Pockets to Fill

Today Rachael Anne over at Home Sanctuary challenged us to sit down and make a list of what we can do in 5, 10, and 15 minute "pockets" of time.  While I have done this exercise before, I thought it would be fun to take my first floor main rooms and group some "pockets" together.  Then I went back and looked at my last pockets list that I made here a few years back.  What a fun comparison to make!  I was in a different season and different home back then so I had a few things on my list that didn't come up this time.  But for the most part, a lot of the things I listed were the same quick tasks as before.  I just grouped them by room to help me maximize my pockets of time better. :)

Here's what my list looks like now:
In the Kitchen:
Load the dishes/wipe down the sinks
Wipe down the counters
Clean the stove top
Clear off the island
Wipe down the appliances
Empty the dish rack
Wipe the dining room table & straighten the chairs
Change the calendar (Wipe off white board, once a month)

In the Living Room:
Stack attack! (Sort papers)
Dust the phone table and the coffee table
Wipe down the phone
Straighten the book shelves
Check the answering machine for messages (Which often gets forgotten!)

In the Main Bathroom/Laundry Room:
Load/Move along laundry
Wipe down washer/dryer
Straighten counter top/wipe it down
Clean the mirror
Clean the toilet
Replace light bulbs

In the Master Bedroom/Bathroom:
Make the bed
Pick up any stray clothes and put away or in laundry
Straighten bathroom counter top/wipe it down
Clean the mirror
Clean the toilet
Straighten the towels

Other:
Clean out purse
File receipts
Clean out/organize a "junk drawer"
Schedule a dentist/doctor appointment

What a fun exercise and a great reminder that you don't have to have big pockets of time to accomplish Small Things that build Sanctuary in your home!

Simple Spaces - The Linen Closet

Is it Friday already?  Time for some coffee!

I lost track of the days this week.  Partly because it is conference week for my kids so they haven't had school yesterday or today.  I went to four conferences back to back yesterday morning.  I really enjoy all of the kids' teachers this year.  They are fantastic.  I am happy to report that aside from a little handwriting neatness that we need to work on, they are all doing great!  We are approaching the 100th day of school and I can't wait to see what is in store for my kindergartner this week.  Should be lots of fun!

I have been without my computer this week and I am working from my husband's now...I can't believe how much I rely on my computer for my schedules and meal plans!  I have gotten so used to making a grocery list from my meal plan and then not looking at it until I wake up each morning.  This week it has been a challenge to remember what I had on my plan without being able to look at it.  I guess I will go back to either posting it here, or just keeping a hard copy printed somewhere.  My hubby took my laptop to the shop and apparently there is something wrong with the mother board, which means bad things.  They may not even be able to recover everything I have stored on it.  (Which also includes our finances, so that's not good.)

All computer problems and wacky schedules aside, I did get to my simple space this week so I wanted to share it here with you today. :)  I chose the linen closet this week because it has really been bothering me.  Since we moved in here over a year and a half ago, it has become the stashing ground for just about everything!  But no more!  It is now "simply organized," and I am loving it!

Before - A Cluttered Mess!

 

After - "Simply Organized!"

The bottom half -used for spare linens, pillows, and sleeping bags.

The top half - used for overstock items (lotions, toothpaste, medicines, etc.) I am still searching for more containers to store these items and simplify even more.  There's nothing like a good container to help organize things!

How do you feel about using containers/baskets around the house to organize? Do you like to use labels?  What is your favorite organizing tip?  I'd love to know!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Simple Spaces - The Master Bathroom

I am so excited to introduce a new topic on my blog!   I was going to share my first post in February, but I got so motivated that I couldn't wait.  In keeping with my new Housekeeping Mission Statement for 2013, "This home is a peaceful, simply organized, warm and inviting sanctuary..." I am focusing on the "simply organized part.  Each week I will pick an area of my home to clean, sort, organize and simplify. 

Last week I chose the Master Bathroom.  It's been bugging me for a while.  The spaces under the counter were crowded and the drawers were overflowing with an assortment of things that have collected since we lived here.  The before and after pictures sort of tell all.

Before - under my sink

Before the simplifying process there were lotions and shampoos and other hair products and misc. items all thrown under the sink together.  I took everything out, wiped down the surface, and started sorting.  Honestly, a lot of it was garbage.  I had to really consider whether or not I was ever going to use some of it again and if not, get rid of it.  I gathered all the jewelry together and sorted through all the makeup.  I put the jewelry in a container that I bought, and the makeup that I keep separate for special occasions in a travel bag.  The basket holds all of my manicure items/hand lotions.  (I like to pamper myself from time to time.)


After - under my sink

One of my biggest frustrations in the morning used to be how hard it was to find anything in my bathroom drawer.  Hair bands, makeup, glasses case and more were all one big jumbled mess! (As you can plainly see.)


Before - my drawer

 Again, I took everything out of the drawer and wiped down the inside.  As I was removing things I put away any makeup that wasn't being used on a daily basis, found a home for all my hair bands and bobby pins, and threw out any garbage.  Then I began to sort through what was left.  There wasn't much to put back in the drawer.  I don't know why I didn't do this sooner!  MUCH better!


After - my drawer

As with my menu planning, I find inspiration from other bloggers.  Two of my favorite organizing blogs are I'm an Organizing Junkie, and the organizing section of Clover Lane.  Sometimes you just need a little extra encouragement to "jump start" the organizing process.  But once you start, I can tell you from experience, it's addicting! 

I can hardly wait to share my next simple space with you.  My goal is to de-clutter as much as possible in 2013.  What kind of organizing projects are you working on in your home?  I'd love to hear from you!



Homekeeping Mission statement 2013

We've been talking about setting up a "real world housekeeping schedule" over at Home Sanctuary.  Last week Rachel Anne walked us through several simple steps of putting together a reasonable plan that fits our current lifestyle and allows time to "breathe," which is her theme of the year.

I have to say, I've been tweaking mine, and adding to it, and moving things around to see where they best fit in to my own simple plan.  Every day I seem to realize something that I forgot to schedule in and I am tempted to make things more complicated and difficult on myself.  But I have to remember that it is not about having an immaculate house, it's about turning this place we call home into a sanctuary. 

When we were done creating our schedule at the end of last week, I asked Rachel Anne to re-visit the small thing of writing a homekeeping mission statement.  I wrote one years ago when I started following along with the Small Things, and then again in 2011.  That was before we moved here, so I wanted to make sure that mission statement still fit my current season.  I didn't change it all that much, just tweaked a few words and re-wrote it in the present tense.   I like how Rachel Anne did that with hers...it had a nice ring to it.

Here's my final draft:

"Our home is a peaceful, simply organized, warm and inviting sanctuary. It is a safe haven where relationships are valued and unconditional love and acceptance are shown. We strive together to maintain a reasonable housekeeping schedule and share responsibilities to keep clutter at bay.  It is creatively decorated and affordably furnished to provide a relaxing living environment for our family and all who pass through our doors."    


I think it really reflects how I feel about what I desire our atmosphere to be here at home.  When I wrote my mission statement two years ago, I had the "three legged stool" in mind that Rachel Anne so lovingly refers to on her blog: peace, order, and beauty.



(This artwork is courtesy of Rachel Anne Ridge at homesanctuary.com)

Now all I have to do is to carry out my mission statement one small thing at a time!

"By wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
And by knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches."
-Proverbs 24:3-4

 



The Playroom!

We have this little room above our garage that immediately became the kids' playroom when we moved in last Summer.  Because it is not heated, it got a little neglected over the Winter.  Every time someone would go to put something away, it would just get tossed in there instead of put back in its place.  That's how it ended up like this...

Before

For the past two weekends I have asked the kids to give me an hour a day to work on the mess.  At first, it was really hard to know where to begin.  With some loving direction, they sorted, organized, threw out trash, and finally got it all clean.  Now it looks like this...

You can see the floor!

Games, Craft Supplies and Puzzles

Reading and Drawing Corner

I'm so extremely proud of my kiddos for a job well done!  Just in time to enjoy it with company next weekend!  Way to go!

I could still use one more set of shelves in there for storage, but that'll have to wait.  Garage sale season will soon be upon us and I'll keep my eye out for just what I need.

Housekeeping Matters

The words "She keeps her house immaculate" resonated through my mind as I worked swiftly, cleaning the kitchen and dining room this morning.  Questions like "Does she keep a schedule," "What supplies does she use," and "Did she keep it that clean when she had children in the home?" arose in my mind as I pondered what "immaculate" meant to the commenter.  I cleaned what I can only assume was boogers off my dining room wall today.  What more could anyone ask for than a booger-free wall?

Seriously though.  Could I do a better job at keeping my house clean?  Sure.  Immaculate, no.  But there is always room for improvement.  I asked my husband last week if there was one or two things around the house he wished I would do more often, or better.  I gave him complete freedom to hand out any suggestions he wanted, and told him I would take no offense whatsoever.

He suggested vacuuming 2x a week instead of one, and making sure the kids pick up their things before bedtime on a consistent basis.  How helpful!  Those are both easily done!  I don't think he expects me to keep the house immaculate.  If he did, that would be asking way too much at this stage in our lives.  I sure can do my best to keep a reasonable housekeeping schedule though.  It all goes back to my housekeeping mission that I revised at the beginning of the year.

"I want my home to be peaceful, simple, and cozy.  I will value my relationships with my husband and children by showing them unconditional acceptance.  I will maintain a reasonable housekeeping schedule and designate chores to keep clutter at bay.  I will decorate tastefully and affordably creating a relaxing environment for my family and all who enter my home."

Peaceful, simple, cozy.  These are attainable goals.  I think many of us look around and compare ourselves with others far too often.  What is a reasonable schedule for me may be different for a single mom, working mom, or otherwise.  If we set goals that are too unreasonable, then we are only setting ourselves up for failure.

Proverbs 31: 17 says "She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks."

There is always work to be done.  For me, what matters is that I decide what I am going to do, and then do it well.  Even if it's the task of wiping boogers off my walls! :)

Blessings,
Melissa

P.S. If you've never set up a house-keeping schedule of your own but would like to, pop over to Home Sanctary and start the process with this post.  You'll be glad you did!

Company Girl Coffee 3.4.11

Good afternoon! I have been a busy mom lately, but I thought I'd take a minute and chime in for some Company Girl Coffee.

The other day when Rachel Anne posted "Grab Bag" as the Small Thing of the day, it reminded me that I never gave a final update on my 28 bags in 28 days. We finished well over 28 bags. It was a mixture of clothing and toys to donate, and lots and lots of trash. It's amazing what you collect when you live in a home for 6 + years!

I learned I big lesson about myself last month. I tend to hang on to things because I think I need them to hold on to the memories. It's as if I think the stuff I own makes up who I am. As I was sorting I really had to ask myself why I wanted to keep certain items. It was very good. Not only was I cleaning up the clutter in my home, but also getting rid of a little "heart clutter." God really helped me work through some tough things that I didn't even know were there.

I still have plenty of time to work on de-cluttering and packing. And God still has plenty of time to work on me. I love the way Natalie Grant puts it in her book The Real Me. "I am not the woman I was five years ago, and hopefully I am not the woman I will be five years from now. I am evolving, changing, becoming. It's not so much who I am but that I am a work in progress, striving to become more like the one who made me."

Have a great weekend everyone! This post is linked up for Company Girl Coffee!

~Melissa

28 Bags in 28 Days - Day 1!

"The greatest wealth is to live with little, for there is never want where to mind is satisfied." -Lucretias

Hello! I'm super excited to say that I began my 28 day challenge today! I divided my house into zones, and my zones into areas, and today I tackled the entryway closet. Believe it or not, I filled a large kitchen trash bag with items to donate that were outgrown or simply not being used. I straightened the shoes and threw out trash that mysteriously makes its way into the closet. I also went through the scarves, hats and mittens tub and found a few items to give away. My "to donate" bag will go right out to my van when I head out to pick up my kids from school.

Yesterday, I was so excited that I couldn't resist getting a little jump start on purging. I began by cleaning out our craft drawers in the dining room and sorting crayons, markers, and other art supplies. Yes, I sorted my kids' crayons by color. I divided the loot in half and put some back in their crayon bucket and some in a travel size container. The markers found a nice home in a used Pirouette tin. I love reusable containers! I also filled our kitchen trash can with old coloring books and other papers and projects that didn't make the "keep" cut.
That's all I have to report today. I probably won't post every day, but I wanted to get off to a good start.

You're welcome to join in the fun this month. I look forward to reporting my progress, and the great feeling I'll have when it's all done!

Sanctuary in the Middle of Change

I've been thinking a lot this week about my Homekeeping Mission Statement for 2011. The first time I wrote one, was back in 2008, when I joined the Company Girl fun and dove into Small Things.

Back then, I had a one year old, a three year old, a four year old, a five year old, and a six year old! Needless to say, I needed that mission statement to keep me sane! Today, my children are a little older, and four out of five of them are in school. Though the wording has changed some, the main statement (in bold) has stuck with me.

HOMEKEEPING MISSION 2011
I want my home to be, peaceful, simple, and cozy. I will value my relationships with my husband and children by showing them unconditional love and acceptance. I will maintain a reasonable housekeeping schedule and designate chores to keep clutter at bay. I will decorate tastefully and affordably, creating a relaxing environment for my family and all who enter my home.

Do you recognize the three elements in the beginning? They may be different words, but they are still the same three legs of an old reliable stool. Peace, Order, and Beauty. You can find the origin of this story on Rachel Anne's Blog.

And now for my big announcement:
My family will be moving to a new location in June of 2011! We have the opportunity to begin a new business adventure in my husband's home town, where his parents still live. I will be blogging more about it in the future, but today I simply wanted to share the good news with you over coffee.

Over the next several months, I will be living out my Homekeeping Mission Statement while I pack, organize, and slim down our belongings. I'll be honest with you. Maintaining sanctuary in our home while preparing for the big move will be a challenge. Hopefully, with a little patience and a lot of prayer, this Company Girl will be able to keep peace, order, and beauty alive in the middle of it all. :)

May all of your homes be blessed in 2011!
~Melissa

A Good Working Attitude

If only I could do windows with a smile like that! :)

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men," -Colossians 3:23

Company Girl Coffee 2.5.10

Welcome! Come on in and have a virtual cup of coffee or tea and visit for a while. It's been a busy week here. It was packed full of appointments, lunch dates, and school awards assembly. I also worked on my new project, the laundry room. Many of you know Org Junkie. This month I joined her 28 day Organizing Challenge. You can just scroll down to read about my progress, or take a look at my before pictures.

In my perfect world, the laundry room would be spotless, with cupboards for this, and shelves for that. There would be a beautiful tile floor and neat, organized stations for laundry, household supplies, and perhaps even some linen storage. I dream of stainless steal, front load washer/dryer on pedestals so that I can do the laundry with ease. It's a picture perfect, sparkling room right out of Home and Garden magazine!

But let's get real here...

I am lucky to have a fairly large sized laundry room. It runs almost the full length of my basement. There is plenty of room for junk, um, I mean storage, under the stairs. I've got floor to ceiling shelves at one end of it that serve as my overstock pantry. Plus, even though it's under ground, there are two windows to let the sunlight in. The problem is, since the room is so large, it has become a collect-all space! Thus, the reason for my joining in the challenge.

Yesterday a friend of mine came over and together, we came up with a plan. It has three phases, and I will be sharing them here. Stay tuned this month for the great transformation! :)

What's your "catch all" room in your house?

Have a great weekend everyone!
~Melissa~

The Laundry Room, Day 3

I thought I'd post an update on how my laundry room is coming along. I'm having so much fun with this challenge! If you don't know what I'm talking about, just scroll down to the next post and take a look at my before pictures.

On Monday I started by just picking up any obvious trash that I could find. Not just trash, but broken toys and full coloring books and whatever else looked worn out and no longer able to be used. That filled up one bag.

Then yesterday I dug in and began to go through some of the containers on my shelves. I threw out any expired food in my pantry overstock and re-arranged the food in an orderly manner. In my household supply overstock I threw away any expired medicines and old lotions. I also went through all my cleaning supplies and took inventory of what I have and what I need.

Today I picked up any stray toys and returned them to their proper homes. I packed up a few files that we have to keep for another 5 years but won't need to get into unless we get audited and moved them to the garage. I sorted the dress-up box and tossed any torn, unusable items in it.

When my DH got home, I discussed the idea of separating the parts of the desk (which is a whole other mess) and just keeping the hutch up so that the kids would still have a place for their computer and playstation, but it would take up less space. He agreed.

Tomorrow I have a good friend that I trust coming over to help me take inventory of what I should keep, give away, sell, move, or just plain throw out. She's also going to help me come up with the best way to use the space with the furniture and storage containers that I already own. Yay!

Progress! I'm feeling better already. Well, that is, until I have to confront what's lurking under my stairs...but I'll save that for another post.

The Clutter Trap! Organizing Matters

It's Monday, and it's the first day of February! I love it when the first day of the month falls on a Monday. It seems to motivate me to keep moving and get things done. :)

This month I have joined ORG Junkie's 28 Day Organizing Challenge. I am finally fed up with the way that my laundry room looks! It functions as a laundry room/ toy room/ furnace room/ tool room/ craft supply room/ pantry/ playstation & computer room! You think I'm kidding? Just take a look at my before pictures! :) It is a clutter trap, but I'm up for the challenge! If you are fed up with a room, or even a small space in your house, and you're up for the challenge, check out ORG Junkie and join in the fun! Did I mention there are prizes involved?

Ready, Set, ORGANIZE!

Company Girl Coffee 9.25.09

Hello friends! By now you must have read Rachel Anne's funny story over at Home Sanctuary! I laughed out loud when I read it. It's ranks right up there with some of her funny donkey stories. If you haven't read any of those, I would encourage it!

Speaking of funny stories, I have one that's sure to give some of you a good chuckle. I promise there are no critters involved. You see, I have been deep cleaning my master bedroom this week. I know, it's a little late for Spring cleaning, but something got into me and motivated me to start some serious cleaning/decluttering around here!

We've lived here for five years now, and for five years I have been saying how much I dislike the peach curtains hanging in my bedroom. I will admit, they are great quality curtains. They are lined, so they keep the warmth in and the light out. Peach just isn't in my color pallet as on of my favorites. There has always been something more important on our list of "home improvement" so I've just put up with them over the years.

Well, in my major cleaning frenzy I decided to take them down and wash them. Whew! Were they dusty! I figured I'd be brave and wash them here at home to save some money. So I set my machine on "hand wash, cold". I only put in one set to test what would happen. You can probably guess what's coming next!

When the cycle was finished I pulled them out of the machine and held them up to take a look. UH OH!

"Honey, I shrunk the curtains!"

I hung them up to dry, just in case it was only the way the moisture made them hang, but alas, they had definitely shrunk. This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that only one side of them shrunk. The taffeta front side was now shorter than the lining.

I called my mom because I knew she would get a laugh out of it, and laugh she did. Through her laughter she joked "Come on now, you can't tell me that part of you wasn't hoping that would happen!" She's right. Part of me was probably wishing that those peach curtains would be ruined for good. (Sorry, for those of you who adore the color peach.) Now, if I were any good at sewing, or if I even owned a sewing machine, then I could probably fix the problem. Instead I think I'll just call it a day and chalk it up to lesson learned. For now, blinds will have to do.

Anyone want some slightly ruined but now very clean peach curtains????

I plan to continue with my deep cleaning in another room of the house next week. You never know what else I can find to ruin...um...I mean, clean!

Have a great weekend all! Thanks for dropping in for coffee!
~Melissa~

Pockets of Time

Today over at Home Sanctuary, Rachel Anne asked us to think about what we can accomplish during small "pockets" of time during the day. This is a list that I have made before, but I often revisit, and revise it as I think of new things to do.

De-clutter my Car: Are you early for a meeting or waiting to pick kids up at school? De-clutter your car! Gather up all the recyclables, including plastic bottles, soda cans and paper, and put them in a bag. Put all trash in another bag. Use a damp cloth or disposable wipe to clean all surfaces. Group any remaining things that you need to remove from your car later, such as clothes and newly purchased items. When you leave your car, take all the trash and recycling with you. Remove the other items as soon as you get a chance.

Prep for a Meal: When you have an extra 15 minutes at night or in the morning, use it to prepare a meal. Slice some sourdough bread and make your favorite sandwich for a bag lunch. Or your meal prep might include tossing some meat, spices and vegetables into a slow-cooker or crock pot.

Clip, Sort, and File Coupons: If you are a coupon clipper like me, you might have a stack set aside to sort and put away! Coupons can be organized with minimal time and effort. That way when you think of something you need or find something on sale, you don't have to shuffle through a mess of coupons to find the one you need!

Match the Socks: Grab a container and pile all solo socks inside. Match what you can.

Clean up "Message Central:" Wherever messages are taken, clutter seems to arise. Go through any miscellaneous messages or notepads and discard items no longer needed. Test the pens; get rid of those that don't work. Clear off your answering machine.

Clean Off The Fridge: If you have kids' artwork wallpapering the front, consider featuring them in an alternative style. If you keep reminder notes on the fridge, straiten them up and remove outdated notes.

Sort the Mail: Gather all the mail into one place. Don't read the mail--just make piles. Create a pile for garbage, one for bills, one for to-read items and additional piles for other people in the home (i.e. give to husband, child, mother.) When done transfer the piles for others to somewhere they will see them. Put the to-read items in a place you will read them. Toss the junk in the garbage. Return the bills to the inbox.

Go through the Bills: This is best to complete after the task above. Remove all bills from their envelopes and lay flat. Staple of paperclip those with multiple pages. Tuck the return envelope around the bill. Throw out all the miscellaneous offers included in the bills. Stack them in three piles... receipts/file only (if you use auto-pay), to pay within the next 14 days, to pay after 14 days.

Wipe Down the Appliances: Grab the Windex and wipe down the front surfaces of your kitchen appliances.

Clear the Junk Drawer: Empty the drawer entirely. Go through each item and either throw it out or return to its proper place. There is no reason to use up prime storage to hold "junk."

Wipe Down the Microwave: Give your microwave a thorough cleaning--inside and out!

Wipe Down a Shower Door: Spray the front and back and let it "set" for a couple of minutes while wiping down the vanity area. Return and wipe down the shower door. Go ahead...set your timer! You'd be surprised at how much you can get done in only 10 minutes.

Wash a Window: Wash a window (inside or outside--your pick). Be careful on this one though, if you only have 15 minutes you need to have the discipline to stop at one window!

Match-Up Your Media: Return CDs, DVDs, video games and computer programs to their proper storage cases.

Go through Your Media: Do you need to keep the install disks to printers you no longer own or programs you no longer use? Get rid of any unneeded items to make it easier to find what you do need.

Check the Medicine Cabinet: Check the expiration date of all vitamins, prescriptions and medicine cabinet supplies, discarding any expired items.

Toss 10: Find 10 things in your house to donate or throw away.

Sweep the Entry Way: Take a moment to sweep the outside entrance of your home.

Wipe down your mirrors: Take your Windex and and clean a few mirrors in your home.

Change a light bulb: Quit walking by that burned out light bulb! It only takes a couple of minutes to replace it with a new one.

Load or unload the dishwasher: If you don't have a dishwasher then put the dishes in the sink to soak, or put away the ones away that have finished drying.

My list continues on, but you get the idea. The important thing is to take advantage of those priceless pockets of time during your day that you don't actually have anything "scheduled." Sometimes if I only have five minutes, I take a water break. I fill my cup, sit down, and enjoy an ice cold glass of water while I re-focus. It's important to take time for yourself too!

Thanks Rachel Anne, for the reminder that there are so many things you can do in small increments of time!

How Big is Your Bathtub?

I've been Spring cleaning in the bathroom this week. I've sorted the medicine cabinet, gone through the drawers, cleaned the outside of the toilet, wiped down the light bulbs...etc. The number one thing that I dread in the bathroom is without a doubt, hands down, cleaning the bathtub. I don't care how many products there are out there that say "no scrubbing necessary," you just HAVE to use a little elbow grease on the bathtub! It's a pain, and I've been avoiding it all week.

Until this morning. I had a little change of heart when I read this:
He made the Sea of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line of thirty cubits to measure around it. Below the rim, gourds encircled it—ten to a cubit. The gourds were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

The Sea stood on twelve bulls, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. It was a handbreadth in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths. -1 Kings 7:23-26

For those of you who may be wondering what "the Sea" was, it was basically one very large bathtub! Actually, it was one large bathtub that held several baths. The "Sea" was to be used by the Priests for washing. Did I say large? I meant gigantic! Think about it. One cubit is about 18 inches. I don't know about yours, but my bathtub is about four feet, or a little over two and a half cubits long, and maybe one and a half cubits high. That is nothing compared to Solomon's bath!

I'm still trying to picture it. I mean, I've heard of claw foot tubs before, but entire bulls? A dozen of them? I would love a nice large jet tub that I can sink into and disappear someday, but I think I'll pass on the one that I need a ladder to climb into! Who's going to clean that? The housekeeper? I certainly would not have wanted to be Solomon's wife back then.

All I'm saying is that today I am going to tackle my tub, and I will never complain about cleaning it again. Well, until next Spring and then I'll just sit down and read this as a little reminder of how lucky I am!

^{Colossians 3:23-24} Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.