The "price" of a clean, organized home?

I've been thinking about this-- as I have frustratingly noticed that lately my home is not as clean as I'd like to to be. OK, to be more honest, I would usually be embarrassed to have anyone drop by and have to use the bathroom!

I don't usually leave things out, but in the last year or so, I don't seem to MAKE time to do the real cleaning of surfaces or keep up things at a level of clean that I would personally enjoy more myself!

Often there are a few dirty dishes and maybe even a pan in my kitchen sink (I'm still not used not having to do big family meal dishes, so just a few things dirty feels almost a waste of hot water : / )

Yes, I thankfully still have the great habit of making our bed each morning (and it makes a HUGE difference as right now we are living in this older 5th wheel, where ALL can see the bed from the other end of the RV, and THAT would be a large part of the % of the total looking a mess! )

Maybe I could blame it partially on that I am a little past due to get a stronger prescription on my eye glasses, so I don't usually SEE the dirt, or that my eye glasses themselves are not as clean as I'd like either so all things often seem a little fuzzy too. (yeah, lame! though true. )

I could blame it on that I ** don't ** have any kids home to help with the work? I love it that "those who walk on the floors, help with the chores"! But it is just Ray and I and he works out of the home so it is ME, and me alone, responsible. :(
--- now He wants to use this computer, so I'll continue later, with the wonderful ideas that worked when we had kids. (I miss my own kids, and even kids in general, as I am so transient at present that i don't have a regular Primary class to teach.

by the way, I do still believe that "an immaculate home is the sign of a wasted life"
but I want to have my home a little more celestial, anyway! talk to you later! :)

♠

My 63rd birthday was yesterday- A NEW year!

So, here I am, awake since about 3;30, and I have checked facebook, and my email, and still I am not sleepy. My Dear Husband is working on our fishing boat, F/v Liahona, in AK, and I miss him SOOOO much.
--- I am blessed to have family in this big old house though for a month and a half of their career transition time, our daughter Lori, her sweet husband and four children, ages, 6, just barely 5, next going on 4 and the youngest is 18 months. They give me joy and more purpose to my life.
--- So yesterday my daughter and her husband spent most of the day helping my brother paint walls and ceiling in his Bed and Breakfast, and they had the little ones there, as I had not been able to sleep the night before, and so was no use.
``` When they got home, I was feeling better, and THEY were super tired. I was able to step up and help then, when the youngest needed his diaper changed and was crying as his little sit down was burned from the runs, and my daughter and her hubby were feeling totally fatigued. I got him in the tub and let the warm water run down him, though the tears were still running down his face, I'm sure it felt better than if we had used the cold baby wipes to wipe the poo off. Poor baby!
--- I felt so happy to be helping and needed. The little sweethearts come to me too when they need help, and let me cuddle them and listen to them.
---- I have learned some about Attention Deficit Disorder with Anxiety-- and it has been suggested that I have had that challenge to deal with (learn from by conquering it?) AND that there are new medications that could help me. I have felt that most of the time in m life, it has been like trying to move through knee deep molasses, as it is often so hard to just GET moving, and to keep going, while it seems others just practically dance along and do things with a breeze.
--- It was hard for me in school, where I did ALL of my homework and school work religiously (for a member of my faith- that means MY BEST!) but still I never could make the honor roll. I felt I must be below normal in intelligence-- but now with this info-- maybe it was my body being "wired" a little inaccurately, and so it couldn't utilize the amino acids etc in the way it should have been able to, that help with restful sleep, energy, ability to focus and understand easily that most people can do.
--- I am hopeful that WHEN I can find a good doctor, and as long as we have enough money to not go into the red to pay the Dr. bills (no health insurance- as we usually don't get sick and just haven't been able to afford it!) that I will be getting some help! YEA!!!
--- What an amazing thing it would be to have more energy and not fight depression, but even not stress over trying to make a meal come out the right temp. and all on the table at the same time. (one coping skill has been for me to make "one dish" meals - or do things ahead- like the salad etc :) it really saves the stress!
--- Yet my dear husband just does it all at the same time and enjoys it! I have tried to work with him in the kitchen, and I have some, but mostly he can do things so fast and knows just what to do, that I am just in the way!
--- I had hoped that just taking the amino acids as supplements would solve my blocks, but it has not worked so far. It is so encouraging to think something may really help! Sharaterra (I think that is how to spell it?) is a fairly new medicine, I understand is not addicting, nor something that makes you "high" or mind altering, and does not really do anything unless your body NEEDS it, and has VERY few side effects (liver monitoring is necessary) but still is expensive. :(
-- It looks like it may cost at least $100 dollars for a months supply of the lowest level of the medication :(.
Well, "if it is right to do, there will be a way to do it!" is what my mothers mother used to say, and I believe that. :)

------- So I understand that there are things that are so stressful that especially if you have to deal with several in your life, they can cause depression,

and if you ALSO have some chemical/physical reasons that your body(mind- they ARE connected :) ) does not cope

that it is really REALLY R E A L L Y hard.

So I was thinking about the stresses in my life over the last few years. Here is a list of SOME of what has been happening in my life.

1. Business bankruptcy and lost 95% of our life's assets
2. Moved from town we had lived in for over 25 years- to two states away into 5th wheel, for seven months then "bought" with mortgage, a very needy fixer upper, and worked to make it work while living in it.
3. Death of mother in law
4 Suicide of father in law
5 death of my own mother
6. More business reversals, some relief with Social Security and Gods blessings! (thank goodness for food storage!)
7. Back and forth temp. moves between the two states to take care of the above
8. Invested time & inheritance from father in law & our IRAs etc in building a boat
9. Couldn't get boat mortgage which used to be easy but not under Obama :(
10 Cannery defaulted on agreements with us, and so we couldn't meet boat debts
11 boat wouldn't sell when finally listed for sale right before next fishing season
10. Husband leaves to fish in AK for six months-
12. properties still haven't sold though listed at banks demands,
13. Unethical lawyer after us
14 lost health insurance

PLUS some of my physical challenges;
a. fibromyalgia (sp?- the whole body aches most all the time, but worse some times!)
b. low thyroid
c. Hypoglycemia
d. depression struggles
e. insomnia

BUT I believe we came to this life to learn from experiences trials suited to what we need to learn (so Maybe I needed to learn a LOT? ;0)

I know that I have come to trust my Father in Heaven MORE, as we struggle through the challenges we have had (having my husband often not even in phone access is hard)

I have been blessed with a great supportive family (our kids and their spouses and my bothers and sisters -- my hubby has none :(
and my Religion is a HUGE help, as is paying tithing, which I think helps us to have what we NEED and even often some of what I want but don't REALLY need. :)

The priesthood, (which is the power of God to bless our lives as in the Bible), has helped with blessings by the laying on of hands on my head and words of inspiration and comfort given to the priesthood holder to bless me in the hardest trials!

We have working vehicles, and food storage, and we live in the country with the most blessings and freedoms and in a state that is safer than many. Our health is quite good and because of our obedience to church teachings, we are not addicted to alcohol, tobacco, caffeine nor any drugs or pornography etc. :)

Our children are all righteous and responsible adults, raising our wonderful grand-kids, and they are often able to give us needed support. :)

I am greatly blessed and life is good. Knowing the purpose of life sure helps!

what is prevening us from having a house of order?

What could be ANY reasons to not maintain an orderly clean home?

1. We hate feeling forced to do it
2. We like to choose what we do
3. We think it takes too much time
...4. We don't know how to do it faster
5. We like to do other things more
6. We don't believe it's really worth it
--- As it will just get messed up again
7. Cleaning isn't that fun or rewarding
8. We like to feel a little rebelious
9. We feel it is others messes not ours
10. We have so little time for us
11. We don't think it is all that bad
12. We wish someone else would do it
13. We don't really notice messing up
14. Messes don't really bother us much
15. Rich people have maids to clean

True or false?
1. Most rich people have clean houses?
2. Most dirty clutter is in poor homes?
3. It takes intelligence to keep orderly?
4. Things are found fastest in order?
5. More things are broken in disorder?
6. More accidents happen in disorder?
7. Clean orderly homes are healthier?
8. Keeping clean saves time and $ ?
9. Order = better looking clothes ?
10. We want to pay others $ to clean for us more than go on vacations?
11. We like visiting others more when their homes are clean & orderly?
12. More respect is given for order?
13. Disorganization takes more room?
14. God organizes & wants us to?
15. Most rich people clean their own homes themselves?
16. Really rich people have less things?
17. One can never get enough of what you don't need.
18. Clean during beats procrastination?
19. Dried on food takes longer to clean?
20. Fresh spots clean easier than old?
21. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure?
22. A place for everything and everything in it's place works best for finding and using things.
23. Orderliness takes training and works best by loving example.

‎24. Doc & Cov 88:119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

- Help to ...gain & keep a house of order -
1. Rewards for order= praise, pay, privileges, things, time, service,
2. Consequences for disorder = fines, sadness, loss of priviles, loss of things, owe service to others, ____?
3. Make a game of cleaning = random inspections with random rewards and consequences? Hidden prizes? Surprize pay? Surprize outings when house in order/sadness & left out if not? Chore spin wheel chart , rotating, choose? Money saved goes for family goal?
4. Make charts recording behavior?
What else ?? Pay MYSELF for cleaning? :)See More
Yesterday at 6:17am · Like

Epifinay this morning of wether to go to AK or not

It started as I have lately felt so stalled/stuck/unmotivated/undirected as it seemed life was happening TO me, and that I didn't get to choose, but just kept being dragged along willy/nilly.

-- which THAT then caused me depression- helpless- hopeless and so frustrated-- trying to downsize "things" (sell property etc) and get back to basics, learn to be more self reliant, and produce what we need to live on, but things aren't selling etc. Even with having signed real estate papers to sell -- found the co had yet to write them up accurately and get them online, while I was feeling so desperate, I was ready to drop the price already as no offers yet!

So as I escaped into reading, feeling that I didn't want to DO anything of the things on my lists that I "should do" etc as it seemed they were probably just a waste of time, and we would
loose this home anyway- or rental 'guests' would destroy the things I was sharing, and disrupt the organization I created, while I wouldn't be here to re-organize nor had the money to hire others to.

Then of course I felt even WORSE- useless, wasted etc
(sure a good thing I don't drink or do drugs to escape!)

So waking this morning in the wee hours and unable to go back to sleep-- I thought maybe I wasn't asking myself the right questions- for this time?

How could I get the right answers to my problems, if I didn't have the right questions to start with???

So- that started me thinking about what was 'clutter' and what was really essential (with SOME few things for joy too ;)

I have come to this conclusion-- to ask these questions-- like even if it is something in my house, ( a lamp, a tool, a piece of furniture, a costume etc)

-------------------------------- the questions-- ---- in several forms ;0

Is this _____ helping or hindering me?
Does it make me happy- (not just fun- but celestial joy type happy)
Is it bringing me closer to God, or getting in the way?
Will this help my (and others) eternal progress or waste my time?

Isn't a "time waster" the ultimate cheat of life? Isn't "time" all we really have- that we can't regain or add to once it is gone?

Soooo- what is my work, my PURPOSE in life?
-- isn't it to do that good which is before me?
If Gods' work is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" -- then isn't mine to support that?
How is that done?
Isn't that what Jesus told his apostles to do?
Preach the gospel to all the world
(bring everyone to know Jesus Christ and get to choose to follow him or not?)
-- Soooo then how does that involve me?
My dear husband isn't ready (finances hang up) to go on a couple mission yet. He feels we need to fish commercially to get out of debt.
Still I can be a member missionary- a cyber missionary
---- A N D ---- what about the people who have died without knowing the Lord, or having the essential ordinance of baptism?
--- I promised my Father as he was dying that I would work to get his ancestors names, so we could get their baptisms done (baptism for the dead that only the reestablished gospel of Jesus Christ does) and their temple work done (marriages sealed and children sealed to them for time and all eternity).

NOW THIS feels like important work I can help with!

If I go on our commercial fishing boat to AK with my dear husband as he wants me to, what will my work be there? I'm a 62 year old grandmother- and just not up to hauling fish on board etc!

Yet, IF we have the internet, I can do family history and missionary work! :) I can stay connected with our kids too and even SKYPE!

Most important is what you LEARN, not what you earn

Still struggling with the finances here,
our year plus investment in commercial fishing boat now up for sale but no offers yet
( I'm feeling like the sharks are circling the raft-- but we are ok "today".

and I need to remember that we came here to learn and grow through trials
-- but I never wanted to be a giantess! ;)
I don't care for playing basketball--
(doing which I cracked the only bone in my body which has been damaged-- so far)

so, we do still have some more assets we could put up for sale, though my husband is totally against offering the home we are living in, while I would rather live in our old 5th wheel, and KNOW we were out of debt

When we try to open doors and they all seem locked,
we just must keep going down the hall way and trying the next door knob
but we can also check the windows- for opening and for inspiration from Gods sky. :)

"Some days are diamonds, some days are stone" from a John Denver song

I wish I had an infant to rock, which would comfort us both, as babies make the corners of my mouth turn up, even on days (months- years?) of trials.

I'm thankful for homeopathic remedies-- I just took a constitutional strength of Pulsitilla (sp?) which has helped so much in the past.

My sweetheart husband is three states away, working from dawn past dark, on fixing up the boat for a better chance to sell it though he REALLY wants to fish it again this summer. He got the trim paint on the wheel house and it looks great! (wish I knew how to get pictures on here).

He is a great guy, and I'm so lucky he wanted to marry me. :) Definitely my most happy thought but then it is harder when he is so far from me. Yet, I must remember that we are sealed as husband and wife for time and all eternity :). Earth life is just a blink of the eye in eternity they say.

(some days the earth seems to have a lazy eyelid!)

Still there are so many others that are in WAAAAAAYYYYY worse situations than me!
I have family who love me, I have the re-established gospel of Jesus Christ, which is so wonderful to know why I am here on earth, where I came from and where we go after death. ----

I do want to go to the highest degree of the celestial kingdom. Isn't it grand to know there are no limits to the number of mansions there? The only limits I know of are wither we will seek the path and stay on it, enduring to the end.

Sometimes one can feel like "enough already" though or "When will you make an end?"

This must be one of the lessons I am supposed to learn- patience and of course the BIG one that helps with that is TRUST in God. Yep, I'm being st reached there.

"Only one life,
Twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
'To me to live IS Christ' "

The above is a wall plaque that was left on the wall in a home we bought years and years ago. I have it right above this computer-- and it does help. :)

I am also thankful for George MacDonald books-- which help inspire me to be a better person, and have more faith. :) They are even great plots too! I like the unedited versions.

May we all be blessed to feel our Saviors love, and know his Fathers hand is working for our best good in even the trials of our lives, (especially in the trials!)
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Trying to post a connection to service for the Savior