• Thursday, April 6, 2006 - CHCHC Newsletter, ed. 5
The "CHCHC NEWSLETTER" is set up to be a day ahead (because of all the different time zones of everyone involved). The Stats are from the current challenge day. Read "Planning Ahead" each night to encourage you and remind of things for the next day, and then spend time in prayer with the Lord before heading to bed. "Looking Back" is for you to post about your day, "Looking Ahead" is what room or devotion is next and what day it will be starting, and "For Your Information" has fun pictures and comments from others doing the challenge. C.H.C.H.C. STATS from Day 5 (Thursday, April 6th)
ROOM CHALLENGE: LIVING ROOM
DAYS REMAINING IN CHCHC: 47
Women Signed Up (those receiving the email notification): 172
PLANNING AHEAD (Things to sit down and think about tomorrow night): DAY 6 - Friday, April 7th ROOM CHALLENGE: Living Room COMPLETION GOAL: Saturday
"TO DO" LIST:
Tomorrow we'll continue in the LIVING ROOM... How's it been going so far?
What's for breakfast tomorrow? 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... BY THE WAY... JUST BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T TACKLED THE LAUNDRY ROOM, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE DOING LAUNDRY! Make sure you've got that on your schedule so you don't get further behind and have a real disaster to catch up when we get to that room!)
Have you looked at your Weekly Challenge Calendar and know what's happening tomorrow in your life? (appointments, etc that you can't forget...)
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.
By the way... I've made an extra six pages of the prayer/journal pages. Just add them to your organizer, and be sure that you add them inbetween the devotionals (since the following week is on the back of one of the pages, for those of you who printed on front and back!). You can get them by clicking the following link: EXTRA PRAYER PAGES
Get a good night's sleep and don't forget your prayers!
LOOKING BACK:
Leave a comment on how the challenge is going for you! (For those of you who are not "homeschoolbloggers", you can still leave comments! If you have a blog somewhere else, than just leave your link in the comment. For those of you who don't have a blog, please leave a comment and sign your name (first name is just fine if you'd rather not leave your full name, or sign "Amy from... and your state"). Keep in mind that your comments may uplift and encourage someone else! Be a blessing!)
How is God speaking to you?
How did your Challenge Schedule/Plan go today? I'm curious to know who is doing school, and how much. How many of you have taken a break? When do you find is the best time to get anything done? You're still in the first week, so keep hanging in there. Mark things that aren't working and need to be changed. You can evaluate that more this weekend. Be sure to keep it in prayer as well.
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!
LOOKING AHEAD (What's coming): DAY 8 - Sunday DEVOTION DAY
After the Living Room, we'll be starting our second week of the challenge by reading the WEEK TWO Devotional.
Plan on taking some time out to spend with the Lord, as well as evaluate how the week went and any changes you might need to make to make it go more smoothly.
For Your Information:
Here are some who have posted some pictures or commented on how their challenge is going...
EvlHmSchMom is back in the "running"... check out her blog and be encouraged!
Please stop by and encourage Onduli I know she's not alone.
Just a reminder about eyecorn's contest to win some wonderful pampering products! Be sure to stop by and enter her "Housework Photo Contest" (but don't you DARE think of taking the day off)! Tee hee...
I'm posting the newsletters by number now, instead of by days... it got confusing for some, so I'll be changing the names of the previous ones as well.
PRAY: Dear Heavenly Father, As the challenge has gotten into full swing, I've not paid attention to my heart as I should. Please help to remember that my heart is what You see and what I need to work the hardest at cleaning. Renew me Lord and give me strength. Bring peace to my soul as the little things still need to be taken care of (like laundry, dishes, children, husband)... help me to know what to do and take joy in knowing that I'm doing Your Will... 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".)
Due to the weather in the beginning of the week, I'm a little behind, but feel great about what I've been able to accomplish so far. It's amazing to me how just a little time here and there(that I might have otherwise spent on the computer, listening to the radio, etc) can make such a huge difference. 15 minutes and a drawer in my secretary was cleaned out. 1/2 hour during baby's nap equalled cleaning out the mess around my computer in my Living Room. I had to repent last night for my idleness which has led to so much disorganization, lack of training of my children and general chaos in my life. Planning to blog about it, but want to praise God and thank you for doing this!
-J
I like your comment about just because you haven't tackled the laundry room doesn't mean you shouldn't do laundry. The house we live in now has the prettiest little laundry room. It is cozy, sunny and quaint. When I first saw it, I thought THAT room would make me want to do laundry. Did it? no way, it is so tucked away (which is part of it's charm) I don't have to see the laundry, don't have to walk by it and can therefore forget about it!...until it starts overflowing out the door.I am more laundry challenged than ever! LOL
Jennie von Eggers
www.TimesTales.com
www.CreativeHomeschooling.com
I'm very quickly getting behind and I feel like saying"Wait for me". I'm behind for a good cause though, I've been taking care of my dad after his back surgery, and I'm loving the time with him, watching movies and just talking. I glorify God for letting me take care of him this week. Happy Cleaning.
Sarah
I haven't been able to get back online since I read about cleaning out vehicles and the front yard. Since those assignments were too easy for me :-) , I cleaned our little balcony. It looks so good now! Thanks for getting me moving. We're spending big parts of our monrings out there now.
I can't download most of your PDF files, but I'm following along as I can. n
Okay, my living room may not get completely done, but my heart is definitely getting cleaned out. I read your post about heart issues after a rough day & said, "I'm with you."
Thank you again, Amy.
More details are on my blog.
Amanda
There are many of US (yes, I'm included in that!) that are behind as far as the "schedule" goes... however, don't get discouraged... this isn't meant to make us feel behind. Life still happens (which is part of the reason we get behind in the first place), but the challenge is to make us more aware of the little moments we do have (and sometimes waste) instead of putting the pedal to the metal and going!
There were many that had weather that was less the cooperative, so just save the vehicle and outside front for another weekend or at the end of the challenge. I don't want anyone left behind... we're all in this together!
Day 2 is going on forever...lol...it wasn't my fault...REALLY!!!! LOL Stop by and check it out! Thanks once again for this...I so appreicate it...more than I will ever be able to tell you!
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/EvlHmSchlMom/
I've been out of town, so I'm behind in starting. I'm just about to print out the Organizer, and wondered if it's okay to print it out double sided.
Thanks for all of your work! I'm beyond impressed!!!
Angel
I had myself all geared up to start this challenge this Sunday( April 9) ~ I just found out about this blogger and all you wonderful ladies on tues. ( boy was I missing out!)~ I even told myself it was ok to "start in the middle" which I know you have said too, then I went to print out the Organizer and RAN OUT OF INK! Now my organizational skills are way weak and I really need those forms and stuff to be able to do this - anyone got any ideas ( oh by the way, no money to get more cartridges right now either~ that would've been toooooo easy!)
This is just great. I printed my copy off and linked your site in a post on my blog... however.... I haven't started yet... and probably won't do this until school lets out. Chances are, we will be moving again some time this summer.... so my life will be revolving around brown cardboard boxes. I will probably start your challenge in my own time after we either move from this apartment to a larger 3 bedroom one, or into a home. I read through your print-out, though, and really loved it. It is BETTER than Fly Lady because it incorporates such awesome Godly character and Bible study. I just wanted to thank you for sharing it with the blogosphere!
I finished my livingroom yesterday and was going to work on the hall bookcase, but didn't get to. I was going to stress about it, but then I thought why give satan some glory, so I made it a pick-up day. I cleaned of the kitchen counters, swept, picked up what was not suppose to be in the kitchen and did the same for the rest of the bottom floor.
Blessings,
Linda<><
You may want to do the challenge twice then... I've never moved (we have our house up for sale right now, however) and you may want to get everything organized and ready so it's not overwhelming later. Then you go do it again when you move!
Good for you! Don't get burned out! And don't let satan win!!! Great "heart" move!!! That's exactly what's on the "schedule" for tomorrow as well... I'll be writing about it in the newsletter I'm putting together right now...
Oh my gosh! I can't believe how good the inside of my car and my front yard look. Both areas seemed so overwhelming, but just took a few minutes. I am planning on taking some pictures in the next day or two. We used your idea to put two trash bags in the car (we use the little Starbucks bags with handles because they stand up by themselves). The extra one in the back of the car really makes a big difference. Thanks so much for organzing this adventure! What a blessing!
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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•Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Had a great day
-J