Day #12 of the House Cleaning Challenge

April 12, 2013October 17, 2015 RefreshHer1 Comment

Today’s 30 Day House-Cleaning Challenge was to clean out a closet or two, surface clean an extra room, or deep clean a bedroom. I opted for a closet since I had a busy day planned.

This closet wasn’t too bad, just a little messy and full of winter clothes.

“Before”

I swapped things around so my spring and summer things are reachable. I grouped all the dresses together, the jackets together and also like colors.

I also vacuumed the inside of the closet floor.

“After”
One day I’m going to have matching hangers!
I think it will help with the looks for the closet!

The boxes on top are made out of fabric and they zip closed.

I keep out of season tops and shoes in there.

I discarded things that didn’t get worn this past winter.

I filled a bag. It will head to Good Will this evening

with the rest of the load that I’ve accumulated this week.

I love getting rid of unnecessary things; it’s so freeing!

How did you come along with today’s challenge?

It feels great to know that these 12 projects have been checked off my list and that things are getting cleaned out! You know, cleaning and organizing is really a part of being a good steward of what the Lord has given us. By maintaining organization, we are also practicing temperance, as mentioned in II Peter 1. So, it’s not about having OCD; it’s about learning to be orderly, like our God.

Have a great weekend!

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Freshen Up (Your Marriage) Friday

April 12, 2013October 17, 2015 RefreshHer3 Comments

I downloaded a free book onto my Kindle yesterday. It has grabbed me right from the start. It’s entitled, “What’s It Like To Be Married To Me?” by Linda Dillow. In the book, she asks hard questions to wives. She’s trying to get us to understand what kind of wife we are to our husband.

I’m reading this book, not because my marriage is in trouble or there’s a crisis. I’m reading this book because it’s my goal to frequently read books, articles and blogs that will encourage me in my role as a wife. It keeps me on my toes. It reminds me of where our love started and where I want it to end up.

This is the question I want to ask you today: Where do you want your marriage to end up? Think about what you want your marriage to look like in 5, 10 or 20 years. Do you want to be close, communicative with one another, sharing wonderful times as a couple that parallels to no other human relationship? Then how will you get there? What are you actively doing today to make that happen? It won’t become a reality without effort! Consider today what you could do to take a step forward in your marriage relationship – a step towards a deeper love and intimacy.

Consider..

Leave your husband a note telling him a reason you respect him.
Plan a date. Get everything in order for the time away and surprise him when he gets home. Why not make a No cell phone rule for the evening? =)
Find a book you could read together – a chapter each night before bedtime.
Find a special Coffee House and have a beverage. If they don’t have board games there, take one with you and enjoy some friendly competition. Have you played Farkle?! Fun game!
Pop some popcorn and watch your wedding video (if you’re lucky enough to have been married when there was such a thing!)
Buy him a small gift and leave it in his car.
Bake or cook something he loves.
Get up early and make him his favorite breakfast (or a special lunch to take to work).

Note that these are to be things that you do; not expectations you have about your husband. The only person you can control is you. We end up frustrated when we try to change our husband! These are some suggestions to get you started. Pray and ask the Lord what would mean the most to your husband to show him that he is your priority today and every day.

You have to be actively doing something to keep your marriage fresh, so Freshen Up Your Marriage on this Friday! So, what will you do?

See you in church Sunday!

Be refreshed,

Today is Day 12 in the 30 Day House Cleaning Challenge. We’re to clean out the closets. It’s gonna be a busy day! I think I’ll pick one.

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30 Day House Cleaning Challenge Day #11

April 11, 2013October 17, 2015 RefreshHer7 Comments

This is embarrassing! But here are the pictures of my good accomplishments of my house cleaning challenge today. Look if you dare!

The challenge was to clean the bathroom. My main focus was on the linen closet because the bathroom itself just needed to be surfaced cleaned. I couldn’t believe what a mess this had turned into!

I got rid of LOTS of old towels and other linens that had seen better days. Then I organized things into places and spaces that makes it much easier for me to get to them. I dust mopped the closet floor as well. Here’s the full shot…

Gasp!

Now it looks like this:

I placed the folded sheets inside their pillowcase. They’re much easier to store that way!

I may just go stand in there and stare! It feels so good to know it’s straightened up and only holds the things that I really use!

The drawers got cleaned out too…

Before:

After:

Light bulbs dusted, sink and mirror cleaned.

Dusted table, shook rug and cleaned bathtub.

I’m thrilled at the progress my house is making! Did you do today’s challenge?

See you tomorrow for Freshen Up Friday!

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Treasure in Your Sacks

April 11, 2013October 17, 2015 RefreshHer3 Comments

When I was a little girl, my grandparents lived near a “corner store.” It was a small grocery store at the end of the street that sold all the essentials – milk, bread, eggs, canned goods, etc. But the best thing to me was the PENNY CANDY! My grandfather would give me and my sisters a dime each and send us to the corner store to get a “sack-full” of candy. We would come back with a little brown sack teeming with Mary Jane’s, licorice, bubble gum, Slow Pokes, Smarties and other sweet treasures! That brown sack was so appreciated! We enjoyed each treat, savoring them as long as possible!

Recently I was reading the familiar story of Joseph in Genesis 43. In this chapter, his brothers are headed back to their father with food provisions, made possible by Joseph’s generosity. Then the brothers discover that the money they had paid for the food was found tucked into each of their sacks! They were alarmed and afraid that they would be in trouble with Joseph. Would he accuse them of stealing the food? When they told Joseph about it upon their return to Egypt, he said,

Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father,

hath given you treasure in your sacks.

Joseph recognized that it was God that had blessed them with the food, though he had given them their money back.

As a little girl, I needed to understand that it was God who had put those treasures in my sack.

And then for each one of us, every single day, we need to uncurl the top of that brown sack and peer down inside. What do you see? A home, daily food, vision, the ability to breathe, swallow and walk? A husband, a child, a Bible in our language? A church, the ability to hear and eat and work? Those are treasures in our sack given to us by God, “and the God of your father.” He has put those treasures into your sack! Have you even recognized that you possess those treasures? Have you thanked the Lord for those riches today?

We are rich people! Rich people, indeed!

What’s inside your sack that you can be thankful for today?

Don’t forget to complete Day #11 on the 30 Day House Cleaning Challenge. Today’s task is to clean the bathrooms. I think I’m headed to the Linen closet to do some major straightening/discarding! I’ll let you know later today how it goes!

With love,

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House Cleaning Update Day #10

April 10, 2013October 17, 2015 RefreshHer5 Comments

I have been out of town the last couple days, but I worked ahead over the weekend on the duties of Days 8 and 9. Then when I got home this afternoon, I set the clock for 30 minutes and got to work on Deep cleaning the Living room.

My first task was straightening up the closet!