Favorite Cleaning/Household Products

Thought I would share with you my go-to cleaning/household products that make my life easier, and well just make me happy :) Have I mentioned that I am OCD about cleaning? Anyway...these are my favs.



I absolutetly LOVE these dryer bars! It really keeps my laundry closet clutter free from dryer sheets. I put one of those in every few months and don't have to worry about static and it makes our clothes fresh and soft.



I use these more than any other cleaning product. Perfect for cleaning up messes which I encounter several times a day with two little ones. I use them everywhere...the car, kitchen, bathroom. I use them to discinfect phones, remotes, door knobs, trash cans, etc. Probably my absolute favorite product!!



I HATE cleaning toilets! I dread this task each week. So, I use these little things because I can flush away the disgusting germs, and not have a nasty toilet brush hanging out in my bathroom. Did I mention I am a germ-a-phobe?



And last, but not least, is the old standard. Bleach. Perfect for discinfecting and cleaning stains.

I pretty much LOVE to clean (besides toilets). I could spend lots of time in the cleaning aisle of Wal-Mart, and I am fond of the newest cleaning things sold on infomercials. I would love to hear what your go-to cleaning products are!

Stop for a Minute...

As a mom I feel like I am in a constant RUSH... I rarely have time to sit down and relax. There is always laundry to be done, dishes to be put away, toys to pick up, meals to make, diapers to change...and the list goes on and on and on. This is why I have become very fond of a little thing called "naptime." :)

I find myself counting down the hours, minutes, until I will be able to put my two precious girls in their rooms and have hopefully an hour or so to catch my breath, sit down, and think. Truth be told, I usually use about the first 20 minutes of their naptime to get the few things done that are impossible to do with a baby wrapped around my leg, and a preschooler asking me 20 questions.

But, then it comes, every afternoon...QUIET. I think I almost do a little "happy dance" as I close the girls' doors and know I am getting ready to have a few minutes to myself. I look forward to this time.

Today however, I felt a little different. I rocked my baby to sleep (as is our normal nap routine). And after I knew she was asleep I started walking to her room, giddy that I was going to be laying her down for that precious nap...and it hit me. These days are going by fast. I stopped outside her bedroom door, holding her. I tried to take in everything...the feel of her little head nestled into my neck, the smell of Johnson's baby shampoo on her hair, her warm baby breath, her soft skin.

She was wearing an outfit that her older sister wore, it seems like not that long ago. But it has been a long time. It's been almost 4 years ago. Where does the time go? It goes by in a blink...I want to remember every second with these girls. As much as I look forward to the days of endless time to myself, I won't be too upset when my baby awakes early from her nap and needs me to snuggle her for an hour. I'll quit rushing, stop, and savor those moments.

"Here am I. Send Me"

Do you ever get the feeling that God is trying to tell you something? Well, I had one of those moments a few years back. It was my first year of Bible College. I had answered God's call on my life to go into ministry, youth ministry to be exact. So I went to Boyce College and majored in Youth Ministry...

Within about a six month span, I went to various services at different churhces and at school. During this time, I heard five separate sermons on Isaiah 6. I thought it was coincidental the first two times I went to a service and the preacher's text was Isaiah 6, but after the third and fourth times, I started to wonder...is God trying to tell me something?

This passage of Scripture is entitled "Isaiah's Commission" in my Bible. I really started to get the feeling that God was speaking to my heart about obedience to His calling. Sure, I had answered God's call into ministry by going to Bible college. But it didn't end there. Little did I know, God was planning to call me into something entirely different that what I had thought.

Over the course of the next year, I felt God telling me that I was going into Youth Ministry, just in a different capacity. I was going to marry a Youth Pastor. God also placed in my heart a desire to be a stay-at-home mom. My husband and I served in youth ministry in a couple different churches, and then God yet again changed our calling to Pastoral ministry. Now, God is placing a burden on my heart to homeschool our children.

The one thing I took from all of those sermons on Isaiah 6, several years ago, is that when God asks me to do something, I should always say "yes." No matter how uncertain, or scary, or uncomfortable the task is, I must answer, "Here am I. Send me."

Success

In the "career world" it is easy to determine success. There is a standard or goal to meet. There is a boss that tells you what is expected. There are milestones you reach, promotions to strive for, rewards to obtain.

This is not the case when you are a homemaker...In my vocation, there is no "boss" telling me what needs to be done for the day. There isn't a job description. There are no promotions.

I have realized after several years, that only I can determine what success is for me. Sure, I have goals in homemaking and in raising children. But, really there is no one monitoring whether or not I achieve them. So, I have compiled a brief list of what I consider success in this season of life.

Success Is...

*Getting a diaper on correctly, on the first try

*Having the house stay clean for 8 hours straight (even if that's only because everyone is asleep)

*Managing to get more food into my baby's mouth than on her clothes

*Getting through Wal-Mart without any "melt-downs"

*A day without tears (from me OR the kids)

*Eating a meal in a restaurant without being "THAT family" with the screaming baby

*Getting my 4 year old to eat a vegetable willingly

*Eating my dinner before it gets cold

*Actually getting the clean laundry put away in the drawers and closets (instead of just moving the piles from the basket to the bed, etc.)

*Having enough time to put make-up on and fix my hair

*Sleeping through the night, without a child waking me up

*My daughters' hugs and affection

I have to admit that having two little ones at home can be down right exhausting at times. Often, anything I accomplish is quickly undone. However, I try to remember that the days are long, but the years are short.

Authentic Christianity

What does a Christian look like? I'm not talking about someone who calls themselves a Christian...but really truly is the "real deal." There is obviously a difference, because as long as I've been in church (since I was in the womb), I have seen people that claim to be a Christian and then totally deny Christ with their lifestyle. Being a "pastor's kid" growing up, I had been to more church services (regular services, business meetings, prayer meetings, etc.) before the age of 12 then a lot of people go to their entire lives. And if there is one thing I have learned, it is how to spot an "AUTHENTIC Christian."

When I think of something being labeled "authentic," I am talking about the true definition of authenticity. The dictionary defines authentic as: not false or copied; genuine; real. There are a lot of fake Christians in churches today. People that come to a church service and go through the motions of church, and then continue on the rest of their week as if Christ doesn't exist. If you have ever heard the song "What if I Stumble" by DC Talk, there is a powerful quote at the beginning. "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

I'm not claiming to be the "perfect Christian" by any means, and I would be the first to admit that there were times while I was growing up that I fell into this category of proclaiming Christ in word, but not in action. But I am so thankful for the examples of authentic Christianity that I had. First, I had my parents. Let me tell you, growing up with your dad as your pastor is not easy. However, I got a different perspective of my "pastor," since he was my dad. And I can honestly say, that he is the real deal. He never stood behind the pulpit and preached or taught something that he didn't practice. It was evident in his every day life, in word and deed, that Christ was in control. I knew my mom did her Bible study every morning. She was the perfect example of what a compassionate, loving, caring Christian should be.

There have also been other teachers, friends, or mentors that provided me with a great example of what a true Christian is. And I'm blessed to have a husband who is a spiritual leader and practices what he preaches. But the one thing they all have in common, is this...they are AUTHENTIC. Some people claiming to be Christians may be able to "fake it" at church or around other Christians. However, the true test is how they live outside the church. You can't hide much from your family. Your spouse and children know if you are real or fake. Your close friends and co-workers see how you act outside of church. How do you treat people you come into contact with? People such as waiters, salespeople, your kids' teachers or coaches. Are you pointing people to Christ?


"To live consistently and authentically, our relationship with Jesus has to affect every aspect of life." -Rebecca George


My dad always told me, that one of the biggest tests of a person's realtionship with Christ is not how they act, but how they REACT. One of the greatest compliments I have ever received was from a godly man whom I had great respect for, in one of the churches we served at. One day he told me, "I can see Christ in you." While I hope to be the best wife, mother, daughter, Pastor's wife and friend I can be, nothing comes close to who I am in Christ. When my life comes to an end, that is all that will matter.


"We do not segment our lives, giving some time to God, some to our business or schooling, while keeping other parts to ourselves. The idea is to live all of our lives in the presence of God, under the authority of God, and for the honor and glory of God. That is what the Christian life is all about." -R.C. Sproul