Deep cleaning inspiration.

Dear Sisters,

"She girds herself with strength; and strengthens her arms. Proverbs 31:17

I have been enjoying my fall cleaning. Every time I sat down to write to you about it, I felt the nudge to keep doing it. So I would put aside my letter to you all and keep going. It has been a lot of fun doing more each day.

As I have wrote to you before, organization is not my strong point. That is why I tend to be a pack rat. It is much easier to store something away to "think about later," than it is to put it where it should go in the first place. The LORD has been helping me to become more orderly in my home. He has helped me this past week in the most unusual ways.

The first one was last Tuesday when my oldest son, Quincy, said he was in the mood to clean my back room off the kitchen. This is the worse room in my house. There is hardly any room to walk back there due to my inefficiency in organization. I looked at Quincy in amazement and said, "Yes!" He proceeded to empty the entire room, with the help of his three siblings, into my kitchen. I had to make lots of necessary decisions, as he would only put back those items that I was sure to use in the future. He organized everything as he put it back. Eight hours later...yes, eight hours later!...my new back room looked so beautiful I could cry. I kept thanking the LORD over and over for His miracle through my son, Quincy. I also kept asking Him for forgiveness for my "pack rat ways," and that I might never do this again to such a functional room.

The next surprise came the morning that I had company coming for the first time. We heard a mouse in the house. My husband thought he heard it in the kitchen cupboards and proceeded to chase the mouse from one cupboard to the next, while emptying them as he went. I, in the meantime, bit my knuckles in the living room praying that he might catch the thing. Well, he didn't. Later he came in quite sheepishly to the living room to tell me that the kitchen was kind of a mess. "Kind of" was too kind. I had been working so hard to get the back room mess cleaned up, and now I had an enormous mess to put away with my company coming only hours away! I kept praying as I organized, and saw the room put in order quite awhile before they came.

Besides getting my kitchen (appliances included) and back room in order, I have also whitewashed the paneling in my living room, cleaned my drapes, organized two bookcases, organized my bathroom cabinets, washed lots of linens, stained the fireplace mantel, stained the front door, organized my gift drawer, and organized my husband's and my bureau drawers.

In this whole process I have learned a few things: 1) Wear rubber gloves in a really grimy area; you will do a much better job.

2) Wear old clothes and an old apron to really get in there and clean everything out.

3) Prepare your dinner early in the morning before you start cleaning; you won't feel like cooking later on. Don't plan anything elaborate.

4) Pray as you go, for many items might not be necessary, and others might be;only the LORD knows what you will need in the future.

5) Show your husband your finished work when he comes home. He might be tempted to only see the mess you are still in, so show him your finished work quickly! (I was in my back room mess for two full days.)

6) Have your children empty out a cupboard or drawer onto the kitchen table. This will force you to clean it before supper time, and the kids enjoy emptying it.

7) You have a right to be in mess, you're fall cleaning. I mentioned this to any surprise visitors. It felt good to say it!

I have lots more to do before fall is over. Let's keep going girls!

Love,

Laine