Making Your Home a Haven - Day Five

Refresh Your Spirit (5 minutes)

Today I read James 2 -3:12. I really needed that today, all of it. But one verse especially hit me. Growing up Catholic, I have a hard time with my sin being the same as someone who was a murderer or anything "more major" because I was taught that there are "levels" of sin. That has been the hardest thing for me to grasp since switching to a Protestant religion. I hesitate to point out differences, because what matters is that we are Christians, but this teaching is not biblical at all. What makes it difficult is that Satan is always right there, justifying what I would like to believe. Oh, I just gossip. I just overeat. I just have a very hard time with forgiveness. (There's more, trust me, there's more.) That's not at all the same as a murderer, is it??? But of course it is. God sees every sin equally. And whether it is difficult for me to grasp, it's the Truth. I don't even think it is difficult for me to grasp...I just don't like to think about it and don't want to admit it to myself. All this came from a simple verse "...whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free." (James 2:12) I fall so short of the glory of God, yet I know that I am forgiven...and that is a powerful thing. I still have a lot of transforming for God to do, but that's the wonderful part of Jesus...I am a work in progress and it's within His power to change me.

Take Time to Make a Plan (5 minutes)

Here's my list for today:
Kitchen (Steve was home with the boys last night, so I have some work to do!)
Upstairs Landing
General Pick Up

I have more I want to do, but I am keeping it realistic. We also have Steve's Christmas party tonight, so I know I won't get as much done as I have to get everyone ready for the sitter and go get the sitter.

Do Something:
Seeing as I'm all about efficiency, we're combining today's regular Frugal Friday feature with our current Making Your Home a Haven Challenge.

Today, instead of the usual challenges we've been doing all week, I'm encouraging all of you participants to make your home a haven by taking some time to spend as a family or spend some time doing something for your family. Have fun with your family! It's one of the best ways to make your home an oasis.

I have eaten breakfast with just Aidan and I this morning. It took half an hour just to eat a bowl of oatmeal, a plate of pickles, and a glass of milk (no, I'm not pregnant...that was Aidan's meal...I just had oatmeal and coffee), but what Aidan and I really enjoyed was having that time to ourselves and not having anyone else around. I think that's why he dilly-dallied so much this morning!

Since we do have the Christmas party tonight, we can't have a family night tonight, so I am grateful that I already had a 'family weekend' planned. This afternoon when Austin gets home, though, I am going to sit with him on Club Penguin (which is an awesome little site) and help him win some coins to upgrade and deck out his igloo. It doesn't sound like much, but I am trying to meet Austin where he is at and this is what he loves to do.

Aidan has requested that Daddy, Mommy, and Austin make colorful cookies for Santa, also. No babies, though, please....we will lock them out of the kitchen. (What he said, not me. I suggested waiting until they were napping; he agreed.) I was not planning on doing a lot of Christmas baking this year...I felt like I didn't have time. But now I see how important this is to Aidan, so I am going to make time. So I guess we're doing that this weekend, too!

Have a very blessed weekend everyone!