The Proverbs 31 Woman

Hi Ladies! How have you been? A lot has been going on around our house. First of all, I want to apologize because I know I am really behind on these devotions! I didn’t mean to get so behind and I plan to be caught up this coming week.

We have our annual campmeeting coming up in just over a week. My husband and I teach 100+ primary age kids every year for 9 days and 21 lessons and it’s a big deal. So much planning goes into these meetings! I just LOVE teaching kids and I love setting up the set and making the theme come alive for the kids so that they can really experience something special.

I’ve had to finalize my program this and last week and with being gone from home everyday for half the day this week and almost everyday for the last few weeks has really put me behind, so I had no choice but to get the program done and the orders made.

Last Thursday we returned to the rheumatologist for Emily’s follow-up visit. I want to praise God because the pain she’s been having in her joints is not rheumatoid arthritis and it’s not lupus which we were worried about. She did have a number of the pressure points for fybromyalgia, but not enough to assume that’s what she had. Her thyroid levels were in the normal range but higher than he would have liked. He said that we should keep our eyes on that. But otherwise, all of her extensive blood work came back normal.

Of course, there’s still the pain… but knowing that it’s not a debilitating disease that might cripple her hands is such a relief.

We’ll be continuing the From Chaos to Calm series through the first week of June when it will end. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I just am not able at this time to continue producing the podcasts that go with the devotions. I plan to produce and publish the podcasts this summer. But with campmeeting upon me, there’s just no way I can do it all.

So, you’ll find the daily devotions and print outs available over the coming weeks. And I’ll let you know as I’m able to add the remaining podcasts.

I hope you understand. And I hope the series continues to be a blessing to you!

From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty-Six

Cleaning the Bathroom

Scripture Memory: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Download the .pdf version of this article.

Today’s Scripture memory calls us to humble ourselves. If any task in the home calls for us as wives and mothers to humble ourselves, it is cleaning the bathroom. The bathroom is one of the dirtiest rooms in the house and the tasks are not very pleasant.

Your bathroom should be one of the cleanest rooms in your house. It is typically a small space. And remember – the bathroom is the only room where guests go alone with time to sit and just look around… at the corners, around the bathtub, etc. Everyone will know your standard for clean by looking at your bathroom.

Make the bathroom part of your morning routine. Wipe down sinks after making the beds. Rinse the bathtubs after each bath has been taken, and so on. Then on a regular basis, make cleaning the bathroom part of your schedule with the following tasks…

Care for the Bathroom: Monthly:
1. Clean under the sink.
2. Clean out medicine cabinet.
3. Throw out old medications and old make up.
4. Take inventory of toilet paper, paper towels, soaps, shampoos, etc. Add those items that need replenishing to your shopping list. Purchase items when on sale and stock up.

Care for the Bathroom: Weekly:
1. Use a small hand held whisk broom or brush and sweep the floor, dusting the baseboards as you go.
2. Fill a bucket with warm or hot water and add a disinfectant to the water.
3. Add a disinfectant to the toilet bowl. Swish it around with the toilet bowl brush and allow to soak while you clean the rest of the bathroom.
4. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
5. Use separate cloths or sponges for cleaning the toilet and sink and floor.
6. Begin by cleaning the sink and cabinets. Use a mild detergent or abrasive for cleaning inside the sink, around the fixtures, the cabinets, and the walls around the sink.
7. Rinse and clean soap dish. Wipe off the light switch.
8. Dust vanity light bulbs.
9. Clean mirrors.
10. Sprinkle a mild abrasive or spray your preferred bath tub cleaner into the bath/ shower. Use a sponge to scrub away soap scum build up and water marks. Doing this weekly instead of once the tub is gross will reduce the effort! Liquid bleach gets rid of mildew. Rinse tub well.
11. Saturate a sponge in the bucket of water. Squeeze excess moisture out and begin scrubbing the baseboards. Because of the moisture in the bathroom, dust tends to dry and stick to the baseboards causing them to look dingy and unattractive. Move around the room, rinsing your sponge as needed. Dust window sills, cobwebs, top of door molding, and top of shower.
12. Saturate a sponge in the bucket of water. Squeeze excess moisture out and clean around top of toilet, working your way down the sides of the toilet. Rinse sponge as needed.
13. Using a sponge and a product such as Mop and Glo, scrub floor until it sparkles. Begin mopping in the corner of bathroom and work your way out of the room. Leave the room and make sure no one goes in until the floor is dry – about 20 minutes. You can place a fan on the floor to speed this drying time.
14. Pour dirty water outside or down the toilet. Disinfect sponges or cloths in a bucket of fresh water and bleach. 1/2 cup of bleach per gallon of water. Soak them for at least five minutes. Rinse well and air dry.

Care for the Bathroom: Daily:
1. Rinse tub after bathing. ** Optional: Spray a Daily Shower Spray formula in the shower to help prevent soap scum build up. **
2. Wipe down sink, faucets, with a fresh cloth.
3. Wipe down toilet seat with another fresh cloth.
4. Clean mirror after everyone has brushed their teeth.
5. Hang fresh hand towels.
6. Spray air freshener and leave the room.

By cleaning the bathroom on a regular basis, you will find that the task only takes minutes each day and hardly more on your weekly cleaning day. If you have not already, add this task to your daily schedule and determine when is the best day to do the scrubbing.

Cleaning the bathroom shouldn’t be drudgery! Smile in your heart while doing these ordinary, seemingly mundane, tasks. Let peace wash over you and feel content knowing that your family is well taken care of.

This comment {below} was in response to my article, Structuring the Day for a Toddler. I wanted to share my response with everyone!

Comment: Wise words, and a helpful schedule. I follow most of this schedule already and can testify that it works!

I just wanted to add to the discussion that I struggle with the idea that it isn’t good to sleep as long as your children sleep in the mornings and that that makes you “that kind of mom”. Personally, I struggle with never getting enough sleep and perpetual fatigue, and if I can get an extra hour in the mornings and sleep as long as my daughter sleeps, I will because it makes me a better Mom and wife that day. For those of us who have husbands with evening responsibilities, going to bed extra early is not always an option without cheating him. Being pregnant and/or having a night-nursing baby, as many moms of toddlers do, compounds the problem and makes skimping yourself of an extra hour of sleep, in some cases, irresponsible.

I hope that when my children are older, sleep through the night consistently, and are less demanding during the day, getting more solid rest at night and waking up earlier before them will be possible – I think it will be. But I think it lays an unnecessary guilt trip on pregnant/nursing/moms-of-little-ones to tell them they should be voluntarily giving up sleep when they are already so exhausted. We all know how cranky and ungodly we can be when we are tired! And for others, it leads to depression and anxiety. Sleep is important, and one of the keys to making us good moms. Let’s not discourage those of us who lay the housework aside and nap when our baby naps, or are excited that we got an extra half hour of sleep when the toddler decided to sleep in a little bit that day.

You can find ways to still fit in time with God and make mornings pleasant. For example, I still make an effort to smile and greet my toddler joyfully when I get her out of her crib, even if I’m jerked out of sleep and still groggy. Also, I love that she actually sees me do my devotions every morning, even if I am more distracted than if I were alone.

- Leah

NOTE: In my response, I am talking in generalities and use the word “your” which is not directed at Leah {above}.

Response: Leah, I totally agree! Sleep is so important and one of the Eight Laws of Health! And in life there are seasons. Some seasons, such as when you have babies, you have to grab sleep whenever you can. I love how you said that you try hard to wake up with a cheerful attitude even if you are exhausted. That’s so important!

I have struggled with sleep deprivation for the last couple of years {and with my health} and I can testify that not getting enough sleep can really affect the rest of your life.

However, {and only each one of us can judge our own motives for ourselves} I have five children and they are pretty well spaced apart. My oldest son was twelve when my youngest child was born and at the time I was homeschooling three of my children. I couldn’t sleep in {otherwise the day would be shot} and I managed. I’m not saying that to suggest that I am in any way better than other moms! It’s just a fact.

The other fact is that over the last two years or so I’ve gone through some serious emotional, physical, and mental burnout – due to a lot of family crisis, stress,’ and just having way too much to do. {My children are ten years older now.} My health has been poor for over 2 decades due to a chronic illness. And I have felt like I could never get enough sleep. I’ve spent the last two years sleeping in to around 7 or 7:30 in the morning. I’m still homeschooling and I can testify that the last two years have been really rough. I don’t accomplish nearly as much when I sleep in even an hour later.

But I desperately need my sleep.

I am not in any way shape or form a perfect mom. Or perfect anything. I struggle with all sorts of things.

We each have to decide what is right for our families. If you are unsure – pray about it! Every family and family situation is unique.

As for being “that kind of mom”… I have personally known quite a few moms who stay up late {selfishly} and then sleep-in in the mornings and their children have to practically beg for breakfast. That is not a God-honoring use of your time. I was not talking about moms who have legitimate reasons for not getting up at the crack of dawn {or earlier}. We each have to search our hearts to know whether the root of our “need for sleep” is derived from selfishness.

I would suggest that for most moms, getting up early is going to serve them and their families the best. If your baby keeps you up in the middle of the night, work toward getting her to sleep through the night. If your child is sick one night, forget the early morning and sleep in if you are able or get a nap when your little one goes to down for her nap!

I know I have said this before in the past, but if you can’t or aren’t able to get up early for morning devotions, have your devotions at the breakfast table or any other time that works best for you! I love Leah’s suggestion {above} about have her devotions with the kids present.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Get the kids involved in your worship time if they want your attention. In fact, I recommend having a morning worship together regardless of when you have your own personal study time. In my house, we try to have family worship while we are all still sitting at the breakfast table.

Here’s the thing. If your baby or toddler wakes up and is hungry, he’s more likely to be cranky and fussy. If he has to wait for 30 minutes after you wake up for you to go to the bathroom, brush your teeth, and fix breakfast, low blood sugar can cause a child to feel anxious and fussy. That just gets your day off wrong.

By consistently following a basic routine for your day {on most days} children feel more secure and happy. They are less fussy {as a general rule}. Now maybe your child is completely easy going and doesn’t seem to care when he eats and takes naps haphazardly. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. I’m just saying that’s the exception to the rule.

I would never want a mother who is giving her family her very best to ever feel guilty for getting some much needed extra sleep!

When you put your child {or children} on a basic routine during the day including set bedtimes, often their sleep patterns at night even out and they fall into a good circadian rhythm and will sleep through the night. If you are breastfeeding, I definitely recommend co-sleeping! I was always able to wake up early when I had nursing infants because we co-slept together and waking up for middle of the night feedings went practically unnoticed because all I really did was take two seconds to latch the baby on and I was back to sleep.

Like I said in my previous follow up to Structuring the Day for a Toddler, {Structuring the Day for a Toddler and a School Aged Child} that anything I offer here is just a suggestion! I’m sharing what worked for me.

From my experience, all five of my children rarely cried. They were {and are} well-behaved most of the time. I have never been able to stick to a strict schedule despite trying several times years ago, but routines work well for me and our family. That’s why I suggest creating a gentle flow or rhythm to your day and not trying to do too much {which I have been guilty of in the past, hence my burnout}.

Side Note: I have suffered from frequent insomnia the last couple of years. Anything can keep me awake – stress, joy, excitement, new book ideas, etc. My mind just won’t always shut down. Or, I’ll go to sleep and then wake up a couple of hours later and not be able to sleep until around 6:00 am. So frustrating!

I recently started taking Valerian Root, which is an herb that helps you relax at bedtime so that you can sleep. This has been life changing for me! I feel refreshed when I wake up! No joke, I can’t even tell you how amazing it has been for me to have my energy back. I’m still catching up on sleep, but I’m looking forward to waking up earlier. I’ve already noticed that I’m just waking up by 7:00 am feeling wide awake.

I thought I would share that since some of you may have a hard time sleeping regardless of whether your little ones are waking you up in the middle of the night.

My hope is that moms everywhere will find a good balance to their day, have less stress, and more energy, peace, and joy!

Have you struggled with getting enough sleep? What has helped you?

Mother’s Day is one of those sweet times when I know my girls want to go all out to make me feel special. Of course, I feel pretty special just being their mom everyday, but Mother’s Day is extra special.

Typically, the girls bring me breakfast in bed and make me homemade cards. Today was no exception! It was funny because I woke up before everyone and was wide awake, despite my announcement that I planned to sleep in. {I have a hard time doing that!}

See, the girls all went to bed rather late last night. I’m not sure why. It was just one of those nights. So I knew that they wouldn’t be up extra early. I took the dogs out and climbed back into bed and coaxed my husband into watching a movie with me until the girls woke up. I didn’t want to ruin their “surprise!”

This year, it was Hannah (age 12) and Laura (age 9) who made their way into the kitchen to make me breakfast. They really are good cooks! They brought breakfast to me and even garnished the fresh mango with mint leaves from the garden and a sprinkling of sugar!

Emily (age 16) washed the dishes and Sarah (age 18) mopped the floors. What sweet girls I have!

They are growing up so fast.

As my 18 year old prepares to go away to work at summer camp all summer long, I am constantly reminded that childhood is fleeting. I already have a 22 year old son! Who no longer lives at home. My youngest daughter will be 10 years old in just over a month.

Where has the time gone?

I try not to dwell on the inevitable – the day when my home is no longer busy with children. They are such a blessing to me and it’s been pure joy watching them grow.

We laugh together. Me and the girls. A lot.

They are my best friends. So precious to me. This time we have together. I am so privileged to have had the gift of mothering them. What an honor it is to be their mom.

Each one unique. Each one so amazing. It boggles my mind how I could end up with four beautiful, smart, funny girls. I was not a witty kid. At all. And they are all so funny!

I want to be the best mom possible. And yet, I know there are so many things I fail at. But still, they love me anyway. And I treasure each moment.

Oh and last but certainly not least, I did receive a very touching card in the mail from my college bound son yesterday. All in all it’s been a perfect Mother’s Day.

Here are some articles to help you be the best mom possible:

• The Prayers of a Mother
• Provoke Not Your Children
• Enjoy Your Children

What do your children do for you on Mother’s Day?

Does your husband get involved or does he let the kids have at it on their own like my hubby?

Anything special happen this year?

How do you enjoy your kids?