If you spend time with me… you know it won’t be very long before you notice me writing something down. I write lots of notes — I even write notes about notes.
Well, tonight in this “write it all down before you forget” blog entry, I actually want to encourage you to add more to your kitchen counter journal or your kitchen log. If you don’t have one, may I encourage you do get a notebook — preferably an inexpensive, but thick, “half sheet size” spiral notebook that you can keep in your kitchen to record your daily chores and activities, calls, appointments, lists, etc. I know this might seem archaic to women who think palm-pilots are old relics and who don’t even use a PC anymore — but seriously, there’s something about pen and paper — the visual and tangible.
So, what you might want to do is write down on a few different pages: lists. You might have a “from now till year’s end” list and you might have a garden list and you might have a basic home maintenance and repair list. These lists are sort of running lists that you’ll add to and cross off (you might reserve a section of pages at the beginning of your notebook for such lists). Things might remain on your list for a long time — years even — these aren’t like shopping lists or activity to do lists — these are more permanent/ongoing lists. Don’t fret over what you don’t have — just work to appreciate what you do have and take care of it. If you cannot replace/improve it, learn to appreciate it. Cultivate a thankful heart. Write down “thankfulness” verses from the Bible. That might be a page of your kitchen counter notebook.
Write it down… before you forget.
I’m suggesting this tonight because this is sort of the lull of autumn (at least here in the States) and, like the month of March, is a great time to get some things done… before the next big push. The last big push — around here, anyway, was to get outdoors: gardening, planting, outside repairs, and then the next big push was the food preservation – jams, jellies, canning and freezing – all the “putting up” for winter. Well, now it’s the other side… now it’s time to put everything away outside, get ready for the colder days and longer nights… it’s time to do the indoor repairs, a well stocked pantry, setting in the wood, candles, flashlights & batteries, lamp oil and other preparations and necessities. All the things you might want to do before the next big push… celebrations and family times. You may want to use this time for a really good deep cleaning of your home — every room, top to bottom, inside out. Wash and iron the curtains, wash walls, ceilings, touch up paint and whatever else you might consider needing to do.
Write it down… before you forget.
And, before you forget… maybe one more list:
What were you glad you did this past year? Write down what you’d like to repeat next year.
What were you glad you planted in the garden and yard?
What sort of garden did you envision and what really happened?
Now… write down the plans you want to hold onto for next year’s garden, next spring, next summer…
There’s a phrase and, sadly, I know it to be so true: Fail to plan = plan to fail.
But I like this better: Make a plan… Make a good plan… and follow through. This is my encouragement; again, I know it to be true: Your plans will work if you will work your plans.
Look up and write down verses on industriousness and slothfulness, hard work and laziness… these are great motivators for all of us… as we help our husbands and families.
The cool thing about notebooks is that you can still read and write in them when the power goes out or when the batteries are dead or when the phone lines are down. ;o) ♥
