Saturday, November 11, 2017

Living the Pantry Lifestyle - Cleaning a little at a time


I'm a little late writing today.  I have the sniffles.  And a cough.  Nothing serious but just enough that I'm going to grab my pillow and head for the sofa when I'm finished here.

I learned a lesson today on believing that God does answer our muttered prayers.  I've been looking at the deck and actually "praying under my breath" to God that I have to get outside and finish clearing the deck.  I must.  I need help.

So today when a group of volunteers from a Christian group at the University came to our house to rake the gazillion leaves and take them to the forest for us... they asked if there was anything else they could do. 

"Well, I have this deck and the stuff on it (except the tables) need to be taken out by the shed.  I usually set everything there so when my husband winterizes the mower, he can then decide where everything can go in the shed."

I had to leave for a quick trip to the grocery store right then and when I arrived home, the college students had finished.  Our yard looked amazing.  Then when I went to my Family Room and looked out the window, the deck was CLEAR.  I almost cried.  What a burden was lifted.

God indeed answers prayers, even those that are half thrown up and barely heard as the pray-er is only muttering.  I guess when one mutters with a kind of half faith, that is all He needs to answer.  :)

Otherwise, I have begun my "getting ready for the Holidays" cleaning.  Sometimes I clean just one room at a time but recently it was a combination of sweeping and dusting that was accomplished in a few rooms. 

I had already broken down some other tasks over the past few weeks, including... polishing the silver service and using lemon furniture oil on the antiques.  The kitchen windows have been washed and more windows will get a good washing when it warms up a bit.

Since having to deal with less energy, I've learned not to take even the smallest task for granted.  For any task done early (even weeks ahead of time) is far better than the burden of having to do something when I'm tired but I had put it off thinking it wouldn't take much time.  Sigh...

It reminds me that every Christmas, I think I should have started making Christmas cards in July.  Just saying.  ;)

I will see you tomorrow but right now I really need my pillow, a box of tissues, and a little pot of peppermint tea.

6 comments:

mdoe37 said...

Bundle up and get well!

Sometimes those "blessings" show up right on time, don't they? A few weeks ago on a Saturday, I was trying to move my mother's mailbox from the road to the driveway. Clay is a little hard sometimes, lol. I was carefully using the post hole digger, getting down as far as I could. I then planned to fill the hole with water to help the process overnight.

I went to give it just one more little turn....and wrenched my back to the point I was barely able to get into the car to get home. I spent the next many hours flat on my back. Monday, I went back to my mother's and saw the mailbox relocated. Certainly, mother didn't finish the task!

The day after my attempts, Sunday, a small group of parishioners from the local church was out for a walk on a lovely day. They stopped to say hello to my mother and see how she was doing since my father passed and if she needed anything..... She offhandly mentioned my wrenched back and the mailbox. They gathered hands and prayed for my back. Mother looked out the window an hour or so later, one of the men returned with his own post hole digger and moved the mailbox. He said he came back immediately because they were heading out to warmer climates for the winter the next day and it HAD to be finished!

And my back.....oddly (or not) started to feel much better Sunday afternoon....

Sending a prayer for your sniffles!

Carol said...

Hope you are feeling better soon. Take your time and get through the holidays with less stress by realizing that if it is not done it truly is ok.

Instagram.com/melissasnotes said...

Oh, I'm so glad they were the answer to your prayer. I remember taking our then teen son and doing this for golden agers! Then both sets of our parents have been the recipients of this kind of generosity. We still have lots of "good" young people in this world!

lynneinMN said...

Thank you for the smile. So many times I also mutter little prayers, half-heartedly, not thinking that He would be listening: "please God, just get me thru this day!"...and He does. Hope you are feeling better very soon! LynneinWI.

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

God does indeed answer prayers! What a lovely blessing for you today....(Not that every day is not blessed.)

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

Prayers for you tonight that your cold doesn’t turn into something more!

What a great answer to prayer on the deck!