Women Signed Up: 157 (yes, that's an increase of 19 women!)
LOOKING BACK:
Today we were in our VEHICLE. I don't know how it went for everyone else, but I was disgusted and upset after getting mine done. I had no idea how many suckers sticks from the bank were in the back of my suburban... a garbage bag will be a MUST in there from now on, in both the middle section as well as the back section. Unbelievable... anyone else find anything disgusting or maybe even a treasure? I really should count up the change I found... it's probably a million dollars. And I'm excited because my suburban no longer smells like lettuce... I think it was the moldy food in the back... So come and share how your day went!
How did God speak to you today?
How did your Challenge Schedule/Plan go today? Did it work, or are there some adjustments that need to be made? Don't get discouraged if things didn't go according to YOUR plans. Remember, you're not just cleaning your home, but your heart as well, and the Lord will use this time to refine you. Open your heart to Him and receive whatever it is He has for you today. Also remember, the enemy loves choas and will do what he can to discourage you, so hang in there and draw your strength from the Lord!
"TO DO" LIST:
Tomorrow and the day after we'll be in the FRONT YARD, so take time to sit down (if you haven't already) and look over that section in your organizer. You can also print out the Detailed Cleaning List too. Click on the following link, or go to the sidebar under THE CHCH CHALLENGE to see any you might have missed (you can add these to your organizer if you'd like, or just use them as you look over the "To Do" List in your organizer to decide what needs to be done in each room/area).
What's for breakfast? Get anything ready that you can tonight.
Lay out clothes while you're at it so you don't have to search for them in the clothes pile too (um... just in case you'd have to do that...)
Is your Weekly Challenge Calendar filled out?
Write in your Prayer Journal and make sure to tell about your day. We never know what will happen from one day to the next, and your journal is an important part of remembering your journey throughout The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge.
Get a good night's sleep and don't forget your prayers!
For Your Information:
We still have ladies signing up for The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge! This is so amazing! So, I've made a post on how to begin for those who are needing to know where to start. Click on the following link to read more about that:
Please let me know if you're posting any of the pictures you're taking on your blogs/websites or if you're writing about the challenge. Email me and put CHALLENGE in the subject so I can keep them separate from the notifications. If you don't have a blog or website, please leave comments here to let us know how things are going!
I will be posting the Detailed List for the LIVINGROOM tomorrow, so check back then so you can get your livingroom "To Do" List taken care of.
PRAY: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for today. I pray that You would continue to help me remain steadfast in my desire to clean my heart and home. Please encourage me through the work I see getting done, and help me to be patient with the things that haven't. I pray for patience with my children, and a healthy balance of cleaning both my home and my heart. May I not forget that my children are a part of my heart, and that they are to be nurtured as well. Help me to keep a balance between the two that is pleasing to You. Thank You for the blessings You have given me. Create in me a clean heart, Lord... and renew a right spirit within me and my home. In Jesus' name, Amen. (If you'd like to be a part of The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge, it's not too late to join... to ready more, read "The Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge".)
Because I live in NZ, I'm a day ahead of you all, so I did my car yesterday. I found the most revolting sticky mess in one of the cupholders in the very rear seat - yuck! And of course, the usual assortment of lollipop sticks etc. I didn't have anything to shampoo my upholstery with, so I've add that to the "to do in the near future" list, and I didn't have time to wash the car, so I'm going to work that in bit by bit over the next few days. The windows soooo need cleaning - the rear side ones are so thick with little sticky hand prints that you can hardly see through them if the sun is shining on them! :-S Today, I weeded my driveway, and my 7 year old swept all the gravel stones off the concrete strip down one side. :-) It looks so much better! Thank you Amy for putting this whole thing together!!
As soon as I opened the car door I could smell it! Ok here's the story: I bought a grilled chicken salad at the hospital cafeteria last week when my dad had back surgery. I didn't finish it, so I brought it home and put it in the fridge. My 4yo who loves salad, got it out and was eating it outside and when he was done he put it on the trunk of my car. I had to run an errand and had already locked the doors to the house so I just threw it in my car. Well guess what I found today? It was RIPE! I threw that salad and the fork that was in the container in the trash outside! I can replace the fork, but I was not going to open that container for fear of passing out from the fumes.
I'm going to be sitting with my daddy the rest of the week, so my mom can go back to work. So, I may not get to do my yard, which needs it more than my car did.
I got a little cocky! Vehicle easy, I'll even wash the outside. Didn't happen, I was vaccuuming and putting my air freshner in at 8:00 after the kids went to bed. Seeing how slooooow I am may need to make this 104 day challenge, lol. My van was so gross, cup holder had thick syrupy gunk filling them and mixed with it was trash and assorted candies I acutaly had to put cleaner in them at noon at let it soak before I could even attempt to get it out. But now Momma's gat a new van, at least it looks like it! Watch out yard here I come.
Jess
OK, I'm having a really hard time doing this cleaning amidst all the other 'stuff' I've got on my plate lately...but I'm trying. As for the front yard tomorrow - I guess I get that day off...the construction guys (we just remodeled and added on for my Dad) totally trashed our lawn so there isn't one!! It's still too cold here to plant grass seed, so does this mean I'm off the hook?!?!?!? = )
...I'm running for cover just in case anyone tries to throw a tomato at me...
Love the front yard list...esp. not wanting to hear about our weeds. I know how you feel. I don't want to hear about anyone needing to wash down their drive. God's been washing ours down everyday for nearly a month. :-D
Remember... this challenge is part to do with our home... but our heart affects ALL of the challenge! Spend time with your dad... it's so much more important than a clean house. I know that I struggle with that often (go to a friends instead of cleaning) but it's really true. I'd rather leave a dirty house behind and little dirty faces, if I leave them with hearts of gold.
Blessings,
Amy
(I'm working on the detailed lists, so that way if you have to miss a day to do something else, or the weather is working with the schedule (tee hee) you can switch days around.)
Be sure you sit down with your BLANK SCHEDULE and fill it in as best as you can. It will make it so much easier if you know when you can get some time to clean... and will frustrate you so much less.
Keep on keepin' on... you can do it. Remember this is also about your heart, so don't get discouraged! Draw your strength from the Lord!
I was a little late getting my organizer finished, but I think I am about there. We'll work on fine tuning a few things as we go. The car is done, but the yard will have to wait. We've had a ton of rain. So I decided to rearrange some. We spent our morning cleaning out all the kitchen cabinets and the pantry. Made good progress, but still have a bit more to do. Now it is just a matter of arranging things in a working order though.
Thanks for taking the time to do all this.
So bummed! I had the best of intentions, but it has been raining so hard that I couldn't finish cleaning out my van!(because there's no room in the garage which is one of the reasons I need this challenge) And now that it's the front yard, I can't really do that either today/tomorrow.
So I'm trying to skip ahead, but can't help feeling behind now. At the same time, I know that God is sovereign and knew it was going to rain and will use it all for good.
-J
It snowed all day yesterday, so the van didn't get cleaned out like I was hoping. I had a ton of extra things to do yesterday anyway and the pipes were frozen so I couldn't wash the car seat covers, so I didn't expect to get it done. Plus, we are going to town today for our ultrasound (Can't wait to find out!!!) so I figured it would be best done after I got back from a town trip, since that is when it is at it's messiest. We will do a quick clean before we head to town, as there are leftovers from our town trip on Sunday to pick Daddy up at the airport....
So, I am "behind" too, and the yard can't be done because it is STILL snowing!!! Argh! Oh well. The kids are so excited to use their buckets, that we will do *SOMETHING* so that they can use them.
I'm blogging as I go (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/mum21angel/) and will try to do a few pics here and there too. Already I've been challenged though, reading a story to my dd this morning the main character instructs her class to go into the schoolhouse "decently and in order" and it really brought a smile to my face. I'm praying my one-pupil school will someday be decent and in good order!
Don't get discouraged... hop into your living room and begin there (the detailed list is on the sidebar). You can always come back to the front yard and vehicle on a warmer day!
Wow! I have been wanting to do that all winter long! It felt so good. The weather was iffy and I almost postponed it (rain on again-off again). But after lunch the children and I doned jackets, grabbed trash bag and cleaning bucket and out we went! They pitched in filling the bags with "trash" and "sort it out later". I heard them often say, "Here are my ....." or "Look at all the crayons!" I just giggled. They swept seats, and washed windows, dusted the dash (I didn't have any cleaner) while I vacuumed. When the rain became steady we headed it. Later we took it for a car wash! {sigh} I should have taken a picture! :O)
There are pansies on the porch. The yard is raked. The front gate was mended today by my sweet husband. The front walk swept. Spiderwebs no longer inhabit the porch ceiling. And bonus, the side of my porch is now beautiful. Check out the pics at my blog:
www.homeschoolblogger.com/sajolley
Hang in there... remember this is about your heart as well, and that's even more important than getting your home clean... I do know, however, that it's hard to keep your heart clean when your home is a disaster... I'm praying for you.
and a woman seeking the Lord's Will (daily), a wife (striving to keep the romance alive), a "Smamma" (Step- mother) of one and a homeschooling mom of seven (I was never going to have children), who starts every day over (after messing SOME thing up the day before), knowing God's grace is overflowing (just like my laundry), and so thankful He's blessed me more than I'll ever deserve.
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•Monday, April 3, 2006 - My Day