by Blair Massey

Have you ever had a day when you felt overwhelmed by the number of tasks on your “to do” list?  Maybe you feel like this every day.  It can be a real challenge to get things done when you are faced with a long “to do” list.  Here are three spiritual principals that will help you be victorious on those tough days.

1. Pray First

“It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.” Psalm 18:32-33 (NIV)

Prayer tends to be the first thing we let slide when we feel overwhelmed.  Can you relate?  Yet, it is the thing we need the most.

It has been my experience that whenever I don’t pray, I inevitably have an unproductive day.  I find myself spinning my wheels on frivolous things that prevent me from my accomplishing my goals.  Conversely, when I pray first the Lord provides the wind I need to sail though my tasks.

2. Have a Plan of Action

Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” (NIV)

You won’t get far if you don’t have a plan of action.  My daily plan of action includes a list of tasks, appointments and phone calls that I need to make.  Each item is prioritized.  As I finish each task I mark it off my list.  If I have not completed an item at the end of the day, I transfer it to the next day’s agenda or reschedule it for a more suitable time.

3. Don’t Give Up

Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Being the Manager of your home is a great responsibility.  Sometimes the weight of that responsibility can feel very heavy.  If you are having a difficult day, stop and recite Galatians 6:9.  This is the scripture I lean on when I am having a challenging day.  I think about how God is watching me as I work to complete all my tasks.  I picture Him saying to me, “My dear daughter, I am so pleased that you are not giving up.  Your hard work will reap a great harvest.”

Knowing that I am pleasing the Lord by not giving up gives me the extra energy I need to make it to the end of the day.  It can do the same for you.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include the entire following resource information at the end of the article and make the link back to our site live:

© 2002 – 2009 Blair Massey

Christian Lifestyle expert Blair Massey is devoted to helping Christian women around the world organize and manage their home, family and life. If you’re tired of struggling to keep up at home, Blair will show you how to unlock your God-given organizing ability so that you can start living the amazing life that God created you to enjoy! To learn how, sign up for her FREE newsletter now at www.christian-homemaking.com

by Blair Massey

It was 6:30 in the morning and my husband was getting ready for an early morning business breakfast meeting. He  looked sharp in his blue shirt, navy blue tie and charcoal gray suit.

I was heading downstairs to get our coffee when I heard a loud moan from the bedroom closet. My husband’s shoelace had broken. Fortunately I was prepared. I immediately went to the utility room and retrieved an extra set of laces that I had purchased when I bought the shoes. My husband threaded them into his shoes, grabbed his travel mug of coffee and flew out the door to his meeting.

There is a valuable lesson to be learned from this broken shoelace. Being prepared can prevent big headaches. If I had not purchased that extra pair of laces, my husband would have been late for an important meeting, and that would not have looked good at the office.

While no one can anticipate every need or emergency, it is possible to be prepared for most situations. When I worked outside the home I had a job in outside sales. Because I was meeting new clients all the time I always had to look my best. In my desk I kept a pair of hosiery, a small bottle of hairspray, a comb, lipstick, an umbrella and clear nail polish (for fixing runs in my hosiery). In my car I kept a road atlas, a flashlight, batteries, road flares, water proof matches, change for bridge tolls, a rain poncho, a blanket, jumper cables and a first aid kit. To this day I still keep these items in my vehicle.

As the manager of my home it is up to me to make sure that I am adequately prepared for emergencies, whatever they may be. Here are a few examples of the things I have done.

• Placed a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
• Put together a first aid kit.
• Created an evacuation plan and kit.
• Placed emergency phone numbers in an easy to find location.
• Have several homemade dinners in the freezer for times when we are down with the flu or we come home late from an activity.
• Kept up on the laundry, ironing and mending so that my family has the clothes they need when they need them.
• Have an ample supply of shampoo and soap so that no one is caught in the shower without them.

Being prepared doesn’t mean that you need to start a stockpile of toilet paper (although having a good supply in each bathroom can be very important!). Rather, being prepared is about understanding the needs of your family and then making sure that you have the necessary items, like extra shoelaces, available to meet those needs. This is just one of the ways that, as the manager of your home, you can make your home a blessing to all who live there.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include the entire following resource information at the end of the article and make the link back to our site live:

© 2002 – 2009 Blair Massey

Christian Lifestyle expert Blair Massey is devoted to helping Christian women around the world organize and manage their home, family and life. If you’re tired of struggling to keep up at home, Blair will show you how to unlock your God-given organizing ability so that you can start living the amazing life that God created you to enjoy! To learn how, sign up for her FREE newsletter now at www.christian-homemaking.com