Getting it All Done

 

Question: How do you get it all done?

Answer:

1. spiritual strength – learning to lean on the Lord
2. physical strength – on eating and supplements
3. practical strategies – organization and discipline

First of all, I want to start by saying that I am in the learning process myself, and merely sharing some things that have been helpful to me. I do not have things “all together”, by any means! I could make just as long of an article on all of the areas that I need to, and would like to, improve on! In fact, maybe I will do that in the future, so that you can all give me suggestions! Anyway, for now, here are some things that I have found the most helpful: 


 

A. Spiritual Strength

“As your days, so shall your strength be.” Dt 33:25b

I have found the above verse to be SO true! I think back to when I was pregnant with my first child, and I found it challenging back then just to keep up with our small house and laundry for myself and my husband! I don’t think I was generally lazy, but I see it rather as the Lord giving strength for what is necessary, when it is necessary! That is why this quiverfull walk is one of faith. If we had made a decision back then, based on the strength that we had available to us at the time, we surely would not have opted for more than one or two children! But, as our days are, so the Lord gives us strength! Praise Him!

Here is another thought: isn’t it true that so often our “physical” strength is really a spiritual or emotional state of mind? That is, when we feel down emotionally or spiritually, we end up also feeling exhausted physically, lacking desire or motivation to do much of anything? I know that is the truth for me, anyway!

On the other hand, when we are strengthened in the inner man, we find ourselves physically capable of doing more than we thought possible! I looked up “strength” in a concordance last night, and it was SO encouraging to read through what the Lord says in His Word! How often even His name is called “Strength”! I honestly felt strengthened in my spirit just in reading, so I thought I would share the following passages:

“The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.” Ps 29:11

Ps 84:3-7

“Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young— even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God.
 4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they will still be praising You.  Selah  5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools.7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.”

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Neh 8:10

“ In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” Isa 30:15

2 Chron 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

Jer 17: 5-8 “This is what the LORD says:
       Cursed is the one who trusts in man,        who depends on flesh for his strength (including our own flesh!)
       and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands;
       he will not see prosperity when it comes.
       He will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
       in a salt land where no one lives. 7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
       whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
       that sends out its roots by the stream.
       It does not fear when heat comes;
       its leaves are always green.
       It has no worries in a year of drought
       and never fails to bear fruit."

B. Physical Strength

Food: We try to eat mostly “whole” foods – those things that you can buy in their original form, before processing turned them into something mankind deems tastier!  For example, rice (brown, preferably), beans (dried), meat (freshest is bestest!), vegetables and fruits (raw), milk (also raw and fresh), eggs (whenever possible, from the farm), etc.

We are not purists on this point, but that is the “idea” that we try to use as a guideline. We have packaged foods in our pantry too, we have dessert more often than we ought, and we eat at fast food places on occasion, and we are okay with all of those things! But, we try to make those things the “icing” rather than the “cake”. LOL.

Two books I have found very helpful:

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon

The Maker’s Diet by Jordan Ruben

A Word about Breakfast: For *me*, with being pregnant, nursing, or both pretty much constantly, I find that I feel SO much better if I have a protein breakfast, namely eggs. If I have a grain-based breakfast, even if it’s a good one like oatmeal, I still feel more sluggish in the morning.

Supplements: I do notice the difference in the way I feel when I am taking my supplements regularly. I make our daily “green smoothie”, take a TBSP of cod liver oil, a yeast culture, a multi vitamin and mineral, and now in this last stage of pregnancy, I have added a Cal/Mag before bed, and a chloryphyl/ alfalfa cap. I also make my tea, almost daily, from this recipe. It contains red raspberry leaves, alfalfa, nettles and peppermint. I usually drink ½ gallon a day.

C. Practical Strategies

Here are a few things I have found that make my days, and thus my family and life in general, flow with much greater ease. Most of them are not original ideas, but rather things I have gleaned from other mothers, so maybe you can also glean something. 

1. Wake up before the children. I take a few minutes to pray before I even get out of bed, giving the day to the Lord and asking His help to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. Then I take a quick shower. I usually only manage to get up 15 min or less before them, but I always set my clothes out the night before, and so I just jump right in the shower. It is nice when I also have enough time to make my bed and even a few minutes for Bible reading before they awake. But even if a shower is all I do before they are up, it makes SO much difference in how the day goes! Since they are still little, it is hard to fit a shower in once they are awake, and if I’m still sleeping when they come in to wake me up, I end up starting the day feeling frazzled! If I am at least up and dressed when they awake, I feel ready to greet them with a smile.

2. Keep a calendar. I have finally come up with a calendar that consolidates, on one page per week, my own daily “to do” list, any appointments or commitments, our school schedule, and meal planning. I was challenged a couple of years ago by Katie to keep a list of things I needed to get done during the day, and I find it has helped SO much! If I have a spare second, instead of getting online or otherwise wasting time, I look at my list! I end up getting so much more done that way, and having a checked-off list to look at at the end of the day gives me a nice sense of accomplishment.  I have only recently started to do meal plans for the week, usually on Sunday night. It does help! I like to look at the following day’s supper plan the night before to see if I need to get meat out to thaw, etc.

3. Freeze food! I don’t always do this, but very often, when I am cooking, I make double or triple the amount and freeze the extra portion. This works with most foods: casseroles, soups, breads, beans, rice, meat, etc. Once you are going to the trouble of cooking, it isn’t that much more work to make double the amount, and it sure makes future meals easier!! If you are going to cook a chicken, cook two! A simple meal can be made by pulling the already-ready meat out of the freezer and putting some rice and veggies with it, for example.