Use Your Brain! (Imperfect Homemaking Challenge)

Busy, busy, busy!  Doesn't that describe pretty much all of us?

You think all day long – doubling recipes, remembering what needs to go on the shopping list until you're somewhere where you can write it down, helping kids with math problems – but yet your brain never seems to work.  You'd think it would get plenty of exercise and be pretty fit, but instead it seems that it's pretty much just worn out.

Sometimes I find myself walking into a room and staring around blankly because I can't remember why I went in there.

“This isn't supposed to happen at my age!” I think.  But it does.  And I know I'm not the only one.

I've been trying to exercise different parts of my brain using various apps on the iPad.  I seem to overuse certain parts and hardly use some at all.  I know I could be a more effective manager of my home if my brain would function at optimum capacity.

My husband loves strategy games, but I can't do them very well at all!  Lumosity.com has some games that are quick and fun and focus on developing the various parts of the brain.  Some apps I've used that are challenging for me without being too hard are Folt and Left Brain Right Brain.  I occasionally like to do a Sudoku puzzle as well.

Now, aside from the brain exercises, sometimes we need to just let our brain rest.  My favorite way to do that is to read a book.  Often before bed I'll think “Oh, I just need to check Facebook really quick.”  But I never sleep as well when I do that, and I almost always sleep well when I read a real book before bed.

When I read, I am resting my brain, but also growing myself as a person at the same time.  I like to read books that bring introspection, like devotionals or Christian biographies.  I can't tell you how much it helps my brain unwind and quit thinking about all the things I need to do the next day, while at the same time giving me things to consider as I seek to grow in my Christian walk.  I can fall asleep “thinking on good things”, and my sleep is sweet!

Today's Challenge: Do something to either strengthen your brain or relax it!  I know you're busy.  Don't use that as an excuse.  Just take a couple minutes right before you go to sleep.

 Instagram challenge: Post a photo of a brain game you played or a book you read.  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker to encourage other members of this community.  (Follow me here.)

If you’re just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.

Loving the Little People (Imperfect Homemaking Challenge)

The little people.

Oh, how I love mine!

But they require so much work, don't they?

I often become so consumed with all the things I need to do for them — feeding little bellies, changing little diapers, homeschooling, washing clothes — that I don't find make the time to just enjoy playing with them.

I've actually scheduled outside time into our daily schedule, and it's sort of a blessing in disguise that we live on a main road with no fence where the kids absolutely cannot go outside by themselves.  There would be many times it would be nice to send them outside to play while I catch up on laundry, but instead I'm forced to go out with them.  And I get to play with my kids!  I get to be free from the distractions of housework and just focus on kicking a soccer ball, pushing little bodies on the swingset, and listening to their gleeful laugh when they find a caterpillar (or in the case of my oldest, trying to scare mom with it!)

Sure, I've seen lots of clever ideas for family playtime, blog posts on “How to be a fun mom”, and the like, but we imperfect homemakers sometimes do crazy things like searching for the perfect idea and never actually do anything!   Instead of collecting ideas, just do something!  Maybe you don't end up building a cardboard tunnel for your kids today, but you can get on the floor and join in while your daughter plays tea party with her dolls or race those matchbox cars across the floor with your son.

Today's Challenge: Play with your kids!  Just do something!  They won't care that it's not the most clever idea in the world; they just want you to spend time with them!

Instagram challenge: Post a picture of what you did to spend time with your kids today.  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker to encourage other members of this community!  (Follow me here.)

If you’re just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.

One Easy Way to Boost Your Health (Imperfect Homemaking Challenge)

There are always changes we can make to better our health — no matter how far we've come on our healthy living journey.

Sometimes it's hard to know exactly what step to take next; there are so many different directions we could go!

But for the sake of this challenge, we're focusing on simplicity and just doing something!

So today your challenge is very, very simple:

Drink more water.

Maybe you're already doing really well at drinking plenty of water.  If so, I'm glad!  I generally do pretty well at it too.  But occasionally we get thrown off kilter by an extra busy day or change of routine.  When that happens I can feel the effects almost immediately.  It's such a simple thing that makes such a huge difference!  If you're already doing well at your drinking plenty of water, keep it up!  If not, now is the time to start.  Making small changes can make a big difference in your health!

Instagram challenge: Post a picture of your water bottle.  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker and encourage other members of this community!  (Follow me here.)

(By the way, this is what I use for drinking water.  It keeps it cold all day long (even when I'm running errands in a hot car) and is totally spill-proof (perfect for being around curious kids all day).  It's a little pricey, but well worth it.  (And I rarely say that because I hate spending money.)

If you’re just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.

Showing Love to the One You Love (31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking)

For the married ladies — we know in our heads we need to make our husband a priority.  But in practice it all too often doesn't happen.

I know for myself that by the time I take care of whining toddlers, put on my homeschool teacher hat for the largest portion of the day, change a few dirty diapers, clean up countless messes, discipline and correct children, clean up some more messes, and cook a few meals, I'm pretty worn out.  I very often haven't even had time for a shower before my husband comes home from work, and I'm definitely not feeling very romantic.  In fact, most of the time I'm feeling a little bit grouchy.

I have to work really hard at not unloading all the gory details of my day on my husband the minute he walks in the door.  I have to purposely remind myself to smile and be pleasant, knowing that he's had a long day too and the last thing he needs is a wife who's complaining about how long and hard her day was.

I'm most often up to my elbows in supper preparation while simultaneously trying to extract my legs from the grip of my one-year-old.  I've got to keep working if I'm going to get finished up and get everybody (cough…myself) into bed anytime soon.

So, while I may suppress the grouchy feelings and make a conscious choice to smile and be pleasant when my husband comes home, I'll confess…he often doesn't get a welcome home kiss.  I'm busy you know!

What happened to the good old days?  The days when I would watch out the window and run out to the car like an excited little girl when he came home?

Just because I'm busy and tired doesn't mean I love my husband any less, and I need to let him know by my actions!

Sure, I'm busy, but how long does it take to give him a kiss and tell him I'm glad he's home?

Today's Challenge: Find one simple way to show your husband you love him!  Just because you don't have time to do anything elaborate, doesn't mean you should let meaningful actions fall by the wayside!  Don't let your busy life crowd out the one earthly being who means the most to you!

 

Instagram challenge : Ahem.  I'll not be posting mine today.  I've never been one for kissing selfies. 🙂

If you’re just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.

The Most Important Thing of All (31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking)

If you're just joining the 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking series, you can see all the posts here.

Friends, we have so many responsibilities.  I can tell you that when I put together my daily schedule, everything on it barely fit, and I wasn't trying to stuff in any extras.  Between homeschooling, trying to keep the house clean, and feeding my family healthy food, my days are full.   I can't waste a single minute of my day or things start falling apart pretty quickly.

I'm sure many of you know exactly how it is to be loaded down with responsibilities.  You've done everything you can to reduce unnecessary things in your schedule, but you still feel like you're barely keeping up with everything that needs to be done.

Because you're so (legitimately) busy, maybe you're neglecting the most important thing of all.

Maybe you're not finding time for God and His Word.

You go, go, go from sunup to loooong past sundown, and you certainly don't feel you have the energy to get up any earlier to read your Bible.

But you can't do this without Him!  Because you are so burdened down with responsibilities, you need Him even more!

You probably know the story of Mary and Martha.  Martha was scurrying around trying to get all the work done, and Mary was sitting at Jesus' feet, soaking up everything He said.  Jesus rebuked Martha and said that Mary had chosen the “good part”.

You have all those things on your schedule that are going to make you a good wife or mom — after all being a good wife or mom means keeping your family in clean clothes and keeping their bellies full, right?  But what your family needs most of all is a wife and mom who shines the light of Jesus into the home.

Okay, okay!  Stop making me feel guilty!  What am I supposed to do!  I'm tired and frazzled, and now you're trying to tell me that I'm unspiritual too just because I'm trying to take care of my family!

Dear friend, you need Jesus desperately.  You're tired and frazzled, and you need Him more than ever.  Stop trying to do this in your own power.  Somehow, some way, make time for God.  When you're folding the laundry, listen to scripture on a CD or on your phone.  When you're cooking dinner, listen to music that is based on the Word of God that will speak to your soul.  There is a list here of many more ways you can find time for God even though you're incredibly busy with life's responsibilities.

You see, the object is not to have a relationship with God in spite of fulfilling your responsibilities well; it is to fulfill your responsibilities well because of your relationship with God.  Put Him first.  Every day.  Then watch your home transform from a place of chaos into a haven of peace.

Sure, you'll still get behind on laundry and your family might eat cereal for supper sometimes.  But you will have the joy of responding with a sweet attitude even on the busiest and most stressful days.  You will have the wisdom to know when it's okay to feed your family cereal for supper because it's late and they need to get to bed or when you should stay up a little later to finish preparing the meal you started before that unexpected ER visit.

So, dear Imperfect Homemaker, if you only complete one challenge in this entire series, let it be this one:  Learn to be like Christ by spending time with Him every day.  There is no better way to change the atmosphere of your home.

Today's Instagram Challenge: Post a picture of one way you are making time for God!  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker to encourage other members of this community!  (Follow me here.)

Deep Cleaning Doesn’t Have to Be Hard (31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking)

It's day 4 of 31 Days of Imperfect Homemaking!  If you missed any of the other days, you can go back and catch up right here.

Deep Cleaning.  I'll be honest.  It's something I skip far more often than I should!

I have this notion in my head that the house has to be perfectly straightened up before I can do anything “extra”.  The problem is, with 4 small children running around, my house is never perfectly straightened up!

I look with disgust at the grime accumulating on the windows or light fixtures, but I tell myself I'm not allowed to clean them right now because there's so much other “regular” cleaning that needs to be done.  So the grime accumulates more and more, making my house look like an absolute dungeon, even when I have somehow managed to get it all straightened up (i.e. after the kids are in bed.)

Today's Challenge: Choose one thing to deep clean and just do it! 

I don't care if there are toys spread all over the floor or if the laundry's not all folded; those things will always be there for you to do over and over. If you wait until they're done, you'll never get any of your other deep cleaning done.  Don't choose 3 or 4 because you do need to get to the regular work at some point, though!  Just choose one and get it done!  You'll like the quick and noticeable results so much you'll probably want to do it again tomorrow!

Here is a list of ideas to get you started:

Today's Instagram challenge: Post a picture of something you deep cleaned!  Use the hashtag #imperfecthomemaker to encourage other members of this community!  (Follow me here.)