Can you believe we are hitting "Week 3" in our Thanksgiving series already? This month is going by so fast! I've been unwell for the past week so I am pretty far behind in my own preparations. So, if you are just jumping in for the first time AT week 3, don't be discouraged. Just pick-up from where we are at. Preparing heart and home is less about how much you can check off your list .... and more about how much you are able to surrender and allow God to mold your heart as you prepare for company and/or a high octane holiday season ahead.
On that note, though, how is your home preparation coming along? Even if Thanksgiving isn't at your house, these challenges can be helpful to knock the dust out of the way and prepare both your heart and your home for the coming Christmas season (and all the decorations you may be getting ready to pull out). When today's post first went live in 2015, we were in a point in our study of Colossians that year where the big challenge was to put on a new attitude... a new way of thinking. This is something which can not only help us have a better attitude as we prepare home.... but also an improved attitude as we brace our hearts for differing interactions in the weeks ahead. Are you ready to dip into our blast-from-the-past challenge for this week?
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
What area of your home do you typically have a bad attitude about cleaning. Are you tempted to cut corners, get grouchy, or just simply not find joy in this task? Tackle it this week!!! BUT, in typical Preparing Home and Heart style, be renewed in HOW you do it. Put off your old attitude and way of thinking about this task and put on one which sees it as a blessing: a blessing to have a home (or this area of the home) to clean. A blessing to get to make your home warm and inviting to guests (not stinky or dirty or grimy). You are blessed, you are renewed in Christ, so EVERYTHING you do ought to be done in his name: with the attitude and mindset He would have in a task.
By the way, even if this mess was someone else's "fault", that doesn't matter. Pray through that as well and be thankful for that person in your life. Put off your frustration with them and, instead, put on a new attitude toward that person.
You will feel better when you are done with this task, having done it with more joy. Your family will feel better as well because they will get the pleasure of not having you frustrated but rather inside of the peace God promises!
A BONUS CHALLENGE... in case you haven't already done this.... clean out your fridge this week AND scrub out your stove/oven. A lot of food is about to pass through the doors for storage and cooking, you will thank yourself for being prepared ahead of time with space and diminishing fire hazards from those crusty drip pans and stove bottoms! Don't ask me how I know!!!
May you have a renewed heart as you prepare your home this holiday season!
Grab your FREE Thanksgiving planner here (Next week is the BIG week!!!):
And visit last week's post, "Preparing Heart and Home: Week 1" for some tips on using the planner.
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Looking for a gratitude study for the month of November? Grab your FREE download here:
This study is great for private Bible time OR it works just as well for the whole family. It can even become a part of your November homeschool curriculum!