Homestead
Happenings
Issue #75
July 2009
Happy July!!
This last month on my homestead has been busy. We have been working in our
garden and around our property, my children have finished up their school year
with our typical year end testing and my oldest children have been working
various jobs. Emily and Leanne have also been working on their college
education. Emily made it through mid-terms with her online college courses and
is now making her way to the finish line with these classes. Leanne has been
studying and taking several CLEP tests.
July will bring a month of gathering the winter’s wood in, working on home
projects, enjoying the summer heat and time swimming in our pond along with all
the other joys of this season. Tobin and I will celebrate our 25th wedding
anniversary as well this month! ~smile~ Many sweet years for us to celebrate and
Lord willing many more to come.
During all this summer activity I have been working to manage my home by keeping
the home in order, meals served, bread baked and daily chores done. This month’s
newsletter is on home management and making a home for our family. It is an
excerpt from my new eBook entitled Managing a Home.
I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July holiday with your families!
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Thank You! Crystal :)
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Home Management and Making a Home
By Crystal Miller
When I think of the word “Homemaking” I think of the word as “Making a Home”.
Homemaking is all that goes into making my house a home. Due to my home being a
priority to me and perhaps because I have a large family I feel like much of
homemaking is good home management. I have felt that it takes a well functioning
home to feel like a comfortable home. A home where your family enjoys the time
spent and others like to come to your home for refreshment and encouragement. I
personally feel like it is hard for me to nurture my family and reach out to
others if my life and home are not functioning as they should.
In order to manage a home you have to have a plan. You have to have a basic
daily plan on how to keep the home flowing and the work done. A plan consists of
routines, good time management, chores maintained, systems of organization, and
tools to help you keep it all in order and keep the wheels moving forward in
your home. Remember that one of the most important aspects of being a homemaker
is creating a loving and peaceful environment for your family.
The housekeeping plan you use needs to be one that works for you and your life.
I have read lots of books and read many ideas and used different plans, but
ultimately these plans and ideas were not the end in themselves, they were the
means to creating my own plan. My home is unique and so is yours. I don’t
believe we could follow someone else’s plan exactly and have it work for us. We
will tweak it and modify and then find something else and say, “Oh that might
work” and try it and tweak that, etc., until after a time what you have is
“your” plan.
Obstacles to Planning
Our Attitude
There are obstacles that can make a home management plan difficult. One is our
attitude about cleaning a house. Being a homemaker is hard work and it takes a
positive attitude and a lot of energy and determination each day. The beauty of
it all is that with the right attitude caring for our home can be one of those
areas in life where we can learn to get into the rhythm of the tasks and learn
to appreciate things like warm soapy dishwater on our cold winter-time hands,
the soothing hum of a washing machine going, the smell of dinner wafting through
the home, the beauty of a shiny clean kitchen floor, the peace that comes from a
home where all is clean and in order.
Any woman can choose to believe that their job is drudgery or they can choose to
view it as a service to Christ. I believe that being a homemaker is a ministry
of service and love unto Christ to those the Lord has given me to love, nurture
and care for. My husband and family are the ones that mean the most to me; they
are the closest to my heart. They are the first and foremost ministry in my
life. If I begin to think of other things I would rather be doing then laundry,
cooking, cleaning, etc., I realize that I have neglected to view my role from
God’s perspective and that is as His servant. There is something humbling about
serving others, washing the feet of our loved ones in these tasks; something
that can, if we allow it, help to put our heart and attitudes in the right
place. It can change our view of the work we do each day. If Jesus walked into
your home you would do everything possible to serve Him while He was in your
home. Well ladies, He IS in your home and you are serving Him each day as you go
about your task of raising up godly children and caring for and keeping a home
for you husband and family (Matt. 25:40 And the King will answer and say to
them, ”Assuredly, I say to you inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of
these My brethren, you did it to Me”).
Busyness
Many years ago when I began my quest to manage my home better I evaluated all
the busyness in my life and looked at what things might be preventing me from
managing my home better. I decided that if I am not able to take care of my home
in such a way that shows that I have control over my domain then I may need to
lessen what I currently have going on and not add any more to my schedule.
I have always been a person who would bite off more than I could chew so to
speak. I don’t think I am alone with this either, as I talk to other women who
deal with the same issue. I would take on more projects than I could handle, I
volunteered for more than I should have, and I made plans that were beyond my
abilities or time. The end result was always the same; something would suffer.
When I am too busy the first thing to suffer is always my home. It becomes a
mess, laundry backs up, and clutter is a big problem. Then my children are next;
attitude problems, discipline issues not being handled well, little ones not
getting enough mommy time. Of course meals suffer; boxed cereal, instant,
expensive and typically unhealthy food is served. All for the sake of not having
my home under control.
The dividing line for outside busyness and effectively managing a home will be
drawn in a different place for each of us. I am not saying that all outside
activity needs to stop, that would be unrealistic. But rather when life has too
much going on, it is much more difficult to manage a home as it should be
managed. I had to make very different choices in my life in order to achieve my
goals.
Time Management
Problems in good home management can also come from our time not being used as
efficiently as possible. I know that it can be somewhat depressing for someone
to look around and see that they don’t have control over their home or don’t
have as much control as they feel they should and think it is hopeless, I might
as well just continue on because I can’t ever get it under control. But let me
encourage you that my experience is that as I have worked to organize, deal with
clutter, create and implement systems of operation in my home and learn to use
my time wisely that my skill level in these areas has increased, my efficiency
has increased and I am able to train my children to work along side me and
eventually move beyond the basics and accomplish other things in my life.
The first thing to remember is that there are only 24 hours in a day. We can’t
expect to find anymore time available than this! We need to sleep a certain
amount of those hours; we need wake up time and unwinding time and personal
time. That calculates into only so many available hours to do all the other
things we would like. These available hours should be viewed as precious time to
accomplish the work the Lord has given us!
Be realistic about what you can do with the hours you have. Know your limits,
your strengths and your weaknesses. I remember planting a huge garden one year.
That was great except for the fact that I was due to have my 5th baby at the
beginning of September. The same time all my tomatoes were ripe and ready. I
personally did not have the energy to go from birth to canning in the same week!
I was still struggling to care for my new baby (which was the 3rd baby in less
in than 3 years) and recover and regain some energy. I was not very realistic
about what I could accomplish. I wanted to do it all and I physically could not.
Recognize the things in our life that rob time from us. Over commitment, the
telephone, the computer, laziness, hobbies that need to put off until the house
is in order. Once you have a good handle on time management you will find it
much simpler to accomplish the basic priorities.
In Summary
Time spent making and managing a home for my family will be a value passed on
not only to my children but to future generations too. I think of the legacy
left to me by my hard working, home loving, dedicated grandmothers and I know I
can leave this same legacy for my grandchildren.
Managing my home is a mission that the Lord has given me. I always want to
remember that homemaking is not a job to be avoided but a job to embrace and
live to its’ full potential. This is one major area that is so easy to run from.
It can be hard work to run a well managed home. This is a challenge that we as
homemakers can embrace and be successful. It requires a determination to succeed
and a plan. I don’t mind hard work and I don’t mind working towards these goals
when I know that my hard work and my goals are for the purpose of something
worthy. And certainly raising a family in such a way as to honor Christ is a
worthy purpose.
An excerpt from:
Managing a
Home: Tips, Organizational Advice and Practical
How-To’s from a Mother of 8
A new eBook from The Family Homestead
Click HERE
for more information
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Visit Crystal's Country Store!
eBooks
from Crystal's Country Store:
Cooking with Beans!
Managing a
Home
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In The Kitchen
Homemade Ice Cream
Summer is here and it is time in my home to make ice cream! Making homemade ice
cream is a delicious and nutrious treat for your family. It is amazing how much
“junk” is added to store bought ice cream, not to mention all the air that is
whipped up in it too. Making your own ice cream is easy! I have information,
instructions and several ice cream recipes for you to try here:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/makinghomemadeicecream.htm
Homemade Salad Dressing
Making your own salad dressing does not take much time at all. It is easy to
keep the basic ingredients on hand. Store bought salad dressing is another
product that is filled with additives and MSG. Making your own is so much
healthier. Here are our favorite dressing recipes:
Ranch Salad Dressing (our favorite):
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/ranchdressing.htm
Bleu Cheese Salad Dressing:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/bleucheesedressing.htm
Catalina Salad Dressing:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/catalinasaladdressing.htm
Italian Salad Dressing:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/italiandressing.htm
Oriental Salad Dressing:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/orientalsaladdressing.htm
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In The Garden
10 Frugal Gardening Tips
Would like a few frugal tips for your garden? Cyndi Roberts shares some with us
and you can read her article here:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/frugalgardentips.htm
Gardener's Salt
Scrub
I have been working in my garden every nice day I can and find that my
fingernails are always dirt filled and hard to get clean. I made up an easy
Gardener’s Salt Scrub and keep it by the sink now to help clean up my hands
after an afternoon in the garden.
Gardener’s Salt Scrub
Crystal Miller
½ cup sea salt
½ cup olive oil
Essential oil or Fragrance oil to scent
Mix altogether and store in a canning jar by the sink. Use a spoon to scoop out
a small amount and scrub your nails and other areas of your hands that are in
need. Rinse with warm water. It will leave your hands smooth and clean!
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That is all for July! I hope you all have a blessed month in your home!
You can Email Me:
crystal@thefamilyhomestead.com
My Website: The Family Homestead
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com
My Store: Crystal’s Country Store
http://crystalscountrystore.com/index.htm
Visit My Blog!
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/quiverfull
Clipart by Lisa’s Country Clip Art:
http://www.countryclipart.com/ and/or Graphic Garden:
http://www.graphicgarden.com/
and Marchia's Graphic Garden:
http://graphicgard.topcities.com/
Copyright: Crystal Miller, 2009 Please ask permission before using any of my
articles other than for personal use!
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