Day 5

Day 5 of 31 days to clean is about priorities.  This is one of those sneaky topics that on the surface we (or at least I) feel like we have under control, but when we really think about it and get down to the nitty-gritty find that there is definite room for improvement!!  After some true soul searching this morning I've come to the realization that I have had my priorities a little mixed up lately.  I've been trying to accomplish certain things while unwittingly forsaking more important things.  This is something that I'd really like to remedy and would appreciate your prayers as I consciously make some changes. 

My "new" priorities: God, Russell, our boys, our home, personal time. 

• My plan is to set an alarm for earlier in the morning so that I can carve out some time for personal bible study and prayer.  I'm the kind of person that needs a little bit of quiet at the beginning of the day to get my mind in gear.  When I was teaching full time I would always be one of the first teachers to get to school so that I had some time to myself before the chaos of the day began.  I need this even more now in my own home!  I'd like to find a good personal bible study that I can use to guide this time as I try to create new habits. 
• I want to continue to create a haven for Russell.  I want to be his best friend and his biggest supporter.  I want to consciously submit to him out of love and be available to him for whatever his needs are.  I want to carve out times that are just for him and truly focus on creating a stronger marriage.  He is my best friend and I am so blessed to have him as my husband.  
• I want to be intentional about the things that I do with my boys.  It's so easy to get bogged down by the everyday issues, but I need to rise above and realize that I have been given these precious kiddos for a specific season and a specific reason.  I want to have time to plan fun and meaningful activities for us to do together.
• I want our home to be a sanctuary.  However, this must come after the relationships that truly make our house a home.  I can't let myself jump ahead and neglect the more important priorities in my life.
• I need time to rest and refresh myself.  I will be a better wife and mother when I make time for myself.  This is a hard thing for me to do because I naturally want to serve others and place their needs above mine.  I need to remember that if I'm going to have anything to pour into others I must allow myself to be refueled.

The Martha challenge for today was to clean up the windows in the kitchen.  I don't have curtains, but I do have lots of blinds.  I found a great little tool the other day at Walmart that really made cleaning the blinds much easier.  I need to get it washed and cleaned before the next window cleaning challenge comes along!  I also wiped down the windows inside and sprayed them down with a hose outside.  It's such a little thing, but it makes such a difference!