn (double pointed needles), 5 dpn, or two circular needles (one sock at a time). Looking forward to knitting several socks in both of my new sock books!

Mission Monday

I've had this idea for a while now, but have not had the time to act on it. I want to do a few post a week, Mission Monday, Work in progress Wednesday and Frugal or Feasting Friday. Instead of waiting until I have time, I am going to make time for these posts, and for the effort that goes into them. They are not a waste of time, but a source of inspiration and support for the work that I am attempting in my home. Its like the saying goes "a person needs at least 10 minutes of prayer each day, a busy person 20". Hopefully the effort I put into these post will help me in my Mission.

In my Mission Monday posts I would like to share experiences that gave me insight, inspiration and/or the strength necessary to continue my Mission.

"A third similarity between sacred and domestic liturgies is that it takes time to learn to perform them with familiarity and ease. The British author C.S. Lewis occasionally complained about the tendency of prayer book editors constantly to 'update' the words of the liturgy. He didn't care what particular form the liturgy took, he said; all he wanted was that they choose a form and then leave it alone. His point was not that liturgy should never change. His point was that if he was constantly unsure what to do and say next, it made it very difficult to enter into prayer with concentration and serenity and an openess to grace.
The routines of housekeeping have the potential to be similarly disorienting. If we are unfamiliar with the myriad tasks and subtasks involved in planning menus and cooking meals or in picking up and cleaning house, we may feel just as confused as the Baptist who has stumbled into an Anglican church and is frantically searching for the right page in the prayer book while trying - and failing - to sit, stand, and kneel at the right times."

Keeping House : The Litany of Everyday Life
By Margaret Kim Peterson

What am I doing here?

No, its not some existential question about the meaning of life or my place in the world, rather it is a question about my blog's place in the blog-0-sphere. What am I doing here, on this blog? I started it with the intention of using it to help inspire me to create a more loving christian home. I wanted to use it to reflect on my own thoughts, and those of other Christian moms in the blog-o-sphere. I also wanted to occasionally show off my knitting skills, as unimpressive as they are.

I have been trying to schedule my time, and have mentioned my Home Management Notebook before. I have schedules for everything from cleaning the kitchen to washing cloth diapers, to grocery shopping and trips to the park, but I do not have any time set aside for myself. I assume that after the boys go to bed, I will have time to myself, but that never works.

So I am going to create a schedule for blogging, and some of the thought, prayer and reflection that goes into it. I kept a journal all through college, and it was always very helpful when I would take the time to pray, reflect and write about what was stealing my motivation and time. If I didn't take the time, and did not put the proper thought and prayer into my journaling, it became a negative whine fest that only added to my deteriorating mood. Here is my attempt at more positive and thoughtful blogging about keeping myself connected with Christ and enjoying my role as a Catholic stay-at-home mom.

Home Management Notebook

I have been trying to develop and use a Home Management Notebook. I have found that the weeks I actually stick to my plan I have more energy, less stress, and a cleaner house! All good things. There are a few resources I have found that help me get organized, and have given me some great ideas to create my own custom schedules. As I develop my Home Management Notebook I plan on posting the files here for anyone who finds them to use them. I just have to figure out how to do that, if it is possible.... hmmm... didn't find anything in Blogger's help just now, must keep searching!

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! You might think to yourself, "Wait, wasn't Easter a while ago?". Well, that is the great thing about being Catholic, Easter is not just a day, but a season. We do not celebrate the important moments in salvation history for an hour or two, but for weeks. Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter as well as Ordinary Time make up the Liturgical Calender of the Catholic Church. This allows us, as busy and procrastinating, often prideful and even selfish humans many opportunities to hear the call of the Father.

During Lent, I often thought about Christ's death and Resurrection. I contemplated my own sins and their contribution the Christ's agony on the Cross. I looked at my life and tried to see opportunity where I could only see frustration, to feel blessed instead of frustrated. This was a difficult journey. One I am only beginning to take, beginning to understand.

If Christ died for me, to destroy death, and restore life, my life, then how am I honoring the sacrifice He made for me? Am I living up to that self-donating love that Christ exemplified?
I am not. But because of Christ's love, I can be.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Corinthians I think....