We Lift Our Eyes Up

I have decided that this year, blogging is not for me. Not that I ever post much anyway, but for some reason, my Blog is always hanging over my head. I have so many posts that mull around in my mind, but I seldom have the time to actually allow them to materialize.

It has become one more thing to do, that is not getting done. This year, I was to focus on doing fewer things and doing them well. I prepaid for webhosting, so the blog is not going anywhere, but I am just officially relieving myself from any self-imposed obligation to contribute to the blog community.

I’m looking forward to 2009, despite what all the doomsdayers may say. We’ve been in our new house and new life for 6 months now. Things are starting to gel and a rhythm is developing. Oh, how I desire a rhythm. The days are long but the years are short with our children. I don’t want to miss a moment of it.

Wishing a peaceful, joyful New Year, full of contentment in Him to anyone who might be reading here!

The ornaments are packed

In their boxes with care.

The tree is tossed outside,

Enjoying fresh air…

I think I packed up our Christmas decorations earlier than I ever have this year! I don’t know what to attribute it to, but this Christmas season was kind of a “dud” in our family. I just couldn’t quite get into the swing of things. Part of the issue, I’m sure, was the exceptionally warm weather we enjoyed in early December. I just didn’t feel like Christmas! Also, we are still trying to find our way in this different house. I LOVED my old house a Christmastime. It just was so warm and cozy. But more likely, our somewhat ho-hum December was due to my complete lack of planning. I was consumed with so many tasks through the summer and fall, I spent no time planning or preparing for Advent.

So as I packed up my Christmas ornaments and decor, the children’s books and the craft supplies, I decided to take a moment and make myself a list that I can use next November to plan for December. Better yet, I should take a look at my list in September when I am laying out our school year. Here’s a look at my list:

To Plan in Novemeber

• Plan baking project
• Find branch for Jesse Tree
• Re-read “Advent Fortold” devotion
• Plan Scripture Readings
• Plan Jesse Tree Activities/lessons
• Plan Craft projects
• Plan homemade gifts for kids to make
• Gather small pinecones from neighbor before snow falls

To Buy in Novemeber

• Advent Calendar Candies
• Candy Canes
• Good Hot Chocolate
• STASH Christmas Teas
• Gingerbread house kit
• Tea Lights
• Baking Supplies
• Craft Project Supplies

December Activities

• Advent Devotional
• Scripture Readings
• Jesse Tree
• Advent Wreath
• Baking
• Gingerbread Houses
• Crafts and Gift Making

Ideas for Homemade Gifts

• Sewn Felt projects
• Knitting
• Felted animals
• Photo Books

Christmas Crafts for which I have supplies

• Oragami Cranes
• Candles, dipped or rolled
• Cookies in a Jar
• Pinecone wreaths
• Straw Stars
• Wax Ornaments

Want to do your own time audit?? Let me know by posting a comment below! I’d love to see it!

Time management is a skill that I will probably spend my lifetime honing. We have the privilege (and burden) of so many choices in our modern world of how we will spend our time. Once again, I have found myself wondering how in the world I am going to get done all the things on my list. I feel that I just don’t have the time to do everything that is before me, and things that get done, are not done very well. I often say no to commitments because I feel “I just don’t have the time” which can seem like a cop-out, (and can frustrate ministries coordinators at church). What do I do with all my time anyway? I’m home ALL THE TIME!

This week, I felt the need for a “time audit.” I needed to really see where I was spending my time, as it compared to how I need to be investing my time. I made a big list of all of the tasks that I believe really needed to be done in a week. Then, I wrote down a realistic estimate of how much time each task should take.

Guess what? I really don’t have time! If I were to do all of the important things on my list…things which I really believe are necessary and that God has called me to, my week is done.

 
But here’s the catch. I haven’t been doing the things on my list, or at least not very well. Can you guess why? Yep, because I’ve made other things a priority. This little activity was actually quite eye-opening, and even encouraging. If I do what I need to do each week, I really do need to say no to other activities. Sometimes this is a relief, and sometimes an exercise in self-control. But in either case, it will bring more peace to our family.

So, below you will find my audit.  

Activity            Time needed              Times per week                   Hours per week
Bible/prayer           ½ hr                                  7                                                3.5
Time with husband ½ hr                                 7                                                3.5
(true, this time can overlap with other things, like folding laundry while we talk, working outside, etc., but my hubby likes to spend time with me, and have at least a little undivided attention!)

Bible with Kids        ¼ hr                                 7                                                2
Personal Care          ½ hr                                7                                                 3.5
Cook/clean meals 2 ½ hr                               7                                                17.5
(I cook simply from scratch, 3 squares a day, and my littles are not helpers yet…but they are big mess makers!)
Plan/shop meals     2 hr                                 1                                                   2
House cleaning       2 ½hr                              7                                                  14
(this may sound like a lot, but my kids are all little. The 8 year old is a genuine help, but the others actually require more of my time in order to allow them to help do chores…which they do. The training will pay off, but not now. We homeschool, so we are all home all day everyday…and the 3 year olds are making constant messes.)
Outside chores        1 hr                                7                                                    7
(this will drastically increase when the weather turns nicer, but hopefully “school” time will decrease.)
Plan School             2 hr                                1                                                    2
School w/ kids        3 hr                                5                                                   15
Errands                    3 hr                               1                                                     3
Good Samaritan Home 4 hr 1 4
(this is mission work that my husband has delegated administrative duties to me.)
Correspondence         1 hr                            7                                                      7
(email and phone calls)

TOTAL:                                                                                                                 84

Add an additional 25% for doing everything in the presence of small children: training, discipline, nurturing, hugs for boo boos, intervening in rivalry, admiring art work, stopping for cuddles, cleaning up messes, finding missing blankets and toys, unclogging toilets, etc.                                                                                                                      21

GRAND TOTAL:                                                                                                  101 hours per week

Based on a 16 hour day, I have 112 waking hours in a week give or take. Yep indeed, I really don’t have time for more than this when you figure all of the unplanned happenings, and perhaps a little down time. Please note what is NOT on this list: entertaining, church ministries, women’s Bible Studies, etc.

Hmmm, I’m all of a sudden not feeling quite so guilty about saying “no.” Maybe I’ll carry a copy of this list in my purse, in case I feel the need for further clarification…I’m not copping out…I really just don’t have the time!

In times when finances are tight, we have to make gift-gifing choices carefully! How about a gift that will bless an entire family, will testify of God’s goodness to the receiver, and support Bible translation in Africa?? AND…it only costs $20. I’d say that is pretty good bang for your buck.

So, as you are carefully making your Christmas list, consider purchasing a copy (or 2 or 3) ofThe Creator’s Canvas. This beautiful, full color coffee table book is a photo-testimony of God’s creation. The book is written by Steve Payne, a Wycliff Bible Translator for the past 20 years. Together with his wife Laura, and teenage children Nika and Kevin, the Payne family has done extensive translation work in Senegal among the Kwatay people, and more recently, in Central Congo, Nepal, and Sudan.

This family lives on faith, and God has always provided their needs as they have been faithful to literally take His Word to every tribe and tongue. They are continuing to trust Him, and at this time, their support base is lacking. Sales of this beautiful book will help provide for the Payne’s needs.

Consider visiting their website at www.thecreatorscanvas.com and place your order soon!

Lets see, its now November 13th and I have hardly looked at this blog. So I thought it might be time to catch up a little.

We are finally feeling settled in here on our little farm. I’ve spent way too much time inside, figuring out to make this house work: sorting and organizing stuff, creating new systems, hanging things on wall, and all the tasks required to move in. Its taken me much longer than I anticipated, and it probably has something to do with the four young creatures at my feet all the time. I’m finding that this house works very well. While ranch style homes may lack in character, they do score big in function.

We are very blessed to have a lot of grass growing on the property, and when we moved here, it was quite overgrown. A variety of loaner animals have come and gone, including sheep, goats, and turkeys (they last 3 days and then hit the road!) It was a great way to see which animals we liked having, and which we did not. To date, the animal count stands as follows:

• 28 chickens (about 7 are roosters, and a few will soon be put in the freezer)
• 3 dairy goats (more on these girls later…they are my absolute favorite farm critters)
• 2 Dexter cows, one bull calf and one bred heifer
• 1 brainless dog (but we are giving her the benefit of the doubt…she’s still young, and her genetics indicate that she will eventually have a brain.)

Harvest time started here in August and just this week I put away my canning supplies. We didn’t even grow a garden, but this was a bumper year for apples and pears. We have both on our property, as well as plenty of blackberries growing wild. Friends and my mother-in-law also shared with us from their bounty. I bought a dehydrater this year, and I LOVE it. Its such an easy and yummy way to preserve food. I enjoy canning too. My grandmother taught my mother, and they both taught me. Canning the summer harvest was just a way of life for my Oklahoman Grandma. It is such a practical and satifying art for me.

Here is my list and a photo of my summer canning:

• 12 quarts spiced apple rings
• 48 quarts apples sauce
• 12 quarts apple juice
• 10 quarts peaches
• 12 quarts pears
• 6 pints curry apple chutney
• 10 pints cranberry apple chutney
• 8 quarts apple syrup
• 8 quarts peach jam
• 6 quarts plum jam
• 6 quarts blackberry jam
• 5 quarts raspberry jam
• 8 gallons dried apples
• 2 gallons dried pears
• 2 gallons fruit leather roll-ups

Fweww! No wonder I’m a little tired, and my kitchen floor is sticky. I’ll add that I have been putting up fruit since August…not continuously of course. Did I mention that this was a big apple year??

In other news, my husband has been out of the country for the last 2 weeks. He’s due back tomorrow. He’s been in India with 4 other Christian brothers, visiting a pastor there who we have been partnering with in ministry. Its been an incredible trip, totally eye-opening to say the least. While the majority of Americans were either reveling or mourning the election results, my husband was among some of the world’s very poorest souls. We’ve only been able to speak with him a few times, but he has been incredibly blessed, challenged, and given a more eternal vision for sure. I am so looking forward to enjoying the spiritual fruit that his journey will bring for our whole family.

So, that’s it for now. Winter is coming, and I’m feeling cozy. I’m becoming quite proficient at building a fire in the woodstove (my childhood roots are emerging!) We should see snow soon. I’m hoping to be able to write here more. I still haven’t decided whether or not I really have time for this hobby, but I haven’t deleted the blog yet either!

Its been so long since I’ve written here, I almost forgot my login password!

Life in my home over the past 2 months has been one long exercise in prioritization. There are so many things that need to be done, or that could be done, its hard to know where to start. Many days I have spent wandering around in circles, so overwhelmed, that by the end of the day I’m exhausted and nothing has been done.

Its been a testing time, and God is so good and merciful. He is teaching me new things. I am often a slow learner. A few days ago it struck me, what if….what if in the midst of such a long to-do list, I could be assured of accomplishing ONE thing for certain each day. What would it be?

I’d pick spending time in the Word and prayer. (Not because I love to read the Word and pray, but because I know I need it desperately, and it right.)

Sadly, but  more often than I care to admit, that doesn’t happen at all because there are so many other tasks competing for my attention.

What if I could be assured of 3 things for certain being accomplished each and every day? My choices would be:

1. Time with the Lord in the Word and prayer.

2. Responding lovingly to my husband.

3. Spending time with my children in God’s word.

Really, if these three things were done each and everyday, I think I could honestly say it was a “productive” day.  So I’m working at putting these priorities into practice. Its actually changed the way my day looks. I’ve given myself permission to say, “It’s enough” if those three priorities have been done. If that is all I get to in a day, it is alright. Its OK if no school books are opened, home projects finished, apples picked, or even dinner made.

Funny thing is, when first things are placed first, I find that I have an easier time prioritizing the rest of my day as well. When I take time to spend with the Lord, and then be obedient to him in loving my husband and training my children, our days are much more peaceful.

Summer is in full bloom here, and as I walk around outside, despite the many things needing attention, I see evidence of progress. Life on the farm is a blessing, and there are so many possibilities. Here are a few photos of how we are getting started in this new life.

This big pile of rotten hay, manure, lawn clippings, and pond algae and weeds is the beginning of what will hopefully be our vegetable garden next year. That pile of carboard is what is left from our moving boxes. We’ve been laying them down to make a grass-smothering base, and then piling on the organic material and letting it rot. The former owners here left us a huge supply of manure which we will be hauling over soon, and our chickens and goats are making plenty of their own.

I cannot even explain how happy this photo makes me…this is my CLOTHESLINE. I have wanted a clothesline for years, but it was always impractical at our old house with an upstairs laundry room. I love, love, love hanging out my laundry. It always seems cleaner and smells nicer dried in the sun. After a few frustrated attempts with cheap, plastic clothesline hardware from the local store, I finally bought this one from Lehman’s , and it works great. I love the pulley system that allows me to go right outside the laundry room, stand it one place, load up the laundry, and then send it way up high to the breeze and sun to dry.

And finally, after much waiting, and many casualties, the day has arrived….our first egg. Isn’t it beautiful? We are down from 36 to 21 hens, thanks to trampling, neighbor dogs, an owl (we suspect), OUR dog (grrr.). The learning curve for successful raising animals is high! Nevertheless,  we still have a flock. And some ambitious, type-A personality gal (I suspect one our of big Black Sexlinks) has laid her first egg. It’s a happy day down on the farm!

OK, so no photos yet….they are coming. We’ve had computer issues to say the least. Actually, its more like DSL issues, due to wires in the ground that are wet, or were cut by a backhoe, or any number of problems due to the fact that we no longer live in the city limits. Anyway…

So, this move has totally knocked me out of my groove. My daily rhythm was precarious to start, and we just pretty much turned our whole lives upside down, and then scattered the contents all about, and then the 2 year olds danced upon it all.

I’ve been feeling like I’m living in someone else’s house for the last 3 weeks. This home is SO different from our last, like in every way. The style, the flow and layout, the look, the KITCHEN….totally different.

But yesterday morning, we had a breakthrough. As I made my way out of bed, down the hallway just freshly painted, I noticed something familiar. Yes, before my eyes there was a large patch of pencil scribbles on the lower 3 feet of wall. And then, to top it all, on the wall near the dining table…there it was…a well known sight….

…a dried booger.

We are home.

I called my husband and told him that the house was really ours. It is starting to look like we live here.

All disgusting jokes aside (although the above are true stories), I am slowly starting to find a groove. Its funny how many familiar little systems I take for granted, like how to clean my kitchen after preparing a meal, and how the kids should wash their hands (the faucets here cannot be turned on by little hands…arghh!)

But today I realized that I have been spending way too much time indoors. There are like 9 million things that need to be done in the house, so its not like I can do them all in a day anyway! So today, when the kids were trying to sail boats down the backyard stream, only to find that it was an overgrown swamp, I ditched my indoor project and went out to muck around in the water. When hubby came home, we were all covered with mud and duckweek, but half of the stream was accessible, and we were happy in the cool water and warm sun. There was no dinner prepared. We ate nachos and cheerios. But my stress level was way down, and for some reason tonight I am feeling less overwhelmed by all the house to-dos.

This, I think, will be a crucial part of my new rhythm. Work inside, then quit and go outside, no matter what. The kids are all for it, and it is afterall why we moved here.

Amy at Sonshine Cottage has tagged me with a meme. Hi Amy! Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Write six random things about yourself.

4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.

5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

OK, so here goes:

1. I have a degree in Bilingual Education, but after 10 years can speak amost no Spanish anymore.

2. I have a very strange sneeze…I sneeze about 8 little sneezes, every time, and it sounds like I’m joking…but yes, its my real sneeze.

3. My hair is naturally curly, with lots of gray. I just discovered that the out-of-the-box dye works just fine and saves a lot of $$.

4. I love documentaries.

5. I bite my fingernails, and have been trying to quit for about 30 years.

6. Since moving to the farm, the bottoms of my feet are permanently disgusting…dry with perma-dirt, and I’m not exactly sure what to do about it.

OK, that’s random. I’ll tag Jenn at Grace and Glory, Chari at Our Hearts Haven, and Frances at Woman of Faith.

After only 2 weeks of having my computer down, our wireless system is up and functional yet again!  Therefore, I can once again access my own computer…the one where I keep all my “blogging” files and such. These past two weeks have been HUGE. SO much has happened as we, that is our 4 children, 24 chickens, and 1 spastic dog have moved down on the farm….along with all of our earthly belongings.

Just to wet your appetite, in these first 2 weeks, we have not only moved ourselves, but also “inherited” 12 sheep, 3 goats, and 4 turkeys. Once word gets out that you have land, and are in the homesteading way, people start bringing you animals. Its the craziest thing. The 4 turkeys we received as a “housewarming” gift have already been moved to a new home. You could say that we “regifted” them…as they had this very nasty habit of setting up camp on my back deck and pooping some foul substance that looked exactly like hot asphalt all over our entry rugs. Hmmm, not a good way to make friends with your new owners I think!

Anyway, more to come, and some photos too, tomorrow I hope. I don’t know who possibly might be reading this, but if you are, thanks for hanging around.