Archive for October, 2007
Call me peculiar – you won’t be the first. I think it is possible to be a good wife and the ideal woman without going insane. The bible even takes the time to give me a blueprint for walking that line. Proverbs 31 says that a virtuous woman is one who:
- does her husband good
- has a husband that trusts her
- works with her hands
- brings food
- rises in the morning (before the sun and the rest of the house)
- fixes meals
- plants a field
- is spiritually, mentally, and physically fit
- has an open home at all times
- helps others
- decorates her home
- dresses well
- makes and sells
- teaches other women
- is excited about the future
- speaks wisdom in kindness
- has an organized home
- is praised because of her own works
Every now and then, I sit down and make the list of accomplishments from Proverbs 31. I usually refer to the Amplified translation quite a bit because it breaks down the words into more traditional speech. Every time I do, something new or different pops out at me. (For instance, “she makes fine linen garments and sells them” is just “she makes fine linen” in the King James Version. For the longest time, I was trying to “make garments” to sell and it wasn’t working out. When I redid the list and used the KJV, I realized that my articles are submitted on linen paper. I was already fulfilling this aspect of the ideal woman).
This time, I noticed that the woman was dressed nice and had a nice home. I don’t think this gives me license to go on a shopping spree (oh well) but I do think it reminds me that I have to make the best of what I have. My home needs to be “guest ready” at all times so that when people come by they feel welcomed and want to come back.
I also think I found the key to being the ideal woman. Proverbs 31:27b “the bread of idleness she does not eat.” If I’m not wasting time then there is plenty of time to do all the things I need (and want) to do.
Think of being a good wife and the ideal woman as the job you are assigned. Would you get a raise with the way you have been doing things? What are some of the things you can do different to help you get a good job evaluation in the future?
Today, I got up and did my bible study in my sweats. After that, I got dressed like I was going to the doctor’s office (or some other “important” public appearance). I also made the bed. Now my bedroom and I are prepared to face the day. Are you prepared?
October 15th, 2007
Having a balanced schedule does not mean giving up all the things you love to do in order to do the things you need to do. It simply requires that you manage your time and eliminate the things in your life that don’t enhance your goals or that do create more work.
1. Write out the goals you have for your personal life, your family life, and your career. Include short term goals (monthly or yearly) and long term goals (five years and ten years).
2. Make a schedule of all the things that you do in one week. Include all meeting, drive time, and commitments. Be sure you put in time for chores (like cooking, laundry, and cleaning).
3. Circle all the things you enjoy doing.
4. Highlight all the things you feel you are “called” to do.
5. Mark out those things that you don’t like to do and isn’t helping you in your long term goals.
6. Look at the things that you marked out. Is this something you can easily pass on to another member of your family or group? Maybe your husband is the chef in the family (or maybe one of the older children is showing a desire to work in the kitchen). Is it a job that would be better for you to PAY someone else to do (mow the lawn or clean the house)? Is it something that doesn’t really have to be done by anyone? Let go of those things that you don’t have to do.
7. Rewrite your schedule with just those items you have circled or highlighted. Overcome the urge to fill in the gaps. Allow your free time to be free time. You don’t have to schedule every minute in order to have an orderly life.
8. Think before you take on a new assignment. Ask yourself if it’s something that will enhance your goals, bring your family closer together, or make your future brighter?
9. Learn to say no. Just because you are asked doesn’t mean you have to agree. “Just say no” is a great motto to live by.
10. Enjoy your life. If you are doing things that make you miserable then you will be a miserable person to be around. Enjoy your life and the people around you will soon follow suit.
Being busy doesn’t mean you are using your time wisely. A balanced schedule is one that is focused and purposeful. By eliminating some activities, you can make your life (and your family’s experience) one that is full of joy.
October 15th, 2007
If you want to get to know someone then the only way that is going to happen is to spend time with them. There is no method that you can follow or plan of action that will help you to know every person you come in contact with because every person is different.
My oldest son loves to play games. He would spend hours with me and his dad just playing chess or cribbage if he was allowed.
My middle son loves to share reading time. He wants to curl up next to his mom and dad and read to us or have us read to him.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. I have friends that like to spend time together playing online video games, watching football, and hunting. Everyone I know has something unique about them and how they want to share their lives.
It’s easy to see it with people, but for some reason we don’t want it to be that way with God. It would be easier if there was a 10 step program that would bring us into a right relationship with God, but there isn’t. If someone tells you that they know the process to hear from God or to know His will then it is either a trick or a delusion.
The only way to know God and His will is to spend time with him – consistently! That means that everyday should include time in His word and alone talking with Him. It has to be the most important act of the day because without Him nothing is possible.
John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man abides in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing.”
October 12th, 2007
When I first started to try and make money online, I was clueless. Even though the internet was not exactly new to me, the workings were. Computers have been around for most of my life, but speaking their language was harder than German (no offense to the German language, but I had enough problems with it in college that my tutor begged me to drop the class).
My journey started with some sites that would pay me to “try” certain offers (Mavishare is the site I chose). It started out great, and I was making what I thought was good money. Then the companies whose products and services I had agreed to try started billing me. It seems the fine print got passed me. Soon all the overdraft fees negated any money I had made. It was a nightmare.
I learned two things from this disaster – always read the fine print and never, never, never use your bank account to “try” something.
I also tried some of the survey sites and they were nice, easy paychecks. The only snag I had with them is that there just wasn’t enough for me to do and they took forever – because I’m on dial up. Several of the work from home moms I know use this as their “extra” source of income.
It was one of the homeschooling groups that told me about www.paidpostingtools.com. Basically, for $.15 I would pick a forum from their list and post a comment on that forum. Before long, my income per week was up to $40 – not too bad for just 15 word sentences, IMO. I shared the site with my girlfriend, and she found a half dozen posting sites that she joined.
By writing solid comments, some of the owners started to contact me about doing more in-depth writing for their sites (my girlfriend had the same experience). Before long, I was doing more articles and didn’t have the time (or the desire) to do the forums for pay. I still visited many of the forums because it helps increase traffic to my blog – but that is another article.
My confidence in writing continued to grow, and I started looking for more opportunities to write articles and blogs for pay. There are some “easy” sites, like Associated Content, but I wanted to find some places that would help build my resume while filling my wallet.
With a little help from some forums, some other writers I met online, and some searching, I have found several sites that are great resources for writing online:
1. www.craigslist.com The best thing about this site is that you can search all over the world if you focus on jobs that are internet based. I usually look in just the jobs area under writing and the gigs area under writing and creative. So far, I have stuck to more localized ads.
2. www.problogger.net This is all about the blog. Unlike some of the freelance sites I have run across, this site sets the price and you don’t pay if you get the job.
3. www.performancing.com Another great blog site. Like problogger, this site is also packed full of information on writing quality blogs.
4. http://aboutfreelancewriting.com When you sign up for her update, she will send you all the latest writing jobs that she has found. There is some insight into how to start a freelance career as well.
This is just the beginning. There are hundreds of sites with even more opinions. The best way to start and expand a writing career is to write. Quality work will beget more work and word of mouth is still the greatest way to find employment today.
October 12th, 2007
Keeping records is not as easy as I thought it would be. The theory is simple enough, I just don’t do it. I’ve got all the receipts in one place this month (which is definitely a leap forward), but the amounts are being kept a secret until further notice 
.
It’s connected to everything else I haven’t done. Because I haven’t washed the dishes, the counters are cluttered. Because the counters are cluttered, everyone piles things on my desk. Because things are piled on my desk, I can’t find the space to get my work done. Because I can’t find the space, the work gets moved over into a different pile until later. My piles are proof positive that later almost never comes.
What am I going to do to fix this mess and not fall behind every where else? I’m going to eat this elephant one bite at a time!
1. Clean off my desk (and keep it that way – even if it means putting things in a box next to the desk until I can find it a home).
2. Utilize the entire day and all weekend to catch up from my sick days – one more reason mom should never get sick.
3. Stay focused on one task at a time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when I pile up everything I have to do in front of me all at once. The discouragement usually causes me to walk away. Instead, just focus on writing my articles for write now (and refuse to look at the sink).
4. Plan rewards (short but meaningful). When I finish this task, I will have breakfast with my family. When I finish the next task, I will go outside and play for a little while. When I finish the next task, I will soak in a hot tub.
5. Get right back to it. The rewards (timeouts, breaks, or whatever you want to call them) have to be short or I’ll lose myself in NOT doing what I need to be doing. It’ll be easier to get back to it with the reminder that another reward is just around the corner.
It may not seem that my chaos is related to me not being able to stay on budget, but I know it is. I can’t know what I’m spending if I don’t keep a record of it. If I don’t know what I’m spending, then there is no way to control my spending.
By eliminating the chaos and clutter, I will be able to get right back on track to my savings plan for the upcoming year.
October 12th, 2007
The other day it seemed like the whole world had set out to make me late. Every car I got stuck behind was going 15 miles UNDER the speed limit. Every line was long and the check out person was slow. I spent thirty minutes in one store getting all the household products on my list only to get to the register and find that the stores computers were down. They could only take cash (that’s that green, folding stuff that none of us carry anymore).
Behind yet another slow car, I called a friend to vent. “There’s a conspiracy.” I laughed, and so did she. But she had more wisdom that I could since I was in the situation at the time.
“God is keeping you out of something.”
That was three weeks ago, and it only dawned on me this morning that when things in my life are interrupted, it’s not an attack. It may feel like it and it may look like it, but most often it is simply God putting a talking donkey in my path.
I’m reminded of my husband calling on his way to work. He was frustrated because he was already running late (the kids woke up early and wanted to see him off) and then there was a wreck that forced him to detour around. I immediately saw God’s hand in the situation because if he had left on time, he would probably have been IN the wreck.
I’m going to look at the inconveniences of life a little differently starting today. Instead of getting frustrated, I’m going to adjust and then thank God for what ever situation He kept me from or what ever blessing He is turning me towards.
October 10th, 2007
There are people out there who find ways to save over 50% on their grocery bills. I was always amazed by this idea. I clip coupons. I look for extra savings (where it’s already on sale AND I have a coupon). I even write the manufacturers for coupons. But I have yet to reach the Mecca that these ladies have found.
Part of the reason is that I live in a small community. We don’t have a multitude of grocery stores to choose from. The two stores that we do have are small and don’t offer as much variety as some of the mega grocery stores (that I would LOVE to have around here).
My second problem, and it is probably the larger one, is that I do all of my shopping at the same time. I do my stocking up and weekly essentials at once. Going to the store just to buy items that are on sale is just not an option.
Most weeks find me saving about 15% on my total grocery bill. Some weeks it has been as much as 30%. I don’t spend hours hunting coupons or spend money on services to find the sales for me. Here are the easy, time saving things that I do to save at the store.
1. Use someone else’s coupons. My husband’s aunt and dad both share their coupons with us. I simply cut out the ones that I might use with our family.
2. Keep it organized. I have an expandable folder that I found at the dollar store for just fifty cents. I made each pocket a category (breakfast, breads, dairy, etc) and then I store the coupons in the folder.
3. Check out the sales. When I am at the grocery store, I try to look at the sales and compare them with my coupons. Often there are items I don’t have on my list but that I can get for a great deal. (The other day I got two pounds of baby carrots for $1 – I’ll freeze most of them for cooking with later).
4. Don’t get it just because the coupon will expire. Unless it is something I HAVE to have anyway then I just let the coupon expire. It seems that some companies are always putting out coupons, so I just wait until the next batch.
5. Never, never, never buy cereal without a coupon.
As the grocery prices continue to climb, every little bit help. You might try looking at some of the online services to see if they could benefit you. Which ever route you take, planning and organization will get you a long ways to saving at the grocery store.
October 10th, 2007
Every habit I have was formed with one simple choice. Each day, I must choose to do what is right until that choice becomes a lifestyle. I read that concept this morning in “The Frazzled Female” by Cindi Wood. It struck me more than anything else I have dealt with this week.
It is just one choice.
All the things that I do in my day and in my life come down to one choice. If I make the right choice often enough then it become a habit. If I make the wrong choice (and it takes much less time for this) it will become a hindrance.
I’m reminded of a forty challenge that I once took. For forty days, there were tasks that I set out to do – like give something away, say something nice to someone, do something nice for someone, read the bible, etc. At the end of the forty days, I was not as focused on myself as I was when the challenge began. There were also several new habits in my life. Instead of just walking through the day, I was looking for ways to serve God. That was a major change, and it happened one day at a time.
What are you willing to do today that will make you a better person and a better reflection of God?
Speak kind words
Take a walk instead of watching TV
Play a game with the kids
Send a note to friend
Visit a neighbor
Let someone else go in front of you
Just for today, choose to make your life better. Tomorrow will take care of itself.
October 9th, 2007
My blog has been up for almost a year now and so far it has generated . . . drum roll please . . . exactly NO money. I know that there is money to be made out there. I’ve read the post at www.stevepavlina.com several times and it’s always an inspiration for working at my blog. He is blunt about the fact that not every one will grow rich from their blogs. In answer to the question “can most people do it?” the response is humorous but true:
“No, they can’t. I hope it doesn’t shock you to see a personal development web site use the dreaded C-word. But I happen to agree with those who say that 99% of people who try to generate serious income from their blogs will fail. The tagline for this site is “Personal Development for Smart People.” And unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your outlook), smart people are a minority on this planet. So while most people can’t make a living this way, I would say that most smart people can. How do you know whether or not you qualify as smart? Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you have to ask the question, you aren’t.”
Apparently, I’m just not there yet. In my mind it is because I’m missing something and NOT because I’m “unqualified.” 
Granted, I haven’t exploited all the possibilities out there. I have heard how Adsense is king of the monetization game, but I haven’t tried to implement it on my site. Instead, I have been focused on driving traffic to the site in the hope that the advertisers would come knocking at my door.
It seems to me that there are sites that are making money (or claiming to make money) as if by magic. I’ve written for a couple of them. They don’t have a great amount of traffic. They don’t have loads of backlinks. The only thing these sites have in common is that they are “specific.”
My site is about many different things. In the last couple of months, I have tried to hone in on just three or four, but that’s still more than the “experts” say is reasonable. To compensate, I’ve been trying to post to each subject on every day (at least it means there are a large number of posts at my site).
In the mean time, I have started a subject specific site (one on politics - because I couldn’t think of anything that would be much more “controversial”) and so far I can’t even get all the browsers to come by for a visit.
My passion is for writing and if for no other reason than that, I will continue my blogs. I just hope that I can find the key sooner than later.
October 8th, 2007
Don’t waste your prayers. So often we just throw up our prayers at God while our head hits the pillow at night or when we are in the heat of the moment. We don’t pay attention to our own prayers, and can’t be expected to see when God answers what we don’t even remember asking.
It’s no wonder that prayers “aren’t answered.”
It is high time we got serious about prayer. Instead of just tossing words around, make prayer a primary moment in your day. Write it out. Keep a record. And most importantly, look for the response.
Here are some questions to help you get started:
1. What is the situation you are praying about?
2. How could God possible use my problem (when solved)?
3. Rewrite the situation in the form of a request for God.
4. Have I brought my problem to God FIRST?
5. What am I doing to spend time with God regarding this particular situation?
6. How am I allowing the Holy Spirit to fill me and to lead me to scripture?
7. What are the scriptures that I have received? (which ones have been brought up in bible study, sermons, or your own person readings)
8. How do these scriptures affect my daily life?
9. What actions will I take, based on these scriptures? What am I willing to change in my life to follow God?
10. What else do I need to do?
Prayer is a two way conversation. Find the time to hear from God if you are going to take the time to request from Him.
October 8th, 2007
Next Posts
Previous Posts
