Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Honor, Order & Peace

One of our very own table leaders, Debbi Garcia, spoke to us about Honor, Order and Peace in our households last week. I don't know about you but I sure got A LOT out of her whole talk. I walked away feeling empowered with some great ideas to put into action when I got home. She emphasized to get take a couple of ideas she mentioned, not all of them, and try them out. The key is to SIMPLIFY SIMPLIFY SIMPLIFY so that you have more time to spend with you family and the important things in life.



HONOR
1. God
Make time for Him. Try and figure out a way to have a quiet time. Be creative with it if you have to. Put scripture on your iPod and listen to the Word during feedings with your baby or in the car. Pray throughout the day - Associate the task you're doing or the room your in with a prayer. Put a devotional/journal in the bathroom and make the most out of your time in there :) The opportunities are endless... it just takes a little creativity.
2. Husband
Find things to praise your husband for - when he IS and ISN'T listening. Take the kids pictures out of your bedroom and fill the space with pictures of the two of you throughout different parts of your relationship. Take time to prep the house before daddy gets home and prepare for his arrival. Let him know you're happy he's home and he'll want to come home.
3. Kids
Give them your heart for God. You are their example and they will pick up so much from you.

ORDER
1. Pick an area and do 1 shelf a day. Be ruthless! If you have an entire room have a friend help!
2. If you're an avoider, have something positive at the end of it and reward yourself.
3. Organize your purse into compartments - it not only keeps things orderly but makes changing purses beyond easy!
4. Your kids can help sort laundry!! Tie colored ribbon to the laundry baskets and they'll know which color clothing goes in which basket.
5. Get rid of towels and use terry cloth robes instead. Wash the robes once a week when you wash the sheets.
6. Keep toys out of the Living Room, Family Room & Dining Room. If they are out then keep them put away in bins and boxes.
7. Get things off the floor.
8. Have different bins in the house according to the different zones they're in: A "getting ready" bin under your bathroom counter, a "baking" bin in your pantry, etc.
9. Use paper plates 1 night a week and spend the time you would've used cleaning the kitchen to play a game with the family instead.
10. Get a Sunday Box and anything that gets left out during the week gets put into the "Sunday Box" and stays there until Sunday - why Sunday? Because God is full of GRACE! Loved this one!
11. Put a hook on the back of your medicine cabinet to hang jewelry.
12. Create a chore list for yourself to do 1 task a day.
13. Scan your children's artwork and toss the originals.
14. Get rid of all your cleaning products and use vinegar water with a microfiber towel (you can find them in the auto department at stores too!)
15. Let your kids do the chores they're good at - there doesn't need to be a rotation... Teach them that a family works together and helps with others weaknesses.

PEACE
1. You will have peace with your husband if you respect him.
2. Minister to him sexually - resist the urge to neglect this.
3. Don't scream across the house to your kids - go to them and get down on their level.
4. Have them pray with each other if they're fighting.
Have a quiet time candle - use the same candle everytime and your kids will know when that candle is lit they may not talk, make noise or interrupt mom. They may snuggle and/or sit quietly with you...


Thank you so much Debbi for sharing so many wonderful ideas with all of us. I've loved reading all of the posts on Facebook the last few days and how you have really inspired all of us to make changes in all our of lives!!

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