Practice Hospitality.

Heavenly Housekeeping.

Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

We are on a mini-vacation, and my favorite thing about vacation is hotel housekeeping!  What a treat it is to wake up late, leave with your bed unmade and your towels on the floor, and return in the afternoon to a room that has been returned to its previous glory.  This beautiful thing happens every day!

As I was thanking the Lord for the hard working ladies that have been blessing me with a freshly-made bed (something I've not seen in the weeks since little Eliana was born!), I was reminded of His mercies--and although walking into a clean hotel room is a wonderful thing, how much more wonderful is walking into a new day that is clean by the mercies of God and the blood of Jesus Christ.  The dirty towels and wrinkled sheets of my sinful flesh are continuously cleaned--and this beautiful thing happens every day!  Praise God!

If you have not experienced the mercies of God...today is the day of Salvation!

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

sja

Clean Your House in 19 Minutes

Cleaning Tips from Real Simple Magazine...

With a plan of attack, you can maintain a sparkling house in just 19 minutes a day

Kitchen, 4 1/2 minutes daily
Always start with the sink. A sparkling sink becomes your kitchen's benchmark for hygiene and tidiness, inspiring you to load the dishwasher immediately and keep counters, refrigerator doors, and the stove top spick-and-span, too.

• Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
• Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
• Wipe down the counters (one minute).
• Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).

Bathroom, 2 minutes daily
Make cleaning the basin as routine as washing your hands. But don't stop there. Get the most out of your premoistened wipe by using it to clean around the edges of the tub and then the toilet before tossing it.

• Wipe out the sink (30 seconds). Wipe the toilet seat and rim (15 seconds).
• Swoosh the toilet bowl with a brush (15 seconds).
• Wipe the mirror and faucet (15 seconds).
• Squeegee the shower door (30 seconds).
• Spray the entire shower and the curtain liner with shower mist after every use (15 seconds).

Bedroom, 6 1/2 minutes daily
Make your bed right before or after your morning shower. A neat bed will inspire you to deal with other messes immediately. Although smoothing sheets and plumping pillows might not seen like a high priority as you're rushing to work, the payoff comes at the end of the day, when you slip back under the unruffled covers.

• Make the bed (two minutes).
• Fold or hang clothing and put away jewelry (four minutes).
• Straighten out the night-table surface (30 seconds).

Family Room, Living Room, Foyer, 6 minutes daily
Start with the sofa -- as long as it's in disarray, your living room will never look tidy. Once you've fluffed the pillows and folded the throws, you're halfway home. If you pop in a CD while you dust, you should be able cover the whole room by the end of the third track.

• Pick up crumbs and dust bunnies with a handheld vacuum (one minute).
• Fluff the cushions and fold throws after use (two minutes).
• Wipe tabletops and spot-clean cabinets when you see fingerprints (one minute).
• Straighten coffee-table books and magazines. Throw out newspapers. Put away CDs and videos. (Two minutes.)

Spring Fever.

It's begun!  Spring fever!!  Warmer temps...pollen in the air!  Time to head to the beach...river...lake...pool...whatever's cool on the tootsies and in the sunshine!!

So...what will you wear?  I think I'm going to the beach today in my underwear.  'What?!?' You say?  Yet most bikinis cover less than Hanes Her Way.

Let's honor God this year and make plans to purchase a modest swimsuit.  Before you groan, thanks to religions other than Christianity, cute modest swimwear is getting easier and easier to find.  Believers in Christ should be the ones blazing--not strolling--this path!

 

Here are some links:

www.limericki.com

(Bought my suit here last year...LOVE it...although it's fit for my pregnancy figure!  Need a new one now!  I have the brown cinch skirt--AWESOMEly cute.)

www.christa-taylor.com

(Newer online site...very classy)

www.modbeclothing.com

(Fun, funky modest choices)

www.hydrochic.com

(Very cute ruffle swim skirts)

...And...if you'd like links for modest swimwear for little ones...give me a yell!!

 

"Therefore I urge you, (Sisters), in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, (which includes their fashions!), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will."  Romans 12:1-2, (emphasis mine)

Kid Friendly Recipe!

Taco Mac Casserole

1 Package Deluxe Mac and Cheese (Kraft or Velveeta--the ones with the squishy cheese pouch)

1 Pound Ground Beef

1 Package Taco Seasoning Mix

3/4 Cup Sour Cream

1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Divided

1 Cup Chunky Salsa

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare mac and cheese as directed on package.  While mac is cooking, cook meat with taco seasoning as directed on package.

Stir sour cream into prepared mac and cheese; spoon 1/2 into 8-inch square baking dish.  Top with layers of seasoned meat, 1 cup cheese, and remaining mac and cheese; cover with foil.

Bake 15 minutes; top with salsa and remaining cheese.  Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.