Monday, January 21, 2008

Making Your Home A Haven Monday

Hi! Thanks so much for all of your nice comments! I'm sorry I just haven't felt up to blogging the last several days. But, today - I do!

First a quick update: Everything is the same with baby - no change is good at this point. The dr. extended my bed rest by another week, and I haven't quite finished the first week yet - so it will be near the end of January before I am up and around much again.

I don't know how many of you follow this, but I love this weekly feature on Crystal's blog. I didn't see her post up yet today - so will just link to last week.

I realized that there are a few things I can do today to make my home more of a haven without even getting up off of the couch - here are my goals for today:

* Write two notes to whomever the Lord brings to mind that need encouragement.
* Have a cheerful and positive attitude towards my family. (Unfortunately a struggle for me the last few days just laying around.)
* Mentally walk through my home and pray these verses over each room.
* Pull out an afghan that has been unfinished for about five years and get some more done on that while laying on the couch. Goal: to complete it and donate to an organization who can auction or sell it for profit to themselves.
* Put on nice music and light candles when we sit down to eat dinner tonight.

Anyone else want to share any goals for making your home a haven today? I'd love to hear them, hearing from anyone is a bright spot in my days right now!

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I LOVE your sweet goals - they are so modest and positive! You are such an example to us even from bedrest!! Way to go!!!

Still praying for you and your spirits- and ofcourse your baby!

Anonymous said...

Cleaning?!?! My house has seemed to suffer over the weekend. My goal this week is to get it clean and go thru Lilly's clothes-we have never, and I mean NEVER gone thru them since she was born and she will be 3 soon. Yikes!! And go thru and get rid of toys. I really want our home to be a place of peace and not chaos. Love your posts as they seem to help put the fire under my tail!
Hope you have a great week!!
Elise

Dianna said...

I will be doing laundry, since today is my laundry day, and packing up to prepare for our move on Saturday. Alas, I must create more chaos before we can have peace again!

*carrie* said...

Monica,

I was pleasantly surprised to see you posted today. I have a long list for today. It's snowing outside (wish you were here!) so it's a good day to stay home and get things done. Love you!

Sarah M said...

I just love your posts, and find a lot of peace in them ! Great 'thinking of you' idea, I love writing and receiving notes, as I'm sure everyone does! My only goal for today is to actually put away three loads of clean laundry (we're renovating, it's a disaster zone!)!
Keep on growing, baby!
Sarah--Lincoln, NE

asnipofgoodness said...

Sweet Monica,
know that I am praying for you, and your little one. My goals for today, laundry, vacuming, of course school, maybe some trash to treasire fun, sewing if time permits, some warm homemade soup for dinner. Rest well girl, amy

Anonymous said...

I am so glad to hear so far so good with growing the baby. I did not enjoy bedrest either, but here you are encouraging us with sweet thoughts of home and family!!!! Thank you so much, and my the Lord bless you and keep you and your little one. Happy mail (i like to call it) is so fun for me, i know a handwritten note is one of the best gifts to anyone. Great ideas and know i am prayin for ya'll too.tammyp

Wendi said...

Dear Monica, It is so good to hear from you! Your goals are great! I know it is hard to keep your spirits high when you feel limited in what you can do.

I am taking it easy today. To make my home a haven today I will:

*be doing laundry
*lighting some smell good candles
*making a BBQ chicken dinner (that Chuck really likes)
*snuggle under a warm blanket (it is very cold here) and catch up on reading and list making

Try to keep your sprits up and I will be praying for you!

Anonymous said...

Today's goals for making our home a haven is to have dinner already in the corck pot before I left for work today. The smell of something cooking always the home feel cozy. By dinner time, I'll build a fire in the fire place and make a pot of tea. It's so cold up here (16 degrees with a wind chill of -1) so the hot tea and the crock pot chicken and stuffing will just be wonderful!

Keep that baby growing and take care. Lynn Marie

Anonymous said...

Thanks for asking! My goals for the day are laundry, dishes (these are on every day's list!), planning for the week, maybe a quick trip to the grocery store, and relaxing. It will be cold here all week, so I want to plan some fun activities for my children - playing board games, movie night (or afternoon!), snacks and lots of hot cocoa! I'm sure I will have candles lit in the kitchen and living room most of the day - makes the house feel cozier. Dinner tonight will be Pulled Pork Barbecue in the crockpot.

I think the best thing I can do to make my home a haven today is to have a loving attitude with my family, as you mentioned. This has been a struggle for me lately and I'm not even on bedrest! It will take a conscious effort on my part, but I will try to focus on thankfulness and contentment, rather than on the negative side of things.
I appreciate your blog so much, as your sweet spirit radiates from it and I am inspired every time I visit to provide a haven for my family which glorifies God.
I continue to pray for you and your sweet baby.
In Him,
Nancy

Katy said...

I am glad things are going well for you and the baby. I am sure the down time is so difficult...but that's wonderful you are doing what is best for the baby.I admire your positive attitude! :)

Things I do to make my home a haven is i put on worship music while I clean and do my housework and the kids and i sing our hearts out to Jesus while cleaning/playing. I like to light a candle....candles make things so cozy especially in the icy winter...today is sooo cold in PA.

Kelly @ The Barefoot Mama said...

You are such a treasure, Monica. :o) I pray that you enjoy a restful, peaceful day in God's love and that your family feels the blessing that you undoubtedly are to them. Keep going strong, mama!

Sheila said...

Glad to hear things are going well for you and baby! I am sure it is hard to be so still right now, but just remember soon, you will long for some of that rest time, so enjoy it now!

I love your goals that you have for today. My kids are off from school today so we decided to rearrange their bedrooms which they always love and so do I. It guarentees their rooms will be picked up and reorganized.

Tracy said...

I was resigned to the fact that you were on bedrest and wouldn't be posting for a long while- hooray for a post at the homespun heart this morning!

As for my home being a haven...I subscribe to you and Biblical Womanhood and each Monday I read the goals and say "I just don't know where to start..." Thank you for sharing!

Jennifer said...

I'm praying for you both, of course. I seldom comment, but wanted to thank you for the encouragement. I've been having a hard time doing things while I deal with first trimester discomforts. But if you can find a way to make things better, surely I can too. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Bless you Dear Monica! Always cheerful and an inspiration to others even on bedrest!

My goals for today were shattered this morning when I discovered my modem had gone out. I spent the day going out to get a new one and installing it & having Yahoo help me get it back up, but ALAS, I'm "up & running". (I was wishing David was here today!)

Anyway, hang in there Honey. I will try to call you one day this week.

Love you, Grandma

Anonymous said...

Oh this is so sweet to read! I like the part where you'll have a cheerful attitude. I think that is a huge help when others are helping you more than usual. It makes them feel appreciated and probably more cheerful about helping! :) It is so good to hear you being positive. It can be so easy to have a complaining attitude while down like that, and no one wants to hear that!! :) You are a beautiful example to us all! :)

You've inspired me. My goal for the rest of the day is to go out of my way to pamper my family and do more than "my share" happily.

Anonymous said...

Oh this is so sweet to read! I like the part where you'll have a cheerful attitude. I think that is a huge help when others are helping you more than usual. It makes them feel appreciated and probably more cheerful about helping! :) It is so good to hear you being positive. It can be so easy to have a complaining attitude while down like that, and no one wants to hear that!! :) You are a beautiful example to us all! :)

You've inspired me. My goal for the rest of the day is to go out of my way to pamper my family and do more than "my share" happily.

Anonymous said...

Good to see a post from you Monica! Have been thinking of you and will continue to think good thoughts and keep you and the baby in our prayers!

Today was mostly laundry...pretty much like everyday. Kids go back to school tomorrow and I hope to find some time to do a little crafty project or something!

Blessings sweet lady!

~Babychaser~ said...

Glad to hear you are feeling a little better! Great ideas for making your home a haven from your bed rest! :) Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I too enjoy the Making Your Home a Haven feature. It is especially refreshing to me, since I don’t seem to have a lot of women in my life who really do make their house a haven. I sometimes feel that I am alone in my quest for putting my husband and home before other earthly things.
The five things that I will try to do this week:
1) I had already planned to make & send two cards. One to a friend that is facing a change in jobs and another one to a friend who can always use encouragement.
2) To get over this mood I have been in lately.
3) To get out my normal decorations. I put away Christmas weeks ago, but did not get out the pictures etc. that are usually on display.
4) Continue cleaning hidden places; closets, cupboards, etc.
5) Keep the kitchen clean.

Have a good day.
Angela
Towanda, PA

Amy said...

I am still thinking of you, Monica! I hope you get all the rest you need in these next couple of weeks. Keep us posted on everything- we love you!

Ann @TheAssetEdge said...

I love these simple ideas! I especially appreciated your link to the post about praying through your house. I just linked to it on my blog - mommysecrets.blogspot.com. Prayer is perhaps the best mommy secret we have!