Musing Mondays: 31 Days to Clean, Take 2!

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If you've been reading The Humbled Homemaker very long, you know that I'm far, far, FAR from a perfect homemaker. 


If you've come looking for a homemaker who "has it all together," you've come to the wrong place.


I've been humbled--incredibly humbled.


And God is teaching me a lot during these humbling years.

Back in June, I took on my first 31 Days to Clean challenge.


I started out strong. After two weeks, I totally floundered. 3 months later?


You cannot really tell I ever did the 31 days. :(


I said all summer I wanted to try it again in the fall, so here goes. Some people started September 1, but I'm starting today.

If you haven't heard of the book, check out my review here. 


The premise is to take 31 days to learn how to keep a cleaner home (like Martha in the Bible) while growing a heart for hospitality (like Mary in the Bible).


It's never too late to join. Your 31 days can start anytime in the month.


Does anyone want to join me?


Get the book here!

And What About Food Allergies?


Thank you for your encouraging comments, e-mails and especially prayers regarding my daughter's possibility of food allergies. We have an appointment tomorrow afternoon to discuss the lab results with her doctor. I hope and pray we get some answers!

Have you entered the My Buttered Life e-book contest yet? Just leave me a comment on the post to be entered. This amazing book includes FIVE do-it-yourself skincare recipes! 

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I'm linking up with: NOBH

31 Days to Clean Giveaway Winner!

This is just a quick post to announce the winner of the 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way e-book giveaway!

The random.org winner is...entry #73...Amber!


Amber is a newly-married homemaker, and I am so excited and blessed that author Sarah Mae gave me the opportunity to host this giveaway! 

Congratulations, Amber!

I plan to re-do 31 Days to Clean in either August or September. Who wants to join me? Do I have any votes for either August or September? 


Be on the lookout for some more amazing giveaways coming up, including more amazing homemaking e-books, products for babies and products for women!

If you liked this post, you may also like my other posts on 31 Days to Clean, here, here and here. 

Do you enjoy reading The Humbled Homemaker?  Subscribe to receive posts:

• via RSS (like Google Reader/Google Friends Connect) here 
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31 Days to Clean: Review and GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to The Humbled Homemaker. Check out this review and read to the end for details on how you can enter to WIN a free copy of the book!

30-some day ago, I had never even heard of Sarah Mae. 

But now I'm singing her praises. 

Her new book, 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way couldn't have come at a better time in my life. 

As the mother of two very little girls (3 and 8 months), I've really struggled with keeping my home clean. 

And I don't think I'm alone. 

I think a lot of mothers struggle to maintain some kind of order in what can easily become their castle of chaos (aka--their homes).

One of my biggest weaknesses is just getting started. I get so overwhelmed with the constant pile-up of dirty dishes and laundry, the sorting through mail and toys and figuring out how to work in actual deep cleaning, that I sometimes just give up. 

But Sarah's book makes it easy--or at least easier. 

She gives you a guide, a step-by-step approach, in a 31-day process.

Using the biblical sisters Mary and Martha from the New Testament (who were dear friends of Jesus with very different personalities), Sarah gives readers two challenges for each day. 

The Mary challenge has to do with the spiritual.

The Martha challenge has to do with the practical--usually a cleaning challenge. 

Sarah begins each of the 31 days with some type of motivational message.

Some of the messages were devotional in nature and included Scripture verses to motivate and memorize.

On other days, Sarah simply re-told an inspirational story to remember. 

Each day can easily be read in a couple of minutes.

From practical advice like getting the sleep you need to convicting suggestions like checking your heart, Sarah put this humbled homemaker in her place over and over again. 

What did I learn the most?

Keeping a clean house is a heart issue.

Now I didn't say perfect house--I said a clean house. 

On day 3, Sarah said: "Our homes reflect our mental/spiritual/emotional health."

Ouch. That statement...hurt....but it sure resonated with me. 

You see, it wasn't the first time I had heard something like that. 

I actually took a home organization Bible study class a few months back. 

The teacher said the same thing.

I was convicted then. 

And I'm convicted now.

As I look around at my too-often cluttered home, I can see a reflection of my too-often cluttered heart.

There are stains I've ignored that God wants to clean.

There are piles of junk that need to be dealt with and purged, instead of swept under a rug or tossed inside a closet before company comes over. 

It's a lesson I'm learning.

And will continue to learn over and over again.

Did 31 Days to Clean make a difference in my life?

Absolutely. 

But I'll be honest.

I just told my hubby I'm working on a review of the 31 Days to Clean book. He said: "You ARE?" I said: "Yes." He said: "Um, are you still doing 31 Days to Clean?" I said: "No, it ended." He said: "Ohhhhh, now it makes sense!" 

Ouch. As I look around me, my house is not what it should be. 

One good thing about 31 Days to Clean? You can re-start it each and every month if you want or need to.

Just like God's amazing grace lets us start over and over again.

I spent June doing the 31 Days to Clean "new" challenges, establishing routines for a more organized "cleaning" system.

I plan on re-starting the book in either August or September and tackling the original challenges, which involve more deep cleaning. 

My home needs it.

My heart needs it.

Does anyone want to join me?

You can get the book, here. 

Now, I have EXCITING news! Sarah has very graciously offered one Humbled Homemaker reader a free copy of her book! 

There are SEVERAL ways you can enter this contest:

1. REQUIRED entry: Tell me why you need 31 Days to Clean. Like the Humbled Homemaker on FB. *Leave your full name and e-mail address.*

2. 1 extra entry: Go to the 31 Days to Clean website, check out "About Sarah Mae" and tell me one thing you learned about this author.

3. 1 extra entry: Like 31 Days to Clean on FB. 

4. 1 extra entry: Like Sarah's blog, Like a Warm Cup of Coffee, on FB.

5. 1 extra entry: Like Sarah's other blog, Raising Homemakers, on FB. 

6. 2 extra entries: Share this contest on FB. 

7. 2 extra entries: Tweet about this contest.

8. 2 extra entries: Blog about this contest. 

9. 3 extra entries: Leave a comment on another post on The Humbled Homemaker. 

10. 5 extra entries: Subscribe to The Humbled Homemaker via RSS or e-mail.

Fill out THIS FORM to enter the contest! The contest will be open until Friday, July 15 at 11:59 p.m. EST. I will choose winners via random.org, and I will notify the winners via e-mail and announce them on the blog Saturday, July 16. 

Did you take on the 31 Days to Clean Challenge yet? How were your 31 days?

*Thank you to everyone who entered the Zarbee's All-Natural Cough Syrup Contest! The winners are:

1. Bottle of Cough Syrup: #41 Laura Whistler

2. Sample To-Go Packets: 

#16-Jennifer Deibel

#8-Lexie McNeill

#33-Sarah Cape

#54-Whitney Cornelison 

If you liked this post, you may also like my post on 31 Days to Clean: Mission Statement and Motivation and 31 Days to Clean: Dropping the Ball.

Do you enjoy reading The Humbled Homemaker?  Subscribe to receive posts:

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• Subscribe to receive every post (3-4 times/week) via e-mail  here 
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2011 Summer Reading List

Here are some books I plan on reading (or re-reading) this summer, as I seek to become a better homemaker. I hope some of you ladies will join me in this!

Cleaning/Spiritual Growth

Spiritual Growth

 

Parenting

Time Management

General Homemaking

Balancing Motherhood as a WAHM

Professional

What's on YOUR summer reading list? I'd love to know! 

*Some--but not all--of these books include my affiliate links.*

Do you enjoy reading The Humbled Homemaker?  Subscribe to receive posts:

• via RSS (like Google Reader/Google Friends Connect) here 
• Subscribe for weekly e-mails here
• Subscribe to receive every post (3-4 times/week) via e-mail  here 
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31 Days to Clean Update: Dropping the Ball....

One of the reasons I named my blog The Humbled Homemaker is because I have felt so, well, HUMBLED in the area of homemaking. 

I told my husband last night: "I wasn't trained for this. I was trained to be a journalist. I was trained to be a writer. I was trained to speak Spanish."

But I wasn't trained to wash dishes and clothes and scrub toilets and potty training stains and spilled milk and spit-up from the carpet. I wasn't trained to keep the pantries and closets and cabinets and toy boxes organized. I wasn't trained to set sleep schedules and mend boo boos and tame tantrums.

My college education gave me a lot--but it didn't give me any of those things. 

But this was God's plan for me all along. 

Don't get me wrong. I always, always wanted children. Even though I married at 24, there was a time when I thought perhaps I never would marry, and I just didn't prepare myself for it.

My mom was a model homemaker. She has a huge servant's heart. And I realize now I was lazy. I barely did any chores, so I just didn't learn how to really keep house. 

Stephanie at Keeper of the Home wrote about this same topic the other day. And even though she wasn't prepared for this wonderful job of homemaking, she has decided to embrace it...and do all she can to prepare her daughters to not only hone their other talents but also to keep home.

I want to do the same with my girls. 

And it starts with my example.

But I dropped the ball this week. My goal of this blog is to be REAL. I am not the perfect homemaker. I am the humbled homemaker. 

And I think there are many others like me. We need to stop putting on fronts and encourage each other. 

After all, we are on the front lines of sacrificial work every day.

So, I'm admitting. I dropped the ball this week. As I look around my house right now, I see scattered toys, a stained carpet, unfolded laundry (from two days ago), a sink full of dirty dishes. 

Sure, I can blame it the fact that my daughter just had surgery. But there is always something. There will always be an excuse. 

So, I'm admitting I got off track with 31 Days to Clean. I didn't give up all together, but  I definitely let myself down.

But I have hopes to finish strong...with aspirations to take on this challenge again and again and again. 

Next week I'll be updating on week 4--and reviewing the book--AND hosting a giveaway!

I hope I can say I've made a comeback. 

Last night I prayed: "Lord, I surrender this whole homemaking thing to you. Please help me be a better homemaker. I can't do it without you."

It's what I should have prayed a long time ago.

How are YOU doing with 31 Days to Clean (if you're doing the challenge)? What are your biggest challenges as a homemaker? Do you feel you were trained for this job? How are you training your daughters? I'd love to hear from you in the comments! :)  

Do you enjoy reading The Humbled Homemaker?  Subscribe to receive posts via e-mail, here, and find me on Facebook, here.  

If you liked this post, you may also like my post on my 31 Days to Clean mission statement and Resolving to be a Better Mom . 

Check out 31 Days to Clean for yourself, here.

Don't forget to enter the Zarbee's All-Natural Cough Syrup Contest now through Friday, July 1!

 

31 Days to Clean 2-week update: Mission Statement & Motivation

Cleaning...I admit--it's been one of my biggest challenge as a humbled homemaker. I once told my husband that I knew why I didn't keep house as well as I thought I should: I grew up with a maid. (Her name was Mom....and it's not something I'm proud of!)

All excuses aside, I've always felt like I was a clean person, but I've had trouble maintaining the "chaos" that a house with small children often holds. It's especially been a challenge since adding baby girl #2 last fall. 

And my biggest problem has been not knowing where to start. I needed a system. I needed someone to literally come in and show me how to maintain some kind of order in the middle of this castle of chaos. 

In January, I actually hired a family manager coach who came into my home, encouraged me and really did give me some great tips, but I was still overwhelmed with the lengthy action plan. I read it, but...um...never did get to much "action."

But two weeks ago I took on a challenge--31 Days to Clean--and I couldn't be happier with the results. 

I won't go into a lengthy review here because I plan on reviewing the book which inspired the challenge--31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae--and hosting a giveaway at the end of the challenge in 2 weeks. 

But, for now, I am excited to say that this 31-day challenge has energized me to get my house in better order than it's been in...well...I can't remember when!

Have I followed through on every single challenge? No. There are days when I've absolutely 100% failed. But I've had two take-aways that have made all the difference:

1. I've been motivated. I lacked the motivation for a clean and orderly home before. Honestly, I feel like I've been in survival mode ever since baby #2 came along. Going from a one-child to two-child home has been quite the challenge, and I felt like I just didn't know where to start. I've learned that a lot of my problem was a heart issue. This challenge is helping  me get my home in order--one day at a time.

2. I've formed a mission statement. To be completely honest, forming a mission statement  was the very first challenge Sarah gave her readers...but I didn't finish mine until...tonight! I just couldn't seem to get it right, but I found an excellent resource in Kat @Inspired to Action's free e-book, Mission Statements for Moms. 

I really liked what Kat had to say in her book about mission statements: "Having a mission statement is like having the best version of yourself beside you on your worst days, encouraging you to press on and pointing to the goal." 

The best version of myself. I won't always be there....I probably won't be there often, but I'm excited to have this mission statement as my goal: 

As a Believer, I will seek to cultivate a growing, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through daily time spent in His Word and in prayer. I will seek to glorify God and be a witness for Him.

As a Wife, I will seek to serve and submit to my husband with joy. I will seek to love him above all others.

As a Mother, I will seek to unselfishly love my children and teach them to love God and others.

As a Homemaker, I will keep a clean and uncluttered--although “lived-in” --home, provide nutritious meals for my family, practice frugality in my purchases and teach my girls how to be homemakers.

As a Writer, I will seek to bring God glory and honor through every story and blog post I write. I will write weekly, although I will strive to write daily--but not to the neglect of my family.

I can't wait to share another 31 Days to Clean update with you next week!

Do you have a mission statement for yourself? What is it? 

Do you enjoy reading The Humbled Homemaker?  Subscribe to receive posts via e-mail, here, and find me on Facebook, here.