Home Sanctuary

Thanksgiving Playlist! Great songs to enjoy.

Here is a little playlist I put together for your Thanksgiving listening enjoyment.  It's mostly worship songs that I enjoy and that put me in the mood to give thanks to an awesome God!  I've thrown in a few fun ones at the end, too.  

If you click on the "pop-out player," it will open up its own window and you can listen away!  You can close the Home Sanctuary site and just listen along.  This will make some great background music for your dinner, or ANYTIME this weekend.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I am taking the rest of the week off from blogging, and will see you back here on Monday, Dec. 1.

We will turn in November's Points on Monday and I will reveal the Most Points Prize that day!  God bless each of you and have a blessed Thanksgiving.

You Better Eat What's On Your Plate, or Else

I was amazed at myself the other day.  As I got ready for bed, I realized that I hadn't eaten a single meal all day!  I just did my usual routine around the house and never once got hungry!  Immediately, hope ignited in my heart that I might once again see the digits I dream about on the bathroom scale.

How did I do it??  How did I beat Mother Nature?  Why, I could write a book on How to Lose Weight without Feeling Hungry!

And suddenly my self-congratulatory party evaporated as I realized one minor detail:

I never ate one single meal........BUT I ATE ALL DAY LONG!

I nibbled on a container of yoghurt and walnuts in the morning.  I munched on chips and ham and cheese as I made lunch for my husband.  I had a piece of cake while standing at the counter, french bread and spoonfuls of food while making dinner for my son.  Ice cream and popcorn while watching a movie.  A can of Pepsi.

I've been kidding myself, thinking I eat like a bird, when in reality, I graze like a cow.

My worst habit is nibbling while I'm cooking.  Sometimes I get so hungry that I have to eat before I eat.  I enjoy living in the fantasy world of believing that food eaten by the handful doesn't actually count.

Today's Small Thing is to simply put your food on a plate before you eat it. This might be a real challenge, given that this whole week is the biggest Munching Event of the year.  This weekend there will be giant bowls of chips and dip, decadent desserts, and casseroles whose chief ingredients are butter, sour cream and cheese. But a spoonful here and there adds up to full meals before you even realize it!

Putting your food (and snacks) on a plate will help you pause before stuffing it in your mouth.  It will help your realize the actual quantity of food you are eating, and quite frankly, it's a much classier way to go.  You're going to have to snap out of your delusional thought pattern that "handfuls and nibbles don't count," but don't worry, I'll be right there with you.  I need help dealing with harsh reality.

POINTS: 50 for putting your food (including snacks, nibbles and handfuls) on a plate before consuming them.  You can eat the same amount if you want, but just pretend you are royalty who eats delicately from a glided plate.  (British accent is optional.)

I'm going to try this challenge all week....especially through the weekend! Please keep me company.

Enough

Everywhere you turn these days is talk of economic meltdown and disaster.  TV, radio, newspapers and internet headlines are so gloomy it makes me want to pull the covers over my head so I could go back to enjoying Oprah without hearing Suze Orman's voice saying,

"Oh. Dear ones.  My babies.  This. is. the. worst. ever."

While I nibble on some chocolate (or should I hoard it??) I ponder some of the things I've seen and experienced first hand.  As small business owners, we have had cycles of feast and famine almost our whole married life.  And it goes without saying that feasting is waaaay more fun that scrimping on necessities.  I freely admit that I have hated every minute of pinching pennies, which added up over a quarter century of marriage, comes out to be YEARS of being tight.  I only wish "tight" applied to my thighs the way it applies to my checkbook.

We've cinched our belt so much, it's wrapped around us twice.  The one good thing I can say about our current situation, in light of the economic climate, is that we won't have to change our lifestyle much to be able to make it.  We gave up credit cards over 5 years ago in a desperate bid to survive, and as horrible as it has been at times to not afford things we need (with a 30-day noose period), the bitter lesson of digging our way out of debt keeps us on the straight and narrow.  

And we ARE feeling more pinched.  Our market is very slow right now, so there is more going out than coming in.  We are owed a significant amount of money from a past project, which has really hurt us.  The purchase of a large turkey, and groceries for a houseful of guests is a doable stretch.  The fact that we have only one working shower right now, (and it's through the guest room) makes me cringe. Our 12 year old vehicle needs a new transmission.

And yet.

I was reminded of Habakkuk 3:17-19 when I "happened" upon it, yea, even three times in a row.

I know what it feels like to be clunked over the head with the Good Book.  It hurts even more than a bad book would, trust me.

Though the fig tree does not bud 

       and there are no grapes on the vines, 

       though the olive crop fails 

       and the fields produce no food, 

       though there are no sheep in the pen 

       and no cattle in the stalls,

 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, 

       I will be joyful in God my Savior.

 19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; 

       he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, 

       he enables me to go on the heights. 

I've realized that being stripped of the easy life has laid me bare to my need of a Savior.  There is no buffer of material comfort between me and the Almighty.  I cannot run to Starbucks for a quick fix for my soul.  I cannot spend my way out of the doldrums or buy happiness at a Day Spa.  Quite simply, I must turn to the One.... the One who is Enough. 

Enough for today. Enough for tomorrow. Enough for my needs.

And though I long for the swell feeling of picking up the tab for a large group in a restaurant, I'm learning to be a gracious receiver when I have little to give.  I'm learning that being generous is much bigger than simply opening my pocketbook.  I can be generous with my time, with a listening ear, with a helpful hand.  I can rejoice in the Lord, rather then wring my hands every time Secretary Paulson has a press conference.  I can choose to love my children, turn cartwheels and be silly with them in spite of dire news.   I can breathe the Fall air and savor the sunshine and build a joyful foundation for my family.

See, I can't fix the Treasury Department, but I can fix my eyes on The Treasure: the One who provides, sustains and delivers.  Remember, He is mighty to save.

Today's Small Thing is to recount the ways in which God is enough for you.  This year's Thanksgiving may be a humble meal without a lot of "extra's," for many, but I want to be like Habakkuk and remember that God is my strength.  I want to run surefooted on the heights and to rejoice in God, my Salvation.  There are good things ahead for us, because we can trust Him.  I believe that with all my heart.  

POINTS: 40 for meditating on what it means for God to be  "Enough." 

How has He been enough for you?  Encourage us with your story.

What's a Company Girl?

“Be my Company Girl!” one of my little red-headed girls
would say to the other. 
The invitation usually came with an outstretched hand and a hopeful smile.

It was their way of saying, “Keep me company!”

It didn’t seem to matter if it was a trip to the potty or a trip to the playroom,
the sisters had their own way of communicating.
 
Wherever they were going, whatever they were doing,
it was going to be better with a Company Girl along.

I can still picture them,
with their eyes sparkling and their legendary scarves flying.
 
Company Girls.

Over the years, the phrase “Company Girl” became one of those family-speak phrases

 that is special to our small band of five.

 Sometimes my husband asks me to be his Company Girl
on a trip to the home improvement store. 

And I like having a Company Girl in the kitchen with me while dinner is cooking.

Household chores always seem to go faster,
a walk to the mailbox is more enjoyable,
and even a run to the grocery store is much more adventuresome
with a Company Girl along.

The invitation to be a Company Girl is our inside way of saying,
“I like your company, and I want you to be with me.”

It requires nothing of the invitee but to Be There.

Be along for the ride.

Sit in companionable silence.

Enjoy a laugh.

Share the experience.

I’ve learned something about friendship
 from those two red-headed girls and their quaint little phrase.

They taught me that almost everything in life is better when it’s shared. 

And I learned that there are Company Girls everywhere. 
You just have to discover them.

Sometimes you meet someone
and know instantly that she would make a perfect Company Girl.

And sometimes you have to know someone for a very long time
before you realize that you’ve become Company Girls.

Company Girls come in all shapes and sizes.

Sisters often make excellent Company Girls.

So do mothers.  And mother-in-laws, sometimes.

A childhood friend makes a bona fide Company Girl,
because she sees you as a hop-scotch friend
and not as the wrinkled lady you are becoming.

A Company Girl doesn’t have to be exactly like you.
 You can disagree on politics, religion and
whether or not your shoes should match your purse,
and still be Company Girls.

A Company Girl can be much older, or much younger than you,
because age doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to this kind of friendship. 
Same with skin color and family background.

If you are lucky enough to have a Company Girl,
you know you can count on her voice at the other end of the line.
Her name is on your speed-dial.

A Company Girl actually cares when you are searching for the perfect hairstyle, 

but won’t mention if you are having a Bad Hair day.

A Company Girl will tell you if you have something between your teeth,
or some type of undergarment showing where it shouldn’t.
I think that pretty much goes without saying.

If you ever need someone to sit with you in a doctor’s waiting room,
a Company Girl will do it and not make you feel guilty for asking.

Once, when it came time to put our old dog to sleep, 

a dear Company Girl came and took her to the vet for me

 and then sat with her while she died.
 She knew I couldn’t do it myself, and I’ve never forgotten it. 

Some Company Girls are like that.  They just know.

A Company Girl friendship transcends time and space. 
You can pick up right where you left off,
even if it’s been years since you last saw one another.

Even if you don’t live close, or rarely get to see each other because
your kids play sports and you’re always in the car,
being Company Girls means that you share something special.

It means you aren’t pressured to be high-maintenance “BFF’s.”
(Best Friends Forever).
You can simply enjoy being with one another....as little or as often as you get to. 

It means that spending time together is a gift, not an expectation.

It means that listening is more important than talking.

That riding along is better than driving by yourself.

And it means that friendship is measured by understanding and kindness,
and the ability to see the best in each other.
Even on your worst days.

Sometimes I think I’ve missed out
 on some good Company Girl experiences because I’ve been too busy. 

It would have been easy
to pick up the phone to chat for a minute, or grab a cup of coffee with a friend,
but I’ve often had more “pressing” things to do.
 And I assumed others would be too busy, too.
 I didn’t want to interrupt.

I regret taking so long to discover what my little girls knew
before they even started kindergarten. 

That a Company Girl is found
 with an outstretched hand and a hopeful smile.

It doesn’t cost anything to have one, and it doesn’t require a pedigree to be one. 

You simply have to be willing to take a chance on friendship,
extend an invitation and then...well. 
Then see what happens. 

Keep your heart open and your hand ready.

Because you just never know when you might look up and realize
that you are somebody’s Company Girl already.
Or that the Company Girl you’ve been looking for has been near you all along.

Just clasp a hand, give a smile and enjoy the ride.

Company Girls simply know:  Life is better when it’s shared.


© Rachel Anne Ridge 2008
www.homesanctuary.com

Company Girls are the Best

My very first post on this blog was an invitation to be a Company Girl. 

I've been amazed at just how many Company Girls are out there in this world, and it's renewed my desire to deepen the relationships I have as well as kindle new friendships.  This blog has opened up a whole universe of wonderful, inspiring and kind women who share a common passion for their homes and families and friends.  

I thank you for being such an incredible group of Company Girls.  Your presence warms and encourages me daily.

Today's Small Thing is to cherish one of your own Company Girls by doing something simple, yet meaningful.  Can you think of someone that you either know already or would like to know better? You could simply call her to say hello, or drop an email to let her know you are thinking of her.  A real letter, written on paper, is still a wonderful gesture (so I've heard!).  Or perhaps, if your Company Girl is a daughter or family member, you could run an errand together, or sit and talk for a few minutes. Sharing food is always fun, especially if it's chocolate!

Take a moment to say a prayer for her.

Maybe you've just moved to a new town or don't have someone close that you consider a Company Girl. It can be a lonely feeling when it seems like everyone else has a friend except you.  I've often found that, deep inside, everyone feels a bit lonely...even those who seem to have all the friends in the world.  Take a chance on friendship with a phone call or a plate of cookies, or by asking a friendly question.  

You can't force a relationship, but you CAN give it opportunities to start to bloom.  One of my very best Company Girls kept inviting me to do things, would call every now and then, and just stayed friendly to me until I finally put my busy guard down and let her in.  I'm so grateful that she didn't give up! Thank you, Priscilla.

POINTS:  40 for being a Company Girl today!  Find one, make one, be one or cherish one.

P.S.  I started making my Christmas gifts this year and I thought I'd make them available to you, too.   This is a NO-PRESSURE plug for my stuff....it's just that they turned out cute and I thought you might like them too. Can you tell I've got Company Girls on the brain?  You will after you see what I've made!  I'll be adding some more things within the next week, so be sure and check back.

http://www.zazzle.com/companygirl*

Head Start Program

It's the weekend before the "official" start to the holidays, and I'm bound and determined to be more organized this year.  I rarely have the luxury of shopping early, but there are other things I can do to make the next 5 weeks go a little more smoothly than they have in the past.

Today's Small Thing is to get a head start on your holiday preparations.  Earlier in the week, we thought about ways to enhance our family traditions, but today I would like to get down to the nitty gritty of actually completing a task that might get left to the last minute.

For example, with a houseful of guest coming next week, and not enough beds or bathrooms to go around, I will be putting some guests in the master bedroom.  A horrifying thought!  The master bedroom is usually the dumping ground for all the stuff that gets moved out of the rest of the house! But I really do not have any choice.  That means that the clutter I don't normally care about will have to get shoved into someone else's closet, and I don't want to be doing that an hour before they arrive.  I need at head start on it if I have any hope of pulling it off.

Some of you will be traveling next week and won't have to worry about cleaning your house. (Lucky!) But it still means that you will be packing and making sure people have socks and underwear to last. And no one wants to be shopping for shoes that you just realized Junior outgrew and won't have anything to wear but holey socks to the Thanksgiving feast.  Give yourself a head start by making a checklist of things to pack, things to purchase, and things to bake so you won't be running around at the last minute.

Here are some other head start ideas that will help us fight our Procrastinating Tendencies:

• Check your pantry supply for baking items.  I'm out of shortening and low on flour. 
• Purchase "extra" things like butter, eggs and milk for the extra pie or dessert you forgot to make. 
• Wash sheets and towels so they are ready to go before company arrives. 
• Wash sheets and towels so you have something clean to come home to from your trip. 
• Bake and store what you can, if you can keep from eating goodies ahead of time. 
• Clear out space in your freezer for leftovers. 
• Purchase storage containers so they are ready for duty after the Big Meal.  
• Assess tablecloth/centerpiece/serving dish situations: do you have what you need?  I just realized that I only have 8 glasses for 35 people coming over.  
• Polish silverware (or buy plastic ware)  
• Start a Christmas Planner  Check out Ribbonwood Cottage for some incredible ideas!

Ticking even one item off your list will help you relax and enjoy the next few weeks.  I want to be joyful and grateful, in spite of our tight budget and time constraints, and being proactive will get me going in the right direction. 

POINTS: 60 for giving yourself a head start by DOING one thing that you're tempted to procrastinate

Share your ideas!  What can you do NOW that will make a difference later?

Company Girl Coffee

Such clever uses of cliches yesterday!  I really chuckled over them!  You are all such good sports.

My son cut the cheese first thing (and proudly...he's 14) and my husband flew like a bat out of.....well, you-know-where to get going on the day.  I rather lollygagged around and just kept my eyes peeled for things that needed to get done.  It was one of those kind of days.

After a late night last night, I'm ready for several cups of coffee to jump start my morning.  I hope you'll put a fresh pot on and invite us over!  If you have a giveaway going on, give your blog a plug so we can get in on it!  Or, if you simply want to chat or share a Small Thing, feel free.  That's what friends are for.

Check out TJ's giveaway here!

That's so Cliche

You might hate me after today, but I'm hoping against hope that you'll have fun with this Small Thing.  If you don't, just blame it all on Zoanna, the wordsmith over at A Penchant for Pens.  She started it when she invited us to a virtual costume party back on October 31 and said we had to come as a cliche.

Well, a challenge like that is like chum to a shark for me.  I was all over that in a heartbeat.  I racked my brain and could only come up with a couple that I felt suited me.

I could come with a fork stuck in me. (Because, believe me, I'm done.)

I could come as a just dessert.

How about half-baked?

It drove me bananas for a whole day.

I finally decided to come as a glass half full.

And THREE WEEKS LATER, I'm still collecting cliches and "trying them on."  Yeah, I'm one card short of a full deck.  Not being the sharpest knife in the drawer makes it seem like I'll never get this monkey off my back.

Today's Small Thing is to do anything you want that is inspired by a cliche!  You can make a task out of it (if you feel you have to keep your shoulder to the wheel), or if you want to just tie one on, you can have a party with it.  Do as much or as little as you want!   Have fun and don't be afraid to take it to the limit.

Here's a HUGE list of cliches to help you out. (I laughed through most of it).  Don't start going postal on me, because believe me, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.  This is one of those Small Things you'll thank me for later.

Note to self: This would make an excellent subject for Company Girl Coffee tomorrow.....

POINTS: 50 Because at the end of the day, Home Sanctuary is all about making your home an enjoyable place to be.  So think outside the box but don't over complicate it.

BONUS POINTS: 20 for getting someone else involved in your cliche.  Kids, friends, spouse, etc.

Splish Splash

Yesterday morning I had the luxury of getting into the shower after taking our son to school.  I've been working at home, so the morning routine is much more relaxed.  I looked forward to a long, hot shower and thought I'd really get slinky and shave my legs while I was at it.

Then for some reason, the hot water turned cold just as I was about to slather up my left leg.  I tried messing with the knobs to no avail, so I took it as a sign to go with the cave girl style and had to skip the shaving.  So much for being slinky.

I set the razor down next to one of the other ones in there are realized that clutter had crept beyond the shower curtain and into the tub.  Do we really need 3 shampoo bottles, 2 Old Spice Body Washes (yes), petrified washcloths and hairbands in there?  The days of plastic tub toys are over for me, but I remember when they multiplied like rabbits in the tub, not so long ago.

Scooping up the tub clutter is the easy part.  It's the scrubbing of the tub and tiles that seems to take forever.  Just to prove how long and difficult a job it is, I timed myself the last time I did it.

4 minutes, 37 seconds.

Rats!  It took at least that amount of time just to locate the Ajax and sponge.  That's almost 10 minutes that I could have spent on something really gratifying, like checking my roots or plucking my eyebrows. Or shaving my legs.

Today's Small Thing is to take 5 minutes and scrub your tub or shower.  If you keep your bathroom cleaners in a handy spot, it will just take a second to locate what you need and then go to town! 

When the tub is sparkling, I feel like lighting a candle and soaking in bubbles.  Who knows, maybe those legs will get slinky after all!

POINTS: 40 for cleaning one bathtub or shower

BONUS: 20 for assessing your handy cleaners: do you need to replace or move something to the bathroom so it's easier to clean up next time?

BONUS BONUS: 20 for doing at least one additional tub/shower

80 points max.

Where Did You Come From?

As the holidays approach, now is a good time to think about where you came from.  And where you're going.

I'm not necessarily talking about which state you are from, but the family traditions that formed you.

We often think that holiday traditions should look like a Norman Rockwell painting:

We feel a bit disappointed that our own traditions are more like the Simpsons:

Or the Griswalds:

We get so excited about experiencing a storybook holiday that we forget some of the best traditions are ones we create along the way.   Don't get me wrong:  I'm a big believer in making the holidays special. I like wearing nice clothes and setting a beautiful table.  Having delicious food and a decorated house. 

But some of the fondest memories of the holidays are made in the celebration of family histories.  Even the Homer Simpson histories. 

And remember that you are creating a new histories for your own families.

The best traditions have nothing to do with money or presents or elaborate decorations.  The memories I cherish the most are of laying under the Christmas tree with my children, looking up at the twinkling lights in the darkened room.  Listening to Nat King Cole and Big Crosby.  Eating popcorn in front of the fire. Making Christmas cutout cookies together.  Going for walks at night.  Reading Luke 2.  Making Norwegian lefse.

In a tight economy, you might find yourself feeling bad about not providing the kind of holiday extravaganza you've been able to in the past.  It's hard to see that as a blessing when you want to provide lots of stuff for your kids, but I've come to believe that there is a sweetness to simplifying the whole celebration. When I see the depth of character and grateful spirits of my  children, I thank the Lord for some of the financial hardship we've endured.  

It's forced us to look beyond presents and vacations for the jewel of being together and celebrating our history.  

Today's Small Thing is to think about two things you'd like to do during the upcoming holiday season. These should be simple things that celebrate your own family history or something that you'd like to START as a tradition.  

POINTS: 40 for doing some pre-holiday planning for traditions, new or old.  

I'm going to pick a date for our annual cookie-making, and I will plan on leaving enough time for an outdoor fire on a cold, crisp night.