So, spring is right around the corner, and I need to pull out my Emilie Barnes books. I've been married almost 10 years now and part of my homekeeping routine has always included Mrs. Barnes books on organization and home-making. Room by room, I make my rounds for the seasonal clean! There's something so refreshing and rejuvenating about the whole spring cleaning process. Now, I know what you're thinking...is that the only time you clean your house?? Nah, but deep cleans...like nitty gritty deep cleans, are a twice a year occurence. Maybe. Please, please don't be horrified. I'm busy. I have kids to take care and educate, a husband to feed, laundry to fold, blogs to check. Hee hee.
So, first things first. I need to clean off this desk. And I found a nifty gift card. And the balance is still good!! If I haven't spent it by now, then surely I can live without it, and maybe it can brighten your day and jumpstart your spring-cleaning!!!
Do you need to spring clean your house? Emilie Barnes is great! Need to organize your life? Those Mahaney women wrote a great book called Shopping For Time!
Looking for something to encourage your soul? Attributes Of God by Pink has been an encouragement to me! Morning & Evening devotional by Spurgeon has nuggets that bless, convict and encourage. Running Scared looks like a great read! Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn reshaped our lives in a tremendous way.
Need a laugh? Becky Freeman has always given me a chuckle! The "Laughing" Series compiled by Ann Spangler looks great!
Need to escape? Check out the fiction section...I bet you already knew Karen Kingsbury adopted from Haiti! Haven't read Over the Waters yet, but I want to because the story line includes Haiti. Did you ever read Safely Home by Alcorn? Oh my goodness it moved me!
Oh, oh, oh, you could even get a special edition of Fireproof!!!
I'm excited, are you?
SO, here's the deal. Leave your:
favorite spring cleaning tip OR a recommended good read
in my comments section. Just one comment. I'll give you until St. Patty's day (March 17th). Then, I'll randomly choose one of you for:
A $20.00 Christianbook.com Gift Card!
Have a GREAT weekend!
7 comments:
My favorite book of all time is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers :)
I recently started "Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. We'll be using it with our ladies here in Chile this semester. I was reading another one of her books ("A Place of Quiet Rest") but it got stolen along with my bag and towels at the beach a few weeks ago. A gift card would be just the way to replace it ... lol!!
I have to go with "Don't Make Me Count to Three: a Mom's Look at Heart-Oriented Discipline" by Ginger Plowman. This book is encouraging, Scriptural, and - hilarious!!!! Not a common combo, ya know?
Amanda, I have specifically thought of you several times when reading it. The author is from Alabama and she talks like us! Check out the reviews on Amazon. I actually wrote one of them myself, something I would not normally take the time to do, but this book was just that good!
The first Karen Kingsbury book I read is still my favorite--Oceans Apart.
We don't do a true spring cleaning but a few times a year I'll tell everyone to sort through their stuff and fill up a bag to donate to the homeless shelter--clothes, shoes, toys they don't play with anymore etc. Since it's for the homeless shelter they are more generous.
We do a walk though a few times a week. Everyone starts in the laundry room and walks through the house picking stuff up as they go. Only takes about 15 min and the whole house is back in order.
I will go with the cleaning tip, of course after we move. :P I have always loved the Fly lady concept. I haven't been using it in a long time, but with the spring right around the corner( wishful thinking) I have contemplating getting my file out and making a battle plan.
Ooooo Amanda's doin' a contest hehe
My cleaning tip: hire somebody else to do it :p
Not that I do that. Can't afford it. But it'd be nice eh? hehe
My best cleaning tip isn't 'cleaning' so much...but anywho...I purge throughout the year. When we change seasonal clothes, I weed through and purge things. Or just whenever I look around and seem overwhelmed. I do a 'fake move'. In which you go through and throw out things you would NOT take with you if you were moving. To take that good hard look at what is in your closets, in storage and in boxes. Do you NEED it? Do you USE it? Would you really want to pack that up and move it..say....states away? Or can you just let go of it now?
That's all I got.
Hmmmm....Cleaning and Reading...two things I have not enough time for!! Favorite read...right now is the Twilight series. Juvenile I know.
Cleaning tip: Get a cleaning lady once a week to do the deep cleaning! HAHA, I wish. One can dream, right??
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