I am a Martha

My name is Martha. You might call me a "Type A" personality. I like things done a certain way. I like things in order. I am something of a "neat freak". My home is seldom dirty. I enjoy entertaining guests, but when I do, I want my closets organized, a scrumptious meal that turned out perfectly and everything shining.  I constantly strive to be the "hostess-with-the-mostess".


My sister Mary and I, entertain guests at our home quite frequently. It is, however, generally referred to as MY home. After all, I am the one who does everything. And so was the case with a recent visitor. A man of God we were both ecstatic to have in our home was coming to visit. Everything had to be perfect. I planned an elaborate meal, and made sure everything was spic and span. We were overcome with excitement when he arrived! His teachings were being circulated around town by various ones who had been to hear him speak. But, to be one-on-one, and speak with him personally... Just think of it! This was one person I HAD to impress. It's very important in my culture that a woman show the utmost hospitality to a stranger. As the day arrived, it was this thought exactly that rushed through my mind when I noticed my sister sitting at the feet of our guest. I thought she was disgracing herself. Did it not occur to her to help me serve this man? I forced a smile and I hinted at how I was trying to get the meal on the table. She did not rise. Ugh! How could she be so selfish as to put all the work on me?! In the past, I had frequently fought the idea that she was a tad bit lazy. But now... now I was sure of it. Here we were entertaining the most important guest possible, and she was not at all interested in feeding him- a weary traveler.

By now, you must know... I am speaking of Jesus. I watched from the next room as she listened to him speaking- her eyes wide with interest. What were they saying? I was missing it! That was it. I wanted him to reprimand her for not fulfilling her duties. I wanted him to appreciate my "servant's spirit". I rushed into the room and said rather pointedly, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me."


His response was not what I expected. "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things." He replied. "But, one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."


Tears welled up in my eyes. He was right. I was troubled about many things. I was anxious. In my head there was an endless to-do list. I was neglecting the very reason why I was excited to see Jesus: to hear his words. From the moment he had arrived I had been hustling and bustling around trying to make everything perfect. And yet, the things with which I busied myself were all... just temporal. This house... these THINGS could be taken away from me. Mary had chosen to invest her time in something that could not. His gaze as he spoke those words to me was not one of judgement. I could see his compassion. I could feel his love for me. He wanted me to see what was important. He wanted me to understand the difference between earthly things and eternal things. Jesus saw my heart and wanted me to know I was missing out on something very important.

Have you ever been too busy to talk to Jesus? Have you ever used my excuse: that you were busy serving? Do you volunteer for every church project, try to fill every day on your calendar, and spend precious little time in communion with our Lord? Martha's personality seems prone to 'doing', while Mary's seems prone to 'being'. In faith, those are 2 sides of the same coin. Some of you resonate with Mary's personality. I, beyond any shadow of a doubt, resonate with Martha's. The first time I heard the above rendition of this story when I was 15, tears streamed down my face. I knew God was talking to my heart. He loves for me to serve others, but He knows that I get "cumbered" in much serving just as Martha did. I typically feel as if I am behind schedule before my day ever begins. God probably feels like He needs to tie me down for me to spend some quiet time with Him! The Lord is frequently reminding me to take deep breaths, soak in my surroundings, enjoy the moment I'm currently in... and sit at His feet.

Because I am a Martha, and I forget.



Picture Credit

More Activities for Toddlers

BRILLIANT idea I saw on Pinterest!!!

Simply squirt paint into large Ziploc bags (and seal them.)

Put a white piece of paper underneath, then use painters tape to put it on the table.

This mom used 2 different primary colors in each bag to teach an older child about color mixing.

This is the perfect mess-free activity to keep a kid interested for a couple hours on a rainy afternoon.

Leave it taped to the table for as long as you want... Just stick it in a drawer somewhere if you are cleaning up for company- then take it out again later :)

Simple. Cheap. Mess Free.

My kind of activity!

Here's a link to a huge list of other cool toddler activities I ran across:

http://www.playcreateexplore.com/p/busy-bags.html

Have Fun!

Toddler Learning Games-Fun with Dominos

My family has always loved playing games together; including dominoes.

My mother tells everyone "I taught the girls to count by 5's playing dominoes!"

She's telling the truth!

Homeschooling in our house was pretty fun. :)

Benjamin LOVES it when he gets to play with an "adult" or "big kid" item.

(What kid doesn't? It's just more fun than their toys, right?)

So, I've been using his interest in our dominoes for some learning games.

We have the double-twelve set with different colors, so there's lots of opportunity for learning with these. While he isn't old enough to count by fives yet... he can practice matching up the identical sides, learning the unusual color names, and counting the dots.

Of course, I let him stack them, line them up, and build things with them as well. Our "learning sessions" are usually no longer than a couple of minutes. Then I go do a chore and let him "freestyle" it for 5 minutes or so. :)

I think it's great to give kids access to ALMOST everything.

(Not all the time, and not anything dangerous...)

But a kid's interest is always peaked when you show them something

"off limits".

Explain it to them, and let them touch it a minute. 

You have their attention and it's a fantastic teaching moment!

Let your toddler stir the pancake mix and watch you fry an egg. Let them put their own clothes in their drawer. Let them play with the dominoes. Let them TRY to sweep the floor.

If you're gonna teach them about table manners- bring out the fine china for a special dinner.

You know, the dishes that are for "special people"?

After all, who is truly more special than your little ones?

Mawmaw's Dining Room Makeover

Well, I promised Mawmaw that I wouldn't post the before pictures. :)

It was basically a shell of a room filled with boxes. No light fixture, no draperies, no table and chairs.

We had to demo some corner shelving, then start from scratch.

So here's the finished product!!!!

We painted EVERYTHING, I installed a bronze chandelier and ceiling medallion, re-upholstered the chairs to this dining set she found at a garage sale...

(Side Note: Don't be scared to mix and match dining chairs! That is very in style right now... If it scares you a little, try what we did and just use different chairs on the ends- sticking to a similar finish. If ya wanna go a little fancier, nice arm chairs- even small wing back chairs are great on the ends! Just make sure the seats are close to the same height as the other chairs- proportionate to the table. :)

I found this rug in the clearance bin at Home Depot (SCORE! Large rugs can get SO pricey! Tip: Neutral rugs really warm up a dining space. Just make sure the rug is large enough for you to pull your dining chairs all the way out.

I added casing above the window to give it a finished look and eliminate the need for a valance. Mawmaw's biggest complaint about this room was the afternoon sun streaming through when they were trying to rest, so the draperies were made with black out lining.

The 3 ring mirror, traditionally called the "wedding ring" style, had an outdated gold finish. Rather than spray painting the entire thing, I sponged it lightly with a silver color to create a 2 tone affect.

Giving a nod to the "wedding ring" mirror, we placed family wedding photos of their children and grandchildren on the opposite wall.

In the center of these photos: the couple who started it all; cutting the cake at their 50th wedding anniversary celebration.

How To Re-cover Dining Room Chairs

My grandmother bought a dining table with these chairs at a garage sale:

If you're thinking they don't look that bad, you should have tried sitting on them :)

The foam was deteriorating, making for a rather uncomfortable seat.

Also, the fabric looked kinda gross up close.

Remove the old fabric (however many layers you find, :) and old foam with needle nose pliers.

Purchase foam (I bought 2") at your fabric store.

Simply set seat base over foam and trace with a marker, then cut to size.

Glue foam to base. If you want a rounded edge, just glue around edges and sort of fold it over as shown in the picture above.

Next, cut squares of fabric leaving plenty of inches for stapling. My fabric was a tiny stripe, so to ensure I got it straight, I nipped the center of each side with my scissors. It helps you line it up to the center.

Next: Start stapling!

(Pereferably with an ELECTRIC staple gun! I used a manual, and it was a PAIN!!)

Pull as tightly as you can, starting from the center and working your way out. I stapled a few times in the center of all 4 sides then finished each side. It helped my fabric not to move around too much. You can play with the corners. There isn't really a wrong way, just fold and pleat till you like it, then try to make sure all corners are as identical as possible.

When finished, screw onto the chair and walah!

There's the finished product!

I just re-did this entire dining room for my grandmother, and I'll be showing y'all the pictures soon! It was a lot of HARD WORK, and I'm SO excited it's almost ready to show off! 

Making your own All-Natural Household Cleansers (For pennies!)

Lol... don't vintage cleaning ads just crack ya up?

I've wanted to switch to all-natural chemical-free household cleansers for some time now. The only thing stopping me was money. See, I'm a penny pincher... and I coupon. I was getting most of my cleaning products for free or close to it with my couponing... so I just couldn't bring myself to pay (a lot) more money for the natural stuff I saw in health food stores and catalogues.

Well, I've finally gotten to the point where I realize our health is more important than money. I'm tired of holding my breath while I clean, and knowing my kids are inhaling those dangerous fumes.

WELL! I've finally discovered a solution!!! MAKE THE STUFF MYSELF. SO cheap, SO eco-friendly, SO healthy, SO effective.... Am I missing anything?

The thing I use most is an all purpose disinfectant (for wiping down counter tops, toys and baby stuff, laminate floors etc.) So I decided to mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 2 parts water, adding a few drops of lavender oil. If you aren't familiar with hydrogen peroxide: it's simply amazing. It kills more germs than Lysol and it's actually safe to ingest. In fact, if you do ingest it, you'll be a little bit healthier. *smile* The Lavender oil is a naturally anti-bacterial as well, and it smells SO nice! You can play around with different essential oils for whatever smell you like in your cleansers.

You know how name brand chemical cleansers "smell good", but if you breathe in deeply it kinda burns your throat? Well, now when I clean I can NOT stop breathing in the smell. There's no burning; it just smells so pure and clean and WONDERFUL! Nick keeps commenting on the great smell as well.

Okay, so I've been researching recipes for other cleansers too and here's what I've found:
(Let me know how they work for you if you try them... also let me know if you have a fantastic laundry detergent recipe. I'm "shopping around" :).... the cheaper to make, the better! 




General Cleansers:
1.Vinegar and Salt: Mix to make a good surface cleaner.
2. Baking Soda: Dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a general cleaner.
3. Baking soda on a damp sponge: Cleans and deodorizes any kitchen or bathroom surfaces.
4. Liquid castile soap and baking soda or Borax: Use in different ratios. Try a little soap and soda/borax with large amount of water for floors, walls and counters. Try more soap, soda/Borax for tubs and sinks and anything that can be rinsed well.
5. Paste of baking soda and water: Makes an effective scouring cleanser.


Disinfectants:
1. Half-cup of borax and 1 gallon hot water: Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary or lavender. Steep for 10 minutes, strain and cool. You could also add essential fragrant oils instead of fresh herbs. Store in a plastic spray bottle.
2. 2 tablespoons Borax, 1/4 cup Lemon Juice, 2 cups hot water: Combine the borax and lemon juice with the water in a spray bottle. Use to replace any commercial all-purpose cleaner.


Wood Furniture Polish:
Try a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice. (Always test your mixture on a small out of sight part of your furniture first!)

Glass Cleaners:
1. Undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle
2. Equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle
3. 1/2 lemon juice and 2 cups water in a spray bottle

Oven Cleaner:
Sprinkle baking soda all over stuck-on food and grease in the bottom of oven. Spray with water until moist. Continue to spray every few hours keep it moist. Let set overnight. By morning it should wipe clean easily.
(I have to inject here that I bought a commercial oven cleaner a few months ago. I thought I had no choice- had to get it clean somehow... the fumes were SO incredibly bad I felt we should all be wearing hazmat suits. I'm not kidding. I hope this recipe works as well as I've heard it does, but either way: I will NEVER buy that other stuff again!)


Toilet Bowl Cleaners:
1. Baking Soda and Vinegar: Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then squirt with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush.
2. Borax and Lemon Juice: Mix enough borax and lemon juice into a paste. Flush toilet to wet the sides, then apply the paste. Let sit for 2 hours and scrub thoroughly.
3. 1 cup borax, 1/2 cup white vinegar: Flush to wet the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the borax around the toilet bowl, then spray with vinegar. Leave for several hours or overnight before scrubbing.
4.Liquid castile soap and baking soda or Borax: Scrub with a toilet brush.


Drain Cleaner:
1/2 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 gallon boiling water
1/2 a used lemon


Pour baking soda down drain/disposal, followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam for several minutes before flushing the drain with boiling water.

Tub And Tile Cleaners:
1. Baking Soda: Sprinkle baking soda just like scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly.
2. Vinegar and Baking Soda: Apply vinegar full-strength to a sponge and wipe. Then use baking soda as you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
3. Vinegar: Use 1/4 cup (or more) vinegar to 1 gallon water.
4.Baking Soda: For grout cleaning, use 3 cups baking soda in a medium-sized bowl and add 1 cup warm water. Mix into a smooth paste and scrub into grout with a sponge or toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly.


Porcelain Cleaner:
Rub with cream of tartar sprinkled on a damp cloth.

Plumbing Fixtures:1. To clean stainless steel, chrome, fiberglass, ceramic, porcelain or enamel fixtures, dissolve 2 tbsp baking soda in 1 qt of water. Wipe then rinse.
3. Hard lime deposits around faucets can be easily removed by covering the deposits with vinegar-soaked paper towels. Leave the paper towels on for about one hour before cleaning. Leaves chrome clean and shiny.


Metal Shower Heads: To remove deposits combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and one quart water. Completely submerge the shower head and boil 15 minutes.


Plastic Shower Heads: Combine 1 pint white vinegar and 1 pint hot water. Completely submerge the shower head and soak for about one hour.


Rust Stain and Hard Water Deposit Remover:Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and allow to set until spot disappears, rinse and repeat if necessary.

Pretty sure this goes without being said... but in case you're wondering: just purchase some spray bottles for your homemade cleansers, and label them accordingly! :)

Oh yeah, and I'd recommend using distilled water in your recipes for less residue left behind.

Benjamin's Testimony

One night last week, I was sitting in the living room with the baby, while Ben played in his room. About 10 minutes before, I heard him ask Nick to turn on his Fisher Price piano game that hooks up to his tv. I could hear him laughing and repeating various shapes and numbers back to the television. Then all of sudden I heard a loud crash. I raced down the hall to Benjamin's room. Nick, ran from the other end of the hall, and we met at the doorway. We stopped and stared for a second, not saying anything. There was a pile of glass in the middle of the floor.

The glass globe over his bedroom light had fallen off and broken into a million pieces. Benjamin, sitting on his rocking horse in the corner, was just barely out of harms way.
"Are you okay?" I asked Ben. "I okay Mommy", he said; his eyes as big as saucers.
I handed the baby to Nick and carefully stepped over the shards of glass to pick Benjamin up. Nick watched the kids in the next room while I cleaned up the mess. After a little bit, I looked up to see Nick checking on my progress. Neither of us had said much- I think we were in shock. I finally said, "Nick, it was the Lord that this didn't hit Benjamin. He was playing his game all this time, and it was right above where was standing." "I know." He said. "He never sits on that rocking horse."

I hadn't even thought of that. Nick was right, Benjamin never played with the thing. Something had prompted him to stop playing his game, and go sit in the only place in his room where he would be safe.

I started thanking God over and over that Ben hadn't been hurt... or killed. Tears formed in eyes while I cleaned, just imagining what could have happened. "Why did the globe fall?" I wondered. I took it down to clean it about a month before that... I must not have screwed it in good enough. I needed to check every other light in the house! Why did it take an entire month to fall down? Why in the world did it shatter so badly? It fell onto a thick shag rug, on top of thick carpet. My mind continued to race as I began freaking out about this "near miss" and the safety of my children.

Thankfully, the Lord quickened my mind and helped me snap out of the downward spiral I had started mentally. I reminded myself that I am only human. No matter how hard I try to be a perfect parent and protect my kids from everything dangerous, I will make mistakes. We need the grace of God just to make it through each day. Some days it is much more obvious to us than others- like when our child almost gets hit in the head, or we nearly get into a car accident. But, truth is, even the days we don't realize it, God's grace is the only thing getting us through. He gives us breath. We MUST depend on Him for our safety... for our life.

Otherwise we could go nuts (some people do) trying to do it on our own. Putting our trust in God to take of us and our families is the only way to really have peace. Worrying about it all the time and dwelling on what "could happen", slowly steals away at your faith and will likely send you into a frenzy! While thinking through these things, my tense expression gradually broke into a little smile of relief. I thanked God again.
I thanked Him for His hand of protection. Then, I thanked Him for the resulting testimony- that would one day be Benjamin's to tell.