Day 3 #31daystoclean

Ok, we are on day 3, but the last two have been hard ones for me. I was not home all day today. So, I loaded the dishwasher! I am keeping it real!! The day before was a hard, no energy day for me, I managed to keep my kitchen clean, make a few meals for the freezer and that's all folks. 

Two weeks ago, I was above my cupboards and had to vacuum them the dust was so bad! That was a sight to see!!! Here I am standing on the ledge of my counter to reach with the vacuum plugged into a counter plug and my two part vacuum in hand. The canister in one hand and the small hose in the other!! Oh the things we have to do, in order to clean cupboard tops that haven't been touched since I moved in two and a bit years ago!!! LOL

I loved this quote from Day 2... A good reminder and encouragement:

“Life-giving is about receiving from God in order to give to others.” Barbara Mouser, Five Aspects of Woman

“Who is woman? She is the redeemed Life-giver, enlivened by the love of Christ and continuously renewed by Him as she nurtures others.” Barbara Mouser, Five Aspects of Woman

In all this, I am seeing room for improvement and seeing room for growth, and room for more of God!

Yesterday and Today I am learning to trust God. He has been speaking to me about areas in which I have struggled in this. It is almost easy to trust God for other people's healing ( even over a period of time) then it is to trust for your own healing. Today I had the pleasure of taking time, just me and God and Starbucks to have personal time. It was amazing, but only after the surrender. With out the surrender it was hard slogging! The pic below, is what I was working on today!

If you need a good study to follow, I highly recommend the ladies over at if:equip.com. IF you allow God, you will SEE BREAKTHROUGH.

What is quiet times and how do I get them??

This is one of those learning posts...as I am still learning but talk as I learn.....

I recently put up a post of a cup of coffee, books, bible and a candle. If upon checking out my instagram or Facebook, you will probably see what I am talking about. 

My cousin-in-law asked how I get time like that. This is not the first time this question has been asked of me. 

 I am a mom of 4 busy kids, a Pastor's wife and in charge of feeding and cleaning my house. Time can always seem tight. A few months back I posted about the "good portion" and my cleaning being a huge weakness for me. It still is. That is a construction zone in my life, always improving. 

But I want to talk today about our spiritual lives, male and female alike. About 4 years ago, my husband was challenged to get more into the scripture. After that weekend he didn't look back. He pressed into God's word. He got up early morning to have his time with The Lord. He became a different man in the next four years. He spiritually grew more and more each day. 

HE HAS CHALLENGED ME

Mornings and I are not the best of friends. Even when I arise early, everyone gets up and needs me. So mornings first thing are a very hard thing for me to maintain.

I find time, where I find time. Sometimes that means my kids watch a show or movie(like right now), sometimes they are playing so nicely they do not need me. 

Housework is done in a dedicated 2 hrs a day(most days)

Sometimes dinner is a little later, sometimes things are not as tidy

But as I told a friend earlier this year...."I am a bad mom without Jesus." 

Without me in the word, I am a grumpy, moody, snappy mom and wife.

Without God, now can I lead my children to follow Him, if they never see me follow Him.

Something's my kids go without something while I meet with The Lord, but they are not suffering.

My children know that Mommy reads her bible and during that time to not bother me. 

BOTTOM LINE:

They know Mommy is reading her bible.

Summer is here, and I am fighting against stagnant water. Yesterday, I didn't read the word for very long, I didn't allow it to be apart of my day....I kept thinking I was missing something all day.....

Same today, I went on Facebook  before reading the word.....truth be told, it took till 3:00 for me to meet with The Lord. I need to learn to put down the devices, meet with my saviour instead of the current news feed. 

I need to feed my soul, I want to be one who refuses to allow the things of this world to crowd my heart. I want to be like the Gentiles in Acts 13:48-52

I urge you, as I urge myself do not let stagnant water be the image that depicts your personal spiritual life this summer....it may seem selfish to say "not right now" to our children, or our housework or dinner, but what may seem selfish is In fact putting Christ where He belongs. First and foremost in our lives. 

May your summer be a rushing river, overflowing its banks, touching areas you never know or guessed it would. May your summer be fruitful. May you look back and say, I have grown so much from this summer. May God be our Everything.

motherhood

when I think about this day, like all women I can't help but think about my mom.

Laurel Evangeline Fortune, is truly a gift from the Lord for me...

She has raised 10 kids, in the North of Canada, Whitehorse Yukon
She was a Pastor's daughter and a Pastor's wife
She balanced the home while Dad worked to provide for us,
many times doing two separate jobs at once

I don't have bad memories of my childhood, even with all of us to care for I remember..
Mom, caring for my friends, our church family, our family friends, and even taking in people in need of a loving family.

I remember Mom, wholeheartedly loving and serving her Heavenly Father and teaching us to do the same.

One day when I was (probably grudgingly) vaccumming the couch, I  found a list and on it was all the names of us kids and notes beside each name. When I asked my Mom, she said it was her prayer list. I later found out that before she started each day with all of us, she would start each day with God.

Mom is the woman I look up too, the woman I hope to emulate. Mom's favorite words are "Yes!" and "Obey!" They have become mine as well.

Thank you Mom, for all that you are, for being obedient to the Lord and teaching and encouraging me to do the same.

Do you need to be encouraged to say "Yes!"? I encourage you to get your hands on a copy of Rhinestone Jesus #Yesinmymess by Kristen Welch.
This lady has read my heart.
Trust Jesus, Say Yes, and take the ride of your Life.....you won't regret it.

Outside of me....

Today I am sore, today and last night my body hurts. With little to no voice, constant headaches, back aches, everything aches.... I am choosing to look outside of myself.

It is easy to sit and mope, to complain, to find reasons to not clean, mother and be a good steward of this home.

Today it is easy instead to hide in myself, play games on my iPad, put off needs of my children, and the call to SURRENDER my needs and wants to Christ. It is easy to spend no time thinking of HIM. 

easy.....but life draining....

instead today I am going to choose CHRIST, not myself...

Today I am going to enjoy the giggles, laughter, and color that the girls bring to my life

Today I am going to worship through the aches, through the sore throat... 

Today I am going to hear Christ, surrender me, and focus on HIM.

Through the housework, and the lunch times, through the happy kids and the whiny moments, the color of my home, through the rain clouds outside, through the storm clouds that threaten to hide Christ from my own heart.

Today I am going to prepare my heart for all Christ has for me....

Today I leave on a ladies retreat and Satan doesn't want a victory this weekend for Christ...

There is much a battle going on over here, and I do suspect in the hearts and minds of the ladies getting ready to attend this weekend....

So today we say "NO!" To ourselves

Today we say "YES!" To God's plan for our families, our hearts and our spirits and HIS GLORY!!