Thursday's Tips, tricks and time savers....

In my recent blog, I mentioned getting organized. I had a request to pass on some of my tips. They are nothing outstanding, but just little things that save a few minutes here and there.

1. Become a list maker. I bought a 5 x 7 notebook that is now my constant companion. Since I work from home, I keep it on my desk by the phone. Every morning when I get up, I sit down at my desk and make a list of the things I want to accomplish that day, no matter how big or small. That way, I know where I need to focus. As I complete the items on it, I mark a line through it. If something pops up that I need to do, I add it to the list. At the end of the day, I move the items that did not get accomplished (if there are any) to the next clean page and throw the old page away. If you keep the old page and just continue on until it is full, you will have all these items glaring at you even though they are marked through. A cluttered page will keep your mind cluttered.

2. Put off till tomorrow what doesn’t need done today. If it does NOT have to be done today, reschedule for another time so you do not stress all day because you haven’t gotten to it yet. I bought some pretty folders and wrote on each one of them a day of the week. In each folder, I place papers or notes of things I need to do that particular day. When I make my morning list, I pull out the folder for that day and add those items to my list. It is amazing how much clearer you can think if you don’t have your whole week’s worth of work in front of you. Out of site; out of mind. It works well. If you don’t need to do it until Thursday, don’t be looking at it every day and stressing over having to do it on Thursday. When it comes time to do that item, you will be refreshed and ready to tackle it.

3. A place for everything and everything in its place. I am big on baskets and storage. In my craft room, I have a basket for materials, baskets for yarn (well actually a whole chest devoted to yarn since it is a weakness of mine.) I have a big basket where I keep my pattern books. I color coordinate my yarn (spring colors, fall colors, winter colors, summer colors.) to find what I need faster. All my nail polish is in one basket along with polish remover, cuticle cream, manicure sets, etc. I can just grab the basket and WA-LAH! Manicure time. I don’t have to search the house for an emery board in one drawer and clippers in another. It’s the same with hair care, perfume and deodorant – all in one basket. When I get ready to go anywhere, I pull out the baskets and everything is at my fingertips. I can wash my hair, blow it, style it and put my makeup on in 9 minutes thanks to having everything right where I need it. 

4. Quickly un-clutter the house. I’m not a slob, but I’m not a neat freak so sometimes things in my house end up in a place they don’t belong. A book left on the table; a movie the kids forgot to put back in the cabinet. Once a day, grab an empty laundry basket and walk through the house gathering up the strays. Start at one end and work your way to the other, hitting each room as you. When you enter the next room, check the basket and put away whatever belongs in that room and pick up anything that doesn’t. When you get to the last room, take anything that is left over and do a reverse process and take those things where they belong. This not only keeps the house un-cluttered, you get in extra steps for exercise every morning.

5. Baskets and Bags. If you are a crafter, you probably have your craft room very organized, but what about your projects? I usually have a couple of different projects going at one time. I have a weakness for tote bags and baskets. So I use these for my projects. I place my current project in a tote bag along with scissors, needles, whatever I need. Then if I’m in the living room and want to work on my craft, I grab the “bag” and start crafting. If we are going to Knoxville and I want to craft in the car while hubby drives. I grab the bag and I’m ready to go. Projects that are next are sorted into baskets with all the items needed for that project. That way if I get bored with one, I can just grab a basket and work on the next one.

Laughter IS the best medicine...

We all see those funny stories and cartoons that travel across the satellites to tickle our funny bones. But if you stop and think about it, some of the funniest stories are when we tell things on ourselves. Well, as I've gotten older I have learned to laugh more at some of the things that have happened to me that, at the time, were mortifying. One of my most embarrassing moments (and I don't embarrass easily) is guaranteed to cause a chuckle of pure glee. Let me share it with you.....

The year was 1987. I weighed a mere 95 pounds and only 5' tall. I loved to wear dresses to work and those spike high heels. It made me feel really confident. I worked for a machine shop that manufactured pump replacement parts for industrial pumps. I was in Customer Service/Sales. My office was on the second floor and had windows on two sides. I could stand in my office and look down at the entire plant. I shared the office with Jerry, the production manager. Part of my job was to go out in the shop several times a day to check on the status of particular rush jobs for my clients.

Every time I would go out there, the guys would whistle and hoot and holler just to try to embarrass me and it never worked. I grew up out in the county with two brothers and tons of boys always hanging around. It takes a LOT to embarrass me.
Well, this one particular day, I had on a really pretty blue dress with a full skirt that swirled around my legs. I had made about 5 or 6 trips through the shops with the standard whistles and catcalls. My husband worked there as well and these guys were his friends and they did it to try to get a rise out of one of us, but we just laughed it off. This particular day, about 2:00 in the afternoon, I had just come back upstairs and Jerry was standing at the bank of windows on the phone. Every single one of the men in the shop, my dear hubby included, had stopped and were looking up at our office. Jerry called me to the window and said, "The guys have a question for you." Of course, I thought it was about a rush job and I said, "Sure. What?"

"They want to know why you have a hump on your butt?" I about died. I looked behind me and sure enough there was a knot on my rear end about the size of a baseball. I heard them all laughing as I dashed into the little girls room. I raised my dress and there, static clinging to my slip was a wadded up wash cloth from the dryer!  Talk about embarrassing! But it was also hilarious. I just came out laughing and told Jerry what it was. Later that night, I told hubby about the static cling hump on my hip. His reaction?....."Yeah, I saw that and wondered what it was."

We still laugh about it. But in all these years, he has yet to come up with a satisfactory answer as to WHY he didn't tell me about it. It just goes to show you, we need to keep a good sense of humor at all times.

Getting Organized....

The term "too many irons in the fire" refers to a blacksmith who could lose track or make his work cumbersome if he placed too many irons in the fire.

In the past, there have been times when I, too, felt like I had too many irons in the fire. The challenge comes in trying to decide when and what to "let go." Many times we struggle with obstacles that are of our own making.

I had the opportunity recently to attend a webinar on getting organized called "Do it, ditch it or delegate it."
It was awesome. She gave step-by-step instructions on how to unload the "loads" in your life that are keeping you bogged down and that are such "time-thieves".

I implemented her thoughts and plans and it has been awesome. I am more organized. I get more done in a day than I ever imagined. The main thing I learned was it is all about focus. We must focus on the job at hand and not worry about what is waiting in the wings. If we spend as much time focusing on what we are presently doing as we do focusing on what we "need" to do, we can accomplish a lot more.

This brought to mind Matthew 6:34a - Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.... - NKJV

There is nothing in our life that the bible does not cover. We should use it as our road map. There are so many wonderful verses that provide these simple steps that we can do to insure that we can lead a balanced life without having to feel like we have too many irons in the fire.

Can you still have morning sickness when your kids are 33?

Yes, I believe you can. When I was expecting my twins, I worked for a company in Huntington, WV. There was this wonderful little drive-in restaurant called Wiggins that had the best hot dogs and french fries in the entire world. I would go there every single day and order 2 plain hot dogs, an order of fries and a Coke to go. It was across the street from the local high school and did a lot of business from students. If you drove through their parking lot you could end up in Sears & Roebucks lot. I would go to the very end of the lot, roll down my window and eat my lunch and read a book.

During that time, the Marshall Tucker Band had a hit out called Heard it in a Love Song. Everyday around 12:15, WTCR radio station would play that song while I was driving back to work. Since I suffered severe bouts of afternoon "morning" sickness, I would go back to work and within an hour would be in the restroom deathly ill.
Now, you would have thought I would quit eating hot dogs everyday, but they are one of my vices and I craved them so bad I couldn't help myself. It soon passed and I was able to have lunch and return to a normal work day.

However, no offence to the Marshall Tucker Band, but to this day, if Heard it in a Love Song comes on the radio I get nauseous. I feel like it's 1977 again and I just left Wiggins and my poor tummy says "Turn that song off." So yes, I do believe that morning sickness can continue for many years if the circumstances are right.

Mere words....

We recently learned a new song for our church choir that had the words "Hallelujah, what a morning, when I reach for His nail scarred hand. I will go from grace to glory on the banks of the promised land."

Now to some people those are mere words. It's just a song. But to me, they speak of a brighter tomorrow. A foundation of  HOPE. A love everlasting. A grace that knows no bounds. Divine mercy.

Isn't it the most wonderful, peaceful, fabulous feeling to KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that even though we may stumble and fall, He is a forgiving God; a just God. And that our faith can see us through until that most beautiful day when we can go from grace to glory and see Him on the banks of the promised land.

Because you love me....

To my husband, with love. He is my life. He's every breath I breathe. He has been my rock through so many rough times and I would not be the happy, contented person I am today if I did not have his love and support. I dedicate this song to him. It really gets to my heart....

Go Red for Women

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything

you do flows from it. 

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV©2010)

Make It Your Mission to Fight Heart Disease at GO RED FOR WOMEN.

Each year on the first Friday in February, thousands of hospitals, small businesses, multinational corporations, news broadcasters, schools, individuals and even landmarks “Go Red” to help raise crucial awareness and significant funds in the fight against heart disease in women. - American Heart Association

Today is National Wear Red day. Please show your support in the fight of heart disease by wearing red whereever you go today. Thank you.